Well that's a turn up for the books! I suppose it was only to be expected in the long run.

I think that's a very good idea and could make other guests' stays more pleasant.

hear hear....i agree with that..

hi all...it is a good thing....as in a way we all pay for the costs inccured when rooms get trashed ect...my worry would be your name being added because you complained .....would make people wary of making a fuss ....so would hope things in place to prevent hoteliers ect causing problems for people as a way of getting thier own back...tweetie

Under the Data Protection Act, guests will be told their name is on the blacklist

is that what the company actually says? What normally happens is that you have the right to ask (once you suspect it and if you know about them) and they can charge an admin fee for supplying your record.

is that what the company actually says?

It's definitely what they have to say AND DO under Data Protection laws - by law any organisation that keeps personal details on identifiable people (ie it contains our name and any personal identifying data) has to inform you that they are doing this and especially if that data might be made available to third parties. Yes, they can charge you for providing you witha copy of the records kept on you but they have to inform you that you are in the database or on the list.

Most companies who do keep databases on us or supply your details to such databases bury this info in the small print but it is there. For example, anybody who has signed a credit agreement of any sort is going to have signed to say they know about and agree to their details be shared with credit referencing agencies. And of course if you don't agree then there's a good chance that you'll be refused that new credit card etc. I suspect that if hotels are proposing to keep a shared database of all guests that they will do the same but that would be a costly exercise and hence a specialist list that is only composed of certain 'blacklisted' people would be cheaper to administer if they simply inform you that they've added your name to it. This still doesn't mean that they have to tell you for free what's on it - they could still legally charge you an admin fee for letting you have a copy of your file. But if they don't tell people in one way or another that they are on it in the first place then they could be prosecuted under Data Protection law and, for example, employers' organisation that kept 'secret' various 'blacklists' have been prosecuted for not informing people and giving them the opportunity to set the record straight or have an additional comment from them added.

You can legally keep databases outwith the reach of the Data Protection Commissioner if it is not possibly to connect the information held in it with a specific individual - hence why most academic and social researchers anonymise data from surveys etc immediately - but this is hardly a viable option for an organisation that is keeping a 'blacklist' of guests that hotels are being advised not to accept bookings from.

SM

Great idea IMHO

I think it's a great idea, will make people responsible for their actions and give decent folk a better stay in accommodation.

Hotel guest blacklist website irks privacy campaigners

A Bristol company that has launched a hotel guest blacklist website has prompted a privacy watchdog to call for a government enquiry.

GuestScan.com offers hoteliers the chance to access a national database of problem guests and arm themselves against potential non-payment or room destruction.

The website gathers its information by allowing hoteliers to share their experiences of individuals but watchdog Privacy International says the site is "despicable" and "probably illegal".

While Guestscan assures customers that all information on guests and their behaviour has been checked and verified before being posted, Privacy International's spokesman Alex Hanff said that the company had misrepresented its purpose when registering with the Information Commissioner's Office.

He said it had suggested the main purpose of the site was staff administration and PR when in fact it was clearly about presenting a hotel guest hall of shame.

Guestscan's official registration does, however, List an objective as "keeping a client behaviour log".

Hanff says the matter is now being taken up with the Information Commissioner.

On Guestscan's website, there is an endorsement from the Bed and Breakfast Association's chief executive David Weston as well as one from the chief executive of the English Association of Self-Catering Operators Martin Sachs.

Guestscan creator Neil Campbell told ClickLiverpool.com: "'Sadly, many people regard hotel accommodation as something that is there to be exploited.

'It's not uncommon for guests to break furniture or leave wine stains on carpets or furnishings, thinking that it is included in the price of the stay.

''Clearly something needs to be done to protect against this and, we believe, GuestScan is the answer."

Campbell says the site will be "comprehensive" in six months although it is thought legal hurdles will have to be jumped first before the site will be able to divulge guest details including ethnicity and sexual orientation.

With permission from Travelmole