This Cookie Policy explains how Scottish Home Inspections uses cookies and similar technologies on our website. It should be read together with our Privacy Policy. Scottish Home Inspections is a trading name of New Homes (Scotland) Inspections Limited (Company Number SC879297). This policy is provided to comply with the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
1.What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly and provide information to website owners about how visitors use their site. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, web beacons and pixels — references to "cookies" in this policy include those technologies.
2.How We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Ensure the website functions correctly and securely
- Remember your cookie consent choices
- Understand how visitors use our website (with your consent)
- Measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns (with your consent)
3.Our Consent Approach (PECR & Consent Mode v2)
Under PECR we must obtain your prior consent before setting any non-essential cookies. We use a consent banner provided by CookieYes to ask for and record your choices. The banner appears the first time you visit the site (and after 12 months, or sooner if our cookies change).
Until you give consent, only strictly necessary cookies (site security, consent recording) are set. We use Google Consent Mode v2 — analytics and advertising tags are loaded with all consent signals defaulted to denied, and only switch to "granted" when you accept those categories via the banner.
You can change or withdraw your consent at any time using the small cookie icon at the bottom-left of every page, or by clicking Manage cookie preferences.
4.Categories of Cookies We Use
| Cookie name | Category | Vendor | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cookieyes-consent | Strictly necessary | CookieYes | Stores your cookie preferences so we know which categories you have accepted | 12 months |
| cky-action | Strictly necessary | CookieYes | Records the timestamp of your consent (PECR audit trail) | 12 months |
| _ga, _ga_<ID> | Analytics (consent-based) | Google Analytics 4 | Anonymous visitor count, session and page-view measurement | Up to 2 years |
| _gid | Analytics (consent-based) | Google Analytics 4 | Distinguishes users for 24 hours of session measurement | 24 hours |
| _gat_gtag_<ID> | Analytics (consent-based) | Google Analytics 4 | Throttles request rate to Google Analytics | 1 minute |
| NID, IDE, _gcl_* | Advertising (consent-based, if/when ads run) | Google Ads | Measure ad-campaign performance and (with consent) personalise advertising | Up to 24 months |
| __stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Strictly necessary (booking only) | Stripe Payments | Fraud-prevention cookies set on our booking pages during checkout | 1 year / 30 minutes |
The exact set of analytics and advertising cookies can vary slightly because they are loaded via Google Tag Manager. Use your browser's developer tools (Application > Storage > Cookies) for the live list, or contact us for an up-to-date export.
5.Third-Party Cookies and International Transfers
Some of the cookies above are set by third parties (Google, Stripe, CookieYes). These vendors may transfer data outside the United Kingdom — for example to Google's servers in the United States. Where this happens, we rely on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses with the UK Addendum issued by the ICO, in line with Article 46 UK GDPR. See the Privacy Policy §9 for the full processor list and transfer safeguards.
6.Managing Cookies in Your Browser
You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- Block all or certain types of cookies
- Delete cookies that have already been set
- Be notified before a cookie is stored
Instructions for the most-used browsers:
Blocking strictly necessary cookies may affect how the website functions — for example, you may not be able to record your cookie preference, and the consent banner will reappear on every visit.
7.Do Not Track
We currently do not respond to "Do Not Track" browser signals because there is no consistent standard for how they should be interpreted. We instead rely on the explicit consent recorded via the cookie banner.
8.Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. The "Last Reviewed" date at the top of this page indicates the most recent revision. Material changes (such as the addition of a new advertising vendor) will trigger a re-display of the consent banner.
Company Information
Scottish Home Inspections is a trading name of New Homes (Scotland) Inspections Limited.
Company Number: SC879297
Registered in: Scotland
Registered Office:
Summit House, 4–5 Mitchell Street, Edinburgh, EH6 7BD, United Kingdom