Privacy policy

1. Introduction

This privacy policy applies to the website https://happknokke.be, to direct booking requests made through the website and to the communication that follows from them. It has been drawn up in line with Belgian data protection legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Data controller

Happ Knokke is let privately and is not operated by a company or sole trader. The private owners are responsible for the personal data processed through this website. For questions about privacy or to exercise your rights, you can contact us at info@happknokke.be. The public address of the holiday home is Bayauxlaan 2, 8300 Knokke-Heist.

3. What personal data do we process?

Depending on how you use the website, we may process the following categories of personal data:

• For a booking request: first name, last name, email address, phone number, arrival and departure date, number of guests, chosen language, any comments, and the price and security deposit calculated for the selected period.
• For optional statistics, after your consent: selected arrival and departure dates, number of nights, language, price components calculated on the server, aggregated steps in the booking flow, any UTM campaign parameters present, and usage data measured through Google Analytics such as pages viewed, device type and approximate location. Our own statistics files do not contain any name, email address, full IP address or browser fingerprint.
• Technical data: the web server and hosting environment may temporarily process technical data such as IP address, browser type, time and page requested, among other things for security, troubleshooting and the technical delivery of the website.

4. Purposes and legal bases

We process personal data only for specific and legitimate purposes.

• Booking requests, price calculations and communication about a possible stay: necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract and, for a confirmed booking, to perform the contract.
• Administration, accounting and legal obligations that may arise from a confirmed booking: processing on the basis of a legal obligation or the performance of the contract.
• Security, fraud prevention and the technical operation of the website: our legitimate interest in managing the website safely and reliably.
• Optional statistics on selected periods, prices and use of the booking flow: solely on the basis of your prior consent. You can withdraw that consent at any time through Cookie preferences in the footer.

5. Booking requests and communication

When you send a booking request, the data you enter are stored in a protected server folder and forwarded by email to Happ Knokke so that we can handle your request personally. The request is free of obligation; processing your data is necessary to agree on availability, price, conditions and any booking with you.

6. Statistics on date and price interest

With your explicit consent, we use our own statistics and Google Analytics to measure which pages and valid stay periods are viewed and which steps in the booking flow are used. Google Analytics is not loaded until you allow statistics; ad storage and personalisation signals remain disabled. Our own statistics data are kept for no longer than twelve months. More information can be found in our Cookies.

7. Retention periods

We do not keep personal data for longer than is necessary for the purpose for which they were collected. Unconfirmed requests and correspondence are deleted periodically as soon as they are no longer needed to handle or reasonably follow up the request. Data forming part of a confirmed booking, payment, accounting records or a legal file may be kept longer for the applicable statutory retention period. Statistical date, price and conversion data are kept automatically for no longer than twelve months. Cookie preferences are in principle remembered on your device for no longer than six months.

8. Recipients and external services

Personal data are only shared when this is necessary for the operation of Happ Knokke or when we are required to do so by law.

• Hosting and email service providers may process data to host the website and deliver email.
• Google Fonts is loaded from Google’s servers to display the website’s typefaces. In doing so, Google may receive technical data such as your IP address. More information: Google Privacy Policy.
• On the location page, Leaflet and map tiles from OpenStreetMap are loaded. In doing so, OpenStreetMap and the CDN used may receive technical data such as your IP address. More information: OpenStreetMap Foundation Privacy Policy.
• The availability calendar retrieves iCal availability data from Booking.com and Airbnb on the server. Your name and contact details are not passed on to these platforms when you view our calendar. If you click an external link to Booking.com, Airbnb or Instagram yourself, the privacy policy of that external service applies.
• Personal data may be disclosed to competent authorities or other parties when a legal obligation, court order or legal claim requires it.

9. Transfers outside the European Economic Area

Some external technical service providers may process data outside the European Economic Area. Where this applies, such transfers take place in accordance with the safeguards required by the applicable privacy legislation. Happ Knokke does not sell your personal data to third parties and does not make them commercially available to advertising companies or data brokers.

10. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. Sensitive server folders containing booking and statistics files are not publicly accessible through the website. However, no internet or storage system can guarantee absolute security.

11. Your rights

Under the conditions of the GDPR, you have, among others, the following rights:

• the right to information about and access to the personal data we process about you;
• the right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
• the right to erasure and, where applicable, restriction of processing;
• the right to data portability where the legal conditions for this are met;
• the right to object to processing based on a legitimate interest;
• the right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before its withdrawal.

12. No automated decision-making

Happ Knokke does not use the personal data collected through this website for fully automated decisions with legal effects and does not create advertising profiles of visitors. Every booking request is assessed personally and is only final after our personal confirmation and receipt of payment.

13. Complaints and contact

If you wish to exercise a privacy right or have a question about the processing of your personal data, please contact us at info@happknokke.be. If you believe that your personal data are not being processed in accordance with the applicable rules, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority (GBA).