Contents
This privacy policy explains how Tailstays (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, and shares your personal data when you use our website at www.tailstays.com. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
1. Who We Are
Tailstays is a pet hotel booking platform that connects pet owners with pet boarding facilities across the United Kingdom. We act as the data controller for the personal data collected through our website.
KJC International Limited
Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach
Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8AT
United Kingdom
Email: support@tailstays.com
2. What Data We Collect
Account data
Email address, first and last name, phone number (optional), password (hashed — we never see or store your plain-text password), and marketing preferences.
Pet profiles
Basic details (name, species, breed, age, sex, weight), health information (vaccination records, medications, health notes), behavioural information (temperament, sociability, boarding history), dietary requirements, and any special needs.
Vet contacts
Practice name, phone number, address, postcode, and details of the last visit.
Emergency contacts
Name, phone number, email address, relationship, and whether they are UK-based.
Booking enquiry data
Check-in and check-out dates, arrival and departure time slots, your name, email, phone number, address, postcode, special requests, a snapshot of all pet, vet, and emergency contact data at the time of submission, and your data-sharing consent with timestamp.
Hotel owner data
Email address (for claim verification), hotel contact details (name, email, phone number), and ownership role.
Technical data
IP address (used for rate limiting only, held in memory and expires within 1 hour), and browser/device information (collected by Google Analytics only if you consent via our cookie banner).
3. How and Why We Use Your Data
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Account management | Account data | Contract |
| Processing booking enquiries | Enquiry, pet, vet, emergency contact data | Contract |
| Sharing data with hotels | Contact details, pet information | Consent (explicit checkbox per enquiry) |
| Transactional emails (verification, password reset, booking confirmations, hotel notifications, reminders, alternative suggestions) | Email, name | Contract |
| Marketing emails | Email, name | Consent (opt-in, withdrawable via profile) |
| Rate limiting and security | IP address | Legitimate interest |
| Analytics (Google Analytics 4) | Anonymised browsing data | Consent (cookie banner) |
| Hotel ownership verification | Email address | Legitimate interest |
| Maps and location search | Search queries, coordinates | Legitimate interest |
| Saving form drafts | Enquiry form data (stored on your device) | Legitimate interest (convenience) |
| Auto-saving phone number to your profile from enquiry form | Phone number | Legitimate interest (convenience) |
4. Data Sharing with Hotels
Sharing your data with pet hotels is a core part of how Tailstays works. We only share your data when you submit a booking enquiry and give explicit consent via the checkbox on the enquiry form.
The consent text reads: “I understand that my contact details and pet information will be shared with [hotel name] to process this booking request.”
What we share
Your full name, email, phone number, address, postcode, all pet details (including health, vaccinations, diet, and behaviour), vet contact information, emergency contact information, and any special requests.
How hotels receive your data
When you submit an enquiry, the hotel receives an email notification containing your first name and the types of pets you have. Full details are accessible via a secure, token-based link. Hotels that have not claimed their listing are limited to viewing 2 sets of customer details per month; claimed hotels have unlimited access.
Hotels as data controllers
Once a hotel receives your data, they become an independent data controller for that information. Their use of your data is governed by their own privacy practices.
We never sell your personal data. We never share it with anyone other than the specific hotel you send a booking request to.
5. Third-Party Service Providers
We use the following service providers to operate Tailstays. These providers process data on our behalf under data processing agreements.
| Service | Purpose | Data Shared | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Database and authentication | All account data | European Economic Area |
| Resend (Amazon SES) | Email delivery | Email addresses, names | US |
| Mapbox | Maps and geocoding | Search queries, coordinates | US |
| Google Analytics 4 | Analytics (opt-in only) | Anonymised browsing data | US |
| Vercel | Website hosting | All data passes through servers | US |
7. International Data Transfers
Our primary database is hosted in the European Economic Area via Supabase. Some of our service providers (Resend, Mapbox, Google Analytics, Vercel) are based in the United States.
Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, it is protected by appropriate safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses and, where applicable, the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.
We only transfer data where it is necessary to operate the service.
8. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Account data | Until account deletion | Necessary for service |
| Pet, vet, and emergency contact profiles | Until you delete them or delete your account | Necessary for service |
| Booking enquiries | Retained indefinitely | Transaction records |
| Rate limiting data | 1 hour | In-memory only, auto-expires |
| Session tokens | Access: 1 hour; Refresh: 7 days | Authentication |
| Form drafts | Until submission or manual clear | Stored on your device (localStorage) |
9. Your Rights Under UK GDPR
Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights:
Right of access
You can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you. Email support@tailstays.com and we will respond within 30 days.
Right to rectification
You can update your personal data directly in your profile at any time. If you need help, contact us.
Right to erasure
You can delete individual pets, vet contacts, and emergency contacts from your profile. For full account deletion, email support@tailstays.com. Please note that booking enquiry data may be retained as transaction records.
Right to restrict processing
You can request that we restrict the processing of your data. Email support@tailstays.com.
Right to data portability
You can request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format. Email support@tailstays.com and we will provide it within 30 days.
Right to object
You can object to the processing of your data where we rely on legitimate interest. Email support@tailstays.com.
Right to withdraw consent
You can withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal:
- Marketing emails: toggle off in your profile settings
- Analytics cookies: change your preference via the cookie banner
- Data sharing with hotels: consent is given per enquiry, not globally
Right to complain
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
- Website: ico.org.uk
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
- Address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
10. Children's Privacy
Tailstays is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at support@tailstays.com and we will delete it promptly.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised. If we make significant changes, we will notify you by email or by placing a prominent notice on our website.
12. How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:
Email: support@tailstays.com
Post:
KJC International Limited
Arrowsmith Court, Station Approach
Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8AT
United Kingdom
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF