Crabtree & Crabtree
Consumer Transparency & Reviews Policy

1. PURPOSE

This policy sets out our approach to pricing transparency, customer reviews, review moderation, review publication and listing rankings. It is designed to ensure compliance with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance regarding unfair commercial practices, fake reviews, pricing transparency and search result presentation.

Our objective is to ensure consumers are provided with accurate, transparent and trustworthy information when browsing, comparing and booking properties.

2. OUR COMMITMENTS

We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to fake reviews, concealed incentivised reviews and misleading review information.

We are committed to ensuring that:

• Prices displayed to consumers are clear, transparent and include all mandatory charges.
• Reviews reflect genuine guest experiences.
• Review scores, ratings and review summaries are accurate and not misleading.
• Incentivised reviews are flagged as such.
• Consumers understand who they are booking with.
• Ranking and featured listing criteria are transparent and fair.
• Property owners, guests and partners can have confidence in the integrity of the platform.

3. Pricing Transparency

3.1 All-in Pricing

We will display prices in a clear and transparent manner and will include all mandatory charges within the advertised price wherever required. Consumers should be able to understand the true cost of a booking before commencing the booking process.

Mandatory charges may include:

• Booking fees
• Administration fees
• Mandatory cleaning fees
• Compulsory service charges
• Compulsory facility charges
• Any other unavoidable costs required for the booking

These charges will not be added later in the booking journey in a manner that could mislead consumers about the total cost.

3.2 Optional Services & Extras

Optional services may be offered separately where genuinely optional and clearly identified as such. Consumers must be able to make an informed decision about whether to purchase optional extras.

3.3 Property Features

Where a property is marketed as including a feature that would reasonably be considered material to a booking decision, the advertised price must reflect access to that feature.

Examples may include:

• Hot tubs
• Swimming pools
• Saunas
• Leisure facilities
• Other prominently advertised amenities

Where a feature is included in property marketing materials, photographs or descriptions, consumers should not subsequently be required to pay an additional mandatory fee to access that feature unless clearly disclosed at the outset.

4. Reviews Policy

4.1 General Principles

Customer reviews play an important role in helping consumers make informed decisions. We are committed to ensuring reviews:

• Are genuine.
• Reflect real guest experiences.
• Are presented fairly.
• Are not manipulated or selectively displayed.
• Comply with applicable consumer protection legislation.

4.2 Fake Reviews

Fake reviews are strictly prohibited. A fake review includes any review that purports to be based on a genuine consumer experience but is not.

This includes:

• Reviews submitted by individuals who did not stay at the property.
• Reviews created by property owners, employees or agents posing as guests.
• Reviews generated using artificial means while presented as genuine guest feedback.
• Reviews submitted solely to improve or damage a property’s reputation.

4.3 Incentivised Reviews

Reviews must not conceal incentives.

An incentivised review is a review where the reviewer receives a benefit in exchange for providing feedback, including:

• Discounts
• Refunds
• Complimentary stays including press or influencer stays
• Competition entries
• Any other reward exchanged for a review including gifts, vouchers and loyalty points.

Where incentives are offered, any subsequent review(s) must be marked as incentivised and the review must continue to represent the reviewer’s genuine experience.

4.4 Review Manipulation

We prohibit:

• Paying for positive reviews.
• Encouraging only positive reviews.
• Discouraging negative reviews.
• Suppressing genuine negative reviews.
• Removing reviews solely because they are critical.
• Editing reviews to alter their meaning.
• Offering compensation in exchange for removing or changing reviews.

4.5 Influencer, Press and Complimentary Stays

Any review or endorsement by the following must be clearly marked as incentivised.

• Influencers
• Journalists
• Content creators
• Media representatives
• Brand partners
• Individuals receiving complimentary or discounted stays

5. REVIEW COLLECTION, VERIFICATION AND PREVENTION MEASURES

All guests receive an automated invitation to leave a review via an independent review platform, irrespective of the guest’s experience. We take reasonable and proportionate measures to identify, prevent and remove fake reviews, concealed incentivised reviews and misleading review information.

Measures may include:

• Collecting reviews only from verified guests.
• Using booking records to validate reviewer eligibility.
• Using independent review technology providers.
• Automated fraud detection.
• Manual moderation.
• Investigating suspicious review activity.
• Removing reviews where evidence indicates they are not genuine.

For more information on how data is handled please review our privacy policy.

6. PUBLICATION OF REVIEWS

6.1 Complete and Balanced Review Display

We publish reviews in a manner designed to fairly represent genuine guest experiences. We do not selectively display reviews solely because they are favourable. Where reviews are published, we aim to present all genuine reviews received through the relevant review platform, subject only to moderation requirements outlined in this policy. Reviews are not ranked, featured or filtered in a way that disproportionately promotes positive reviews or suppresses negative reviews.

6.2 Removal of Reviews

Reviews may only be removed where they:

• Are fake or fraudulent.
• Breach applicable laws.
• Contain offensive, threatening or discriminatory content.
• Include personal data that should not be published.
• Are clearly unrelated to the guest experience.

Negative reviews will not be removed merely because they are unfavourable.

6.3 Guest Books and Historic Reviews

Only reviews collected and verified through approved review processes may be displayed online. Guest book entries or historic reviews may be retained internally but will not ordinarily be published unless they meet current verification and compliance requirements.

6.4 Owner Response Process

Property owners may submit a response to a published review where they wish to provide clarification or context. Responses must remain factual, respectful and comply with applicable laws and policies. Owner responses will not result in removal of a genuine review. Owners do not have the ability to remove reviews and any request to respond to, challenge or report a review must be submitted through Crabtree & Crabtree.

7. REVIEW SCORES AND RATINGS

Where ratings or review scores are shown:

• Scores will be based on genuine reviews.
• Ratings will be calculated using a consistent methodology.
• Average ratings will not be manipulated or artificially inflated.
• Review information will be displayed accurately and transparently.

Any badges, rankings, review summaries, average scores or other review-derived information will be generated from genuine reviews and presented in a manner that is clear, accurate and not misleading.

Where review scores combine different review categories, such as company reviews and property reviews, this will be clearly disclosed to consumers.

8. LISTING RANKING AND SEARCH TRANSPARENCY

To help consumers understand how search results are presented, we provide information about factors that may influence the ranking of listings.

Factors may include:

• Guest review scores.
• Number of reviews received.
• Relevance to the search criteria.
• Availability.
• Property features and amenities.
• Listing completeness and quality.
• Consumer engagement and booking performance.
• Promotional or commercial arrangements where applicable.

Where listings receive enhanced visibility due to paid promotion or sponsorship, this will be clearly identified. Commercial relationships, advertising arrangements or promotional placements that materially affect a property’s visibility in search results will be clearly identified to consumers.

We regularly review ranking processes to promote fairness and to reduce the risk of unintentional bias.