Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners E15

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners E15 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners E15 customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, make bookings, receive cleaning services, or otherwise interact with our business in connection with carpet cleaning and related services.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is designed to help customers understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights individuals have in relation to their personal data.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide our services, manage customer relationships, and meet legal or operational requirements. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, the name of your household or business.
Contact details such as your telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking information including service type, preferred date and time, access notes, and any instructions you provide.
Payment information such as payment status, transaction records, and billing information. We do not knowingly store full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Service and property details such as carpet type, cleaning requirements, stain or damage notes, and information relevant to completing the job safely and effectively.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaint records, and service feedback.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic device or usage information gathered through booking systems, forms, or analytics tools.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is shared with us, we will handle it carefully and only for a valid purpose and lawful basis.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To schedule, deliver, and manage carpet cleaning services.
To communicate with customers before, during, and after appointments.
To process payments, invoices, refunds, and account-related matters.
To manage complaints, service issues, and follow-up requests.
To keep business records, maintain service quality, and improve operations.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access to our systems or services.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. Where we need to use data for a new purpose, we will ensure there is a valid legal basis before doing so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract with you. This includes handling bookings, confirming appointments, carrying out cleaning services, and managing payments.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include managing business records, improving our services, handling customer enquiries, preventing misuse, and maintaining service quality.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with a legal obligation, such as tax laws, accounting duties, insurance requirements, or regulatory requests.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you agree to receive certain types of marketing communication. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We do not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more appropriate. This helps ensure that personal data is processed in a clear and reliable manner.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and deliver services. When these parties process personal data on our behalf, they act as data processors and are required to protect it in line with the law and our instructions.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processors that handle secure payment transactions.
Booking and administration providers that help manage customer appointments and records.
IT and cloud service providers that store or support business systems and communications.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing, tax, and financial records.
Customer messaging tools used to send appointment confirmations or service updates.

We may also disclose personal data where necessary to:

Comply with legal duties or valid authority requests.
Protect our rights, property, staff, or customers.
Handle insurance claims, disputes, or debt recovery.

We do not sell personal data. Any sharing is limited to what is necessary for the service, legal compliance, or business administration.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, insurance, or operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

Customer booking and service records are generally retained for a period needed to manage the service relationship and handle follow-up issues.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable period to resolve disputes, manage complaints, or maintain service history.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or until the records are no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We periodically review retained data to ensure it remains necessary and appropriate.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect data, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and it is likely to affect your rights or freedoms, we will take appropriate action in line with legal requirements.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

Depending on the circumstances, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right of access - you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification - you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure - you may request deletion of your data in certain situations.
Right to restriction - you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability - you may request that we provide certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and you may always object to direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal or contractual limits. If we cannot act on a request in full, we will explain the reason.

8. International Transfers

Where data is processed by third-party service providers, it may occasionally be stored or accessed outside the UK. If that happens, we will take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so the data continues to receive a level of protection consistent with UK GDPR requirements.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults or for individuals acting on behalf of a household or property. We do not knowingly collect data from children unless it is provided incidentally in connection with a service booking or property access arrangement. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without a valid basis, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

10. Changes to This Policy

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

11. Summary of Key Commitments

We collect only the information needed to provide and manage our services.
We use data on valid lawful bases, including contract, legitimate interests, consent, and legal obligation.
We retain information only as long as necessary and then delete or anonymise it securely.
We may use trusted processors to support payments, administration, IT, and bookkeeping.
We respect your rights and will respond to legitimate requests in line with GDPR.

By using Carpet Cleaners E15 services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy. We are committed to keeping your information safe, using it fairly, and ensuring that your rights are respected at all times.