Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to all Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth customers in the area. It applies to every customer, prospective customer, and service user who interacts with our carpet cleaning services, whether an enquiry is made by phone, email, online form, or through any other communication channel. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth provides domestic and commercial carpet cleaning services within the local area. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal data we collect and use in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how your personal information is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and work to ensure that all data is handled securely and only for legitimate business purposes.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process a range of personal data depending on the service requested, the nature of the enquiry, and the way you interact with us. The information we may collect includes:

• Identity information such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
• Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
• Service details including property access notes, cleaning requirements, preferred appointment times, and service history.
• Transaction data such as invoicing details, payment status, and records of services provided.
• Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaint or feedback information.
• Technical data if you use an online contact method, such as device information, browser type, and basic usage information.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is required for a specific reason and you have provided it voluntarily or it is necessary to protect your interests. If such data is ever provided, it will be handled with extra care and only where a lawful basis exists.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to manage our relationship with you and to provide our cleaning services efficiently and safely. Typical uses include:

• responding to enquiries and providing quotes;
• booking, rescheduling, and delivering services;
• issuing invoices and processing payments;
• maintaining service records and customer preferences;
• handling complaints, queries, and customer support matters;
• improving our operations, service quality, and customer experience;
• meeting legal, accounting, tax, and insurance obligations.

We only use personal data for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was originally collected. Where we need to use data for a new purpose, we will ensure that a valid lawful basis applies.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. For example, we need your name, address, and contact details to arrange and deliver a carpet cleaning appointment.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights. This includes managing bookings, maintaining customer records, improving services, preventing fraud, and ensuring operational efficiency. When relying on legitimate interests, we assess the impact on your privacy and only use data where it is reasonably expected.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, record-keeping, and regulatory requirements. This may involve retaining invoices, transaction records, and other necessary documents.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example if you agree to receive certain marketing communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including service delivery, customer care, legal compliance, and the resolution of disputes. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the legal or operational need to keep it.

In general:

• customer booking and service records are kept for a reasonable period to manage repeat services and handle queries;
• financial and invoicing records are kept in line with tax and accounting requirements;
• communication records are retained where necessary to resolve issues, demonstrate service history, or support business administration;
• data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

When determining retention periods, we consider the nature of the information, the sensitivity of the data, the risk of harm from unauthorised use, and any statutory retention requirements. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

6. Sharing Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary for our business operations or required by law. Such third parties may act as processors under data protection law, meaning they process data on our instructions and cannot use it for their own purposes.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

• IT and hosting providers that support our data storage, email, or business systems;
• payment service providers that process card or electronic payments;
• accounting or bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records and compliance;
• administrative and scheduling tools used to organise appointments and customer records;
• professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary.

Where we use processors, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate contractual safeguards are in place and that your data remains protected. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, to respond to lawful requests from public authorities, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, and limiting access to only those who need the data for legitimate business purposes.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a data breach occurs, we will assess the risk and take any required action in line with applicable law.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal conditions and exemptions, but we will always review requests carefully and respond appropriately.

Right of access

You can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and ask for a copy of the information we hold about you.

Right to rectification

You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

Right to erasure

In certain circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer needed for the purpose it was collected.

Right to restriction

You may ask us to restrict the processing of your data in some situations, such as while we verify accuracy or consider an objection.

Right to data portability

Where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.

Right to object

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests, including any direct marketing activities. Where an objection applies, we will stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue.

Rights relating to automated decision-making

We do not normally use automated decision-making or profiling in a way that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes, you will be informed and your rights will be protected.

To exercise any of your rights, you should make a request using the appropriate channel available to you. We may need to verify your identity before responding to protect your privacy.

9. Marketing Communications

We may send service-related communications where necessary for bookings, reminders, invoices, or updates connected to services you have requested. If we ever send optional marketing messages, we will do so only where permitted by law and, if required, with your consent. You can opt out of marketing at any time.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children as part of our normal operations. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received such data without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data practices. Any updated version will apply from the time it is made available. We encourage customers in the Wandsworth area to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth is committed to respecting your privacy and using personal data responsibly. We collect only the information we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where legally required. Your rights matter to us, and we aim to make data handling transparent, secure, and fair for every customer in the area.

This policy applies to all Carpet Cleaners Wandsworth customers in the area.