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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be annoyed Premier Inn wants my passport details

205 replies

DorothyL · 13/09/2018 22:46

and my "next destination" because I'm not a UK citizen.
My next destination is home ffs - another town in the UK. I'm a UK resident and taxpayer. Why do they insist on this, other hotels don't?

OP posts:
actualpuffins · 14/09/2018 14:42

You may as well just lie and tick "United Kingdom", if you are resident here to subvert their unnecessary rules.

Their website is a pile of shite as well. Have just wasted about half an house trying to check in early, and it has failed to process three times now.

AlexanderHamilton · 14/09/2018 14:45

United Kingdom is a place not a Nationality.

AlexanderHamilton · 14/09/2018 14:46

Or rather a sovereign state consiting of four countries.

DebbysMum · 14/09/2018 14:49

This seems like a lot of drama over nothing. I don't know why some people want to be melodramatic about everything and find offence where there's none to take.

As for Ana I don't think English is her first language and she's struggling to express herself.

actualpuffins · 14/09/2018 14:50

United Kingdom is a place not a Nationality

Clearly, but I was referring to the actual option on their website.

If you want to be pedantic, at least attack the right target and write to Premier Inn instead of erroneously picking apart my posts and making a public tit of yourself.

prh47bridge · 14/09/2018 15:03

Nope, you can come from the EU with an ID card instead of a passport

Which is also acceptable under the legislation. The proprietor needs the details of a passport, certificate of registration or other document estabilishing the person's identity and nationality.

As you could give them ANY passport number and they wouodnt know any better!!

That is true. The hotel is also required to get the individual's next destination and, if known, their full address there. They have no way of checking that information either. But they are required to hold it for 12 months and make it available to any police officer or other authorised person who wants to see it. I'm not saying it is a sensible law but it is the law.

According to the notes in the 1972 order, it replaced a previous order dating back to 1953 requiring hotel owners and others to hold this information. So this has been the law for over 60 years.

MissusGeneHunt · 14/09/2018 15:11

Interestingly, DP went for a meeting in London y'day and was requested by the hosting company (large energy company) to bring his passport. He got all excited and thought they were on a day trip abroad, but it was merely security (and a photo driving licence would not do). As one who is v v staunch in his ways, I thought he'd kick off about it but he was delighted that security were taking the general risks so seriously.

I really think that's all this might be, OP. I wouldn't get too worried, if the security of the nation is being 'upped' in all sorts of random places, I am pleased. I don't think it's anything personal or anything suspicious (or specifically aimed at some nationalities and not others), it appears to be the law in hotels as many pps have said, so we need to just accept it.

AnotherDIYSunday · 14/09/2018 15:16

I think I would twice about what you are wishing for.

I'm not wishing for anything. Hmm

Saying that it’s ok to ask for a form of Id from any non british person arriving at a hotel means you will also have to acceptbthat all British people will, have to show a form of Id too.
Otherwise, how will you know if the person in front of you is or isn’t british? By their look or their accent? By their name? Can you see how it could be open to excess and problems?

I think you must have misunderstood my post. I was trying to say that I believe the 1972 order may very well be incompatible with EU law and therefore hotels shouldn't be required to ask EU nationals who permanently reside in the UK for ID. It's a completely pointless exercise anyways because anyone could just put 'British' on the form and be done with it.

If the hotel want to see some sort of ID from everyone or even just certain groups (wether it's utility bills, a passport or a credit card) that is largely their decision as a business and in no way comparable with the NHS as people can just vote with their feet and book elsewhere.

So by insisting on a system like this wo any usual form of Id (aka ID card or passport BUT NOT driving licence - I have a UK driving licence even though I’m not british) you end also accepting that all british people will have to carry a passport (or ID card) with them.
Or of course you can also accept racial profiling and hope that you will never fall into the wrong ‘group’.

Sorry, I'm probably being thick here but I have no idea what exactly you're trying to say and how it relates to my post.

Btw in France, you are supposed to always have your ID card with you.
So it would be quite common for someone to be asked for their ID card and for them to be able to show it wo a second thought.

Yes, I do realise that, same situation where I live (Germany), very handy and I don't find it particularly oppressive. Of course I do get why people have concerns around ID cards and, admittedly, they're not something I would trust British governments of recent years with.

No it isn't. There is no requirement in the legislation for EU nationals to produce their passport. The hotel just needs to get their passport number and place of issue. There is no requirement for them to actually see the passport.

Okay, I didn't realise that, that changes things somewhat. Although recording and keeping more data about EU nationals than Brits could still be discriminatory.

(...) That is very different from requiring people to hold an ID card which they must carry with them at all times within their own country and which, under the proposals that were put forward a while ago, would have resulted in the government holding far more information about us than they do today.

I'm always slightly perplexed how relaxed Brits appear to be about things like CCTV or how much schools and the NHS know about / interfere with things that would be considered totally off-limits in other countries but on the other hand feel very strongly about ID cards.

AlexanderHamilton · 14/09/2018 15:16

If you want to be pedantic, at least attack the right target and write to Premier Inn instead of erroneously picking apart my posts and making a public tit of yourself.

How pleasant. Are you referring to a breed of bird or female breasts? Would one be more of an insult than the other? But anyway, I'm not advocating a poster lie about their nationality. I already said I never check in online. When asked my Nationality at a hotel I always reply British.

I did have to produce photo ID at another London hotel chain. Purely their internal policy & I respected that.

prh47bridge · 14/09/2018 15:35

Although recording and keeping more data about EU nationals than Brits could still be discriminatory

EU law does not require the government to treat EU nationals in the same way as UK citizens in all respects. There are some areas where equal treatment is required. This is not one of them.

girlwithadragontattoo · 14/09/2018 15:53

No matter where you stay in the UK they will ask you for your passport details. I've been asked for them before when staying in hotels when checking in. It's normal.

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 14/09/2018 17:25

No matter where you stay in the UK they will ask you for your passport details. I've been asked for them before when staying in hotels when checking in. It's normal.

...and I have never been asked. So it can't be that normal or systematic. Or maybe I "pass" as British? I should count my blessings I guess.

JustGettingStarted · 14/09/2018 18:03

I have a foreign accent. I've been asked twice in probably 200 stays. Different chains from London to Cardiff to Aberdeen and all points in between. Including at least a half dozen stays at Premier Inns.

Biologifemini · 14/09/2018 18:05

Why doesn’t the UK have ID cards?
It would make everyone’s lives much easier.
The rest of Europe has them.

JustGettingStarted · 14/09/2018 18:06

I don't even get asked for my drivers licence. I do pay with a UK bank debit card.

wurzelburga · 14/09/2018 18:10

They are just collecting your personal data so they can sell it on.

You can put any old rubbish down. They never check.

BrightLightsAndSound · 14/09/2018 18:16

Why are you making such a big mass8ve deal about this?

Im an expat, I get asked to give ID at hotels in my host country. I dont give a shit.

You're not a national of the UK. You're technically a "guest". So what if you gave a British address? So could anyone.

Get a grip.

prh47bridge · 14/09/2018 23:18

They are just collecting your personal data so they can sell it on

No they are not. That would be a breach of GDPR. As has been pointed out repeatedly on this thread, they are collecting this information because they are required to do so by law.

hobblesma · 14/09/2018 23:21

They are just collecting your personal data so they can sell it on.

Haha. Of course!

LassWiADelicateAir · 15/09/2018 01:39

This is only relevant to the thread if French law requires EU nationals to show ID upon check-in but not French citizens

Pretty certain French law does. And as another poster said many other countries require their citizens to have ID on them at all times which the UK does.

What a huge fuss about nothing.

LassWiADelicateAir · 15/09/2018 01:40

They are just collecting your personal data so they can sell it on

Guess GDPR passed you by?

actualpuffins · 15/09/2018 04:50

That would be a breach of GDPR

Naïve. You are still required read carefully which boxes to tick/untick when you deal with any company online. They hope some people will not read the "third parties" bit properly and off goes your data.

BigChocFrenzy · 15/09/2018 05:59

I live in Germany.

I've stayed in several hotels here, including one period of several months, but no hotel yet has asked for my passport,
despite my obvious English accent and surname

They've always taken payment in advance though - clearly German hotels are only interested in making sure they get paid !

I also assume there is no law in Germany requiring hotels to be part of internal border checks and the "hostile environment" for foreigners that Theresa May, when Home Secretary, was so proud of.

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 15/09/2018 06:12

Just give them the passport. You'll only make yourself look silly and as if you've got something to hide.

prh47bridge · 15/09/2018 09:49

Naïve. You are still required read carefully which boxes to tick/untick when you deal with any company online. They hope some people will not read the "third parties" bit properly and off goes your data.

Not naïve at all. But clearly more aware of the law than you are.

Under GDPR they need positive consent before selling your data to a third party. They have to show that you have opted in. It is not enough to show that you haven't opted out. Having a box allowing them to do sell your data which is ticked unless you untick it does not qualify. Having a box you have to tick if you don't want them to do this does not qualify. If they rely on either of these they are in breach of GDPR. If they want to sell your data there has to be a box specifically allowing them to do this which is only ticked if you click on it to give your consent. That is the law. Any organisation that is still putting the onus on you to opt out is in breach of GDPR.

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