Hometrack Cookie Policy

Hometrack Data Systems Limited and Hometrack MLS Limited (“Hometrack“, “we” or “us“) uses cookies and other similar tracking technologies (such as local storage) in the operation of this website.

This policy explains what cookies and similar technologies we use, why we use them, and how you can control your preferences.

1. What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small text file or piece of information that a website places on your computer or mobile device when you visit. It allows the website to remember your actions and preferences over a period of time, or to distinguish you from other users.

We also use local storage, which operates similarly to a cookie but allows for slightly larger amounts of data to be stored directly in your browser’s cache.

2. Managing Your Consent

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), we require your consent to drop any cookies on your device that are not strictly necessary for the website to function.

  • Accepting or Rejecting Cookies: When you first visit our website, a cookie privacy banner will appear. You can choose to allow all cookies (Technical, Analytics and Marketing), or reject all non essential cookies by saving the default preferences to allow only Technical (essential) cookies.
  • Withdrawing Consent: You can alter your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking here -> Manage cookie settings
  • Browser Settings: Alternatively, you can block or delete cookies via your internet browser settings. To learn how, check your browser’s “Help” section or visit www.allaboutcookies.org and www.youronlinechoices.eu. Please note that blocking all cookies (including essential ones) may restrict your access to certain functionalities of our website.

3. The Cookies We Use

The cookies and local storage elements used on our website are categorised below. They are deployed either directly by us (First-Party) or by our trusted partners (Third-Party).

Category 1: Strictly Necessary (Technical) Cookies

Our technical cookies are essential for the website to function safely and correctly. They cannot be turned off in our systems because without them, the website cannot provide core services like bot protection or remembering your consent state.

Cookie / Storage Name Party Description Retention
cookieconsent_status First-Party The Banner Memory: Remembers whether a visitor clicked “Allow” or declined non essential cookies on our cookie privacy banner so the banner doesn’t keep popping up on every page. 1 Year
__cf_bm Third-Party (Cloudflare) The Bot Shield: Placed by Cloudflare to identify and block automated, malicious hacker bots from scraping the website. 30 Minutes to 1 Hour
li_gc Third-Party (LinkedIn) LinkedIn’s Permission Slip: Remembers if the website user gave LinkedIn permission to load its tracking features on this website. 6 Months

Category 2: Analytics & Statistics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. They tell us which pages are popular, where visitors come from, and how they navigate the website so we can make improvements. We only use these cookies with your consent.

Cookie / Storage Name Party Description Retention
_ga First-Party The Visitor Counter (Google): Randomly counts unique website visitors and tracks their journey across the site entirely anonymously. 13 Months
_ga[ID] First-Party The Session Keeper (Google): Groups a single user’s clicks together into a continuous visit so Google knows they are the same person browsing different pages. 13 Months
_clck First-Party The Behavior Tracker (Clarity): Allows Microsoft Clarity to recognise returning users across different days to analyse overall site engagement. 1 Year
_clsk First-Party The Video Reel (Clarity): Links pages viewed by a single user together so Clarity can stitch their actions into visual heatmaps and session playbacks. 1 Day
wistia-video-progress-* First-Party (Local Storage) The Video Bookmark: Remembers exactly how far someone watched the homepage video so they don’t lose their place, while feeding engagement metrics to marketing. Persistent (Until cache cleared)

Category 3: Performance, Functionality & Marketing Cookies

Performance and functional cookies allow us to optimise your experience, remember your preferences (like video player configurations), and ensure data/media load quickly and smoothly. Marketing cookies track your activity across websites to help advertisers deliver more relevant, and personalised advertising campaigns. We only use these cookies with your consent.

Cookie / Storage Name Party Description Retention
wistia First-Party (Local Storage) The Video Player Memory: Stores basic player preferences selected by the viewer, such as volume level, captions, and playback quality. Persistent (Until cache cleared)
lidc Third-Party (LinkedIn) The Data Traffic Cop: Routes website traffic smoothly through LinkedIn’s distributed servers to optimise how fast video elements or widgets load. 1 Day
bcookie Third-Party (LinkedIn) The LinkedIn Tracker: Identifies user devices so LinkedIn can track and verify if its paid ad campaigns are successfully driving traffic to the Hometrack site. 1 Year

4. Updates to this Policy

To ensure we always offer the best possible experience, we regularly review our technology. If we introduce new tools or cookies, we will update this policy accordingly. Please check back frequently to see any updates.

Last Updated: June 2026