Legal
Everything you need to know about how Hols handles your data, the terms that apply to guests and hosts, and your legal responsibilities when collecting guest registration details.
Registered company details
HOLS SA (PTY) LTD
Enterprise number: 2026/758441/07
Uil StreetSedgefield, Western Cape, 6573, South Africa
Information Officer (POPIA): Francois Deysel
info@hols.co.zaPrivacy Policy
Our privacy policy explains what personal information we collect when you register, book or list a property, how we use it, when we share it, and your rights under SA data protection law — including access, correction, deletion and data portability.
It also covers our use of cookies: strictly necessary cookies keep you signed in, while analytics and marketing cookies are only set with your consent, which you can change at any time.
Read the full Privacy PolicyTerms of Service
Our terms cover the agreement between you and Hols when you use the platform as a guest or a host — including account responsibilities, booking and payment terms, host subscriptions, cancellations, and acceptable use of the platform.
Read the full Terms of ServiceGuest Record Retention — Section 40(1) of the Immigration Act
Important for hosts: Regulation 36 of the Immigration Regulations, under Section 40(1) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, applies to hotels and motels, boarding houses and lodges, guest houses, and apartment buildings. Their prescribed register must include each lodger's full names and surname, an ID or passport copy, residence status, normal residential address and signature, and must be safeguarded for 2 years. This is administered by the Department of Home Affairs.
Hols does not retain your guest information beyond the duration of your stay. It is the responsibility of the accommodation host to collect and securely retain the prescribed register where Regulation 36 applies. POPIA section 14 permits retention required or authorised by law: do not delete required register ID copies a few days after checkout. Extra copies and other information must be deleted when no longer needed and no lawful retention basis remains. POPIA is overseen by the Information Regulator.
When you enable the guest registration form on a listing, guests complete it after you accept their booking. The completed form is available in your host dashboard to view, download and print, and a full copy is emailed to you when the guest submits it.
To protect guest privacy, all registration form data is permanently deleted from Hols on (or immediately after) the check-out date. After that point it cannot be recovered — by you or by us.
It is therefore your responsibility as the host to download, print or keep the emailed copy of each completed registration form so you can meet the 2-year retention requirement and any request from the authorities. Hols cannot provide the data once it has been deleted.
- Hols stores completed registration forms only until the check-out date.
- Where Regulation 36 applies, hosts must safeguard their own prescribed register, including ID/passport copies and signatures, for two years; a custom form alone may not contain all required particulars.
- Guests are told their details are deleted after check-out.
- Deleted data cannot be recovered by anyone.
- Handle guest ID and personal information in line with POPIA.
References: Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (gov.za) · Department of Home Affairs · Information Regulator (POPIA)
Questions about any of the above? Email us at info@hols.co.za.