Privacy Statement

Last reviewed: 17 August 2026

This Privacy Statement explains how Grove Cottages collects, uses and protects personal information when you use our website, make an enquiry, make a booking, sign up to our newsletter, contact us, stay at one of the cottages we represent, or enquire about listing a property with us.

We aim to handle personal information clearly, carefully and responsibly.

Who we are

This website is operated by Grove Cottages.

The legal trading entity is The Cottage Agency Ltd, a limited company.

For privacy questions or data protection complaints, please contact:

Mark Scott
Email: [email protected]

Grove Cottages has provided the following ICO registration reference:

ICO registration reference: Z3563648

For the purposes of data protection law, The Cottage Agency Ltd / Grove Cottages is the data controller for the personal information we collect and use directly.

Our role as an agency

Grove Cottages acts as a booking agent for the cottage owners. The cottage owners manage their individual properties.

When a booking is made, Grove Cottages may share guest information with the relevant cottage owner so that the owner can manage the stay.

The information shared with cottage owners may include:

  • guest name;
  • contact details, excluding email addresses where applicable;
  • stay dates;
  • number of guests;
  • dog/pet details;
  • sale price;
  • payment status;
  • access requirements;
  • special requests, where relevant.

Guest information is usually emailed to owners in booking confirmation emails. Some owners may also access guest information through SuperControl.

What personal information we collect

Depending on how you use our website, contact us, make an enquiry, make a booking, sign up to our newsletter, stay at a property, or enquire as a property owner, we may collect and use:

  • your name;
  • your email address;
  • your phone number;
  • your address;
  • enquiry details;
  • booking dates and stay details;
  • number of guests;
  • information about children in the booking party, where needed to arrange the correct number of beds;
  • dog/pet information;
  • accessibility, mobility or special requirement information, where you choose to provide it;
  • payment status and booking value;
  • correspondence with us by email or phone;
  • call recordings, where calls are recorded;
  • newsletter sign-up details and marketing consent records;
  • guest review or feedback information;
  • property owner enquiry details;
  • property details, descriptions, appraisals and images from current or prospective cottage owners;
  • vehicle registration details for Navigation Cottage, where needed for residents’ parking;
  • website usage information, where cookies or analytics tools are used.

We do not intentionally collect more personal information than we need.

How we collect personal information

We may collect personal information when you:

  • contact Grove Cottages by email or phone;
  • make an enquiry through the website;
  • make a booking through SuperControl;
  • make a booking through a third-party booking platform;
  • make a booking manually by email or phone;
  • sign up to the newsletter online;
  • ask to be added to the newsletter through a cottage feedback form;
  • provide feedback, reviews, testimonials or comments;
  • send property photos, guest book images, visitor comments or local images;
  • enquire about listing a property with Grove Cottages;
  • stay at one of the properties we represent;
  • use our website.

How we use your personal information

We use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;
  • advise on suitable cottages;
  • check availability;
  • manage and confirm bookings;
  • send booking confirmation emails to guests, owners and Grove Cottages;
  • communicate with guests before, during and after a stay;
  • share relevant booking information with property owners;
  • share limited guest information with housekeepers, cleaners or caretakers where needed;
  • process payments and refunds;
  • keep booking records;
  • keep owner/property enquiry records;
  • manage newsletter subscriptions and marketing consent;
  • send special offers, late availability, new cottage alerts and seasonal emails where someone has opted in;
  • publish guest reviews or feedback where permission has been given;
  • manage complaints, guest issues and privacy requests;
  • maintain website security and performance;
  • understand and improve website use.

Our lawful bases for using personal information

We only use personal information where we have a lawful basis to do so.

These may include:

Contract
We use personal information where it is needed to respond to booking requests, manage bookings, process payments, provide booking information to property owners, and arrange the accommodation.

Legitimate interests
We may use personal information where it is reasonably necessary for running the agency, responding to enquiries, advising guests, keeping booking records, supporting cottage owners, managing reviews, dealing with complaints, checking booking records and maintaining the website.

Legal obligation
We may need to keep certain information for legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or insurance purposes.

Consent
Where required, we rely on consent for newsletter sign-ups, non-essential cookies, optional marketing emails, and optional use of reviews, guest comments or guest-supplied material.

Guest enquiries and correspondence

Grove Cottages keeps guest enquiry emails in its inbox. The inbox is accessed by Mark Scott, his wife/company partner and the booking secretary.

Grove Cottages does not use WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger, Instagram messages or other messaging platforms to communicate with guests.

Notes about guest preferences, previous stays, repeat guests or suitability for particular cottages are not kept in a formal separate system, but may be included in email correspondence where guests ask for advice, for example about a cottage with a large dog area.

These emails are retained within Outlook. Grove Cottages should review and delete older enquiry emails periodically where they are no longer needed.

SuperControl bookings and booking records

Grove Cottages uses SuperControl for bookings.

When a booking is made, SuperControl generates emails to guests, property owners and Grove Cottages. If a booking is entered manually, Grove Cottages still generates the booking emails through SuperControl.

Grove Cottages may occasionally take bookings manually by email or phone.

Grove Cottages also receives bookings through third-party platforms, including Airbnb, Booking.com, platforms that Booking.com sub-sells to, VRBO/HomeAway and Plum Guide. These bookings are imported into SuperControl.

Confirmed booking records are stored in the Grove Cottages office and are kept for around five years. Records of cancelled bookings and guest issues may also be kept in the office for around five years. Declined bookings are not normally retained as separate records.

Grove Cottages also creates booking and Excel statements to cross-check records.

Payments, deposits and refunds

Deposits and balances are usually paid online.

Payments are processed through SuperControl and Opayo. Bank transfer may be used very occasionally.

Grove Cottages does not collect or store card/payment details directly.

Grove Cottages does not take or hold security deposits, damage deposits or good housekeeping deposits.

Guest records and internal systems

Grove Cottages currently prints a booking record without card details, although this process may stop in future as the business moves towards using SuperControl more fully.

Printed booking records may include information such as name, address, email, phone, stay dates, payment status, dog/pet details, accessibility requirements, special requests and relevant notes about previous stays.

These records are stored in folders, kept for around five years, and accessed by partners and the booking secretary.

Grove Cottages has stated that it is moving away from creating its own statements and booking records and towards only using SuperControl.

Newsletter and marketing

Grove Cottages uses 101 Smart Messenger / Mailchimp to manage newsletter subscribers.

People can opt in to the newsletter by signing up online or by completing cottage feedback forms. Grove Cottages may manually add someone to the newsletter list only where they have completed an online form asking to be signed up or signed a customer feedback form asking to be added.

Grove Cottages sends special offers, late availability, new cottage alerts and seasonal emails.

People can unsubscribe from newsletters.

Grove Cottages does not upload guest or subscriber lists to Facebook/Meta, Google Ads or any advertising platform, and does not use remarketing or retargeting adverts.

Marketing consent is recorded by keeping a copy of written requests and a list of online requests.

Grove Cottages should keep this process under review and make sure newsletter consent records remain clear and easy to evidence.

Reviews, guest comments and testimonials

Reviews and guest comments used on the website come from written guest feedback forms.

Grove Cottages obtains permission before using reviews from private emails or guest books.

Reviews are published using first names.

Reviews are only rarely edited or shortened before being published.

Grove Cottages will remove or anonymise a review if a guest asks. Guest feedback may be stored separately from the booking record.

Guest photos, owner photos and property images

Grove Cottages does not use identifiable guest photos or videos on the website, social media, printed marketing or adverts.

Guests may occasionally send photos for possible use in marketing. Identifiable guest images should only be used with clear permission.

Property owners may provide property photos, guest book images, visitor comments or local images for use on the website. Grove Cottages keeps records of permission in email correspondence.

Sharing guest information

Grove Cottages shares guest information with the relevant property owner so that the owner can manage the stay.

The answers also indicate that limited guest information may be shared with cleaners, housekeepers or caretakers where needed. This may include guest name, guest numbers, pet information, stay dates and mobile number only.

Grove Cottages aims to share only the minimum information needed.

Information may be shared by SuperControl access, SuperControl automated housekeeper emails, WhatsApp, printed lists, shared calendars or spreadsheets, depending on the property and process.

Call recording and telephone enquiries

The website footer states that calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

Grove Cottages has confirmed that calls are currently recorded using Webex. Call recordings are accessed by Mark and are not shared with anyone else.

The retention period for call recordings has not yet been confirmed. Grove Cottages should confirm how long Webex call recordings are retained and ensure callers are clearly informed that calls may be recorded.

Special requirements and sensitive information

Grove Cottages may collect accessibility, mobility or special requirement information where a guest voluntarily asks for advice on which cottage would suit them best. This information is kept in email correspondence only.

Grove Cottages does not routinely collect dietary, allergy, medical or health-related information.

Information about children in a booking party may be collected through the booking process to make sure the correct number of beds is available.

Dog/pet information may also be collected and may be stored in Outlook conversations.

On-site and property-level information

Grove Cottages has stated that Grove Cottages properties do not currently have CCTV.

Guest Wi-Fi at the properties does not require guests to enter names, emails or other personal details.

Navigation Cottage collects vehicle registration details where needed for residents’ parking.

EV charging, where available, is treated as a prepaid extra and does not collect guest details, payment details, vehicle information or usage records.

Property owners should inform Grove Cottages if they add CCTV, EV charging, guest Wi-Fi registration, smart locks, Ring doorbells or other data-collecting technology.

Owner and property enquiries

Grove Cottages may keep records of owner or property enquiries from people interested in joining Grove Cottages.

This may include contact details, descriptive appraisal information, property details and possibly photos.

Grove Cottages does not normally collect financial estimates from prospective owners at this stage.

The current answers indicate that owner enquiry information is not routinely deleted. Grove Cottages should adopt a reasonable retention period for owner enquiries that do not proceed.

Cookies and website tools

The website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to work properly. Others may support website features such as booking forms, availability, maps, reviews, newsletter sign-ups, call tracking, analytics, security tools, spam protection or embedded content.

Where required, non-essential cookies should only be used with your consent.

Please see our Cookie Policy for more information about cookies and how to manage your choices.

How long we keep personal information

We only keep personal information for as long as reasonably needed.

As a general guide:

  • Confirmed booking records are kept for around five years.
  • Cancelled booking records and guest issue records may be kept for around five years.
  • Printed booking records are currently kept for around five years.
  • Guest enquiry emails, informal guest preference notes, owner enquiries and newsletter records do not currently have set retention periods and should be reviewed periodically.
  • Call recording retention should be confirmed within Webex.
  • Very old paper files containing private information are securely destroyed by burning.
  • Marketing consent records should be kept while someone remains subscribed and for a reasonable period afterwards, so Grove Cottages can evidence consent if needed.

Grove Cottages should adopt a clearer retention routine for old emails, old booking exports, spreadsheets, marketing lists, owner enquiries and call recordings.

How we protect personal information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure.

This includes limiting access to guest enquiry emails and booking records, restricting access to partners and the booking secretary where appropriate, avoiding the direct storage of card/payment details, keeping booking records in office folders, and moving towards using SuperControl as the main system for booking records.

Grove Cottages should continue reviewing how paper files, printed booking records and owner data handling are managed.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights over your personal information, including the right to:

  • be informed about how your personal information is used;
  • ask for a copy of personal information held about you;
  • ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;
  • ask for information to be deleted in certain circumstances;
  • ask us to restrict how we use your information;
  • object to certain uses of your information;
  • withdraw consent where we rely on consent;
  • ask for your information to be transferred in certain circumstances;
  • complain about how your information has been handled.

To make a request, please contact:

[email protected]

We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.

Privacy questions and complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact:

Mark Scott
Email: [email protected]

Mark Scott deals with privacy/data protection complaints, requests for copies of personal information, correction or deletion requests, and accidental data issues.

If you make a data protection complaint, we will look into the issue and respond as appropriate.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

We may update this Privacy Statement from time to time if our website, booking systems, payment methods, newsletter systems, call recording, property owner arrangements, third-party booking platforms, property-level technology, cookies or legal requirements change.

The latest version will be published on this website.