Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners E16

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners E16 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing cleaning services. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners E16 customers in the area, including private households, landlords, tenants, letting agents, and commercial clients who request or receive our services. We are committed to processing 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 E16 provides professional carpet and related cleaning services. In the course of delivering those services, we may collect and process personal data about customers, service users, and other individuals involved in booking, approving, paying for, or receiving our services. This policy describes how that information is handled.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for legitimate business and service purposes. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Identity details, such as name and title.
Contact details, including address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details, such as property access information, cleaning preferences, floor or carpet condition notes, and appointment history.
Payment information, such as billing records and transaction references. We do not store full payment card details unless needed for a specific payment process handled securely by a payment provider.
Communication records, including messages, quotes, complaints, feedback, and service-related correspondence.
Technical data, such as basic website or device information if you contact us through digital channels, where relevant.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or we are legally permitted to process it. If such information is received incidentally, it is handled with heightened care and only for a valid purpose.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To manage bookings, appointments, and service delivery.
To prepare for access to properties and complete cleaning work safely and efficiently.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain financial records.
To communicate about service changes, reminders, or follow-up matters.
To handle complaints, disputes, or service quality issues.
To meet legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To improve our services, internal processes, and customer experience.

We only process personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that it is compatible with that original purpose or we are otherwise permitted by law to use it.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Carpet Cleaners E16 relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging services, confirming bookings, completing cleaning work, and managing payment or follow-up arrangements.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service management, record keeping, fraud prevention, customer support, and internal quality improvement.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal or regulatory duties, including tax, accounting, health and safety, insurance, or other statutory requirements.

Consent

Where we rely on consent, we will ask for it clearly and you may withdraw it at any time. Consent will only be used in situations where it is genuinely optional and not required for service performance.

5. Sharing personal data and processors

We do not sell personal data. We may share personal data only where necessary and proportionate for service delivery, administration, or compliance. This may include trusted processors acting on our behalf, such as:

Payment service providers that handle transactions securely.
Booking, scheduling, or customer management software providers.
IT, hosting, storage, or backup service providers.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where needed.
Third-party contractors or support services assisting with service delivery, subject to appropriate confidentiality and data processing terms.

All processors are required to act only on our instructions, apply appropriate security measures, and process personal data in line with data protection law. If data is shared with any third party that acts as an independent controller, we will only do so where there is a valid legal basis and a clear necessity.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, tax, or contractual requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer and service records are retained for a period that allows us to manage the service relationship, resolve queries, and maintain accurate business records.
Financial records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be stored for a reasonable period to manage complaints, service issues, and ongoing customer support.
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

Where we are unable to provide an exact retention period in advance, we will determine the period based on the sensitivity of the data, the risks of holding it, and applicable legal obligations.

7. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data and the risks associated with processing it. Access to personal data is limited to personnel and service providers who need it for legitimate business purposes and who are subject to confidentiality obligations where appropriate.

8. International transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or processes personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with data protection law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised mechanisms.

9. Your rights

As a data subject, you have several rights under data protection law. Subject to legal limits and verification of identity, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your data in certain circumstances.
Restrict how we process your data in certain situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability for information processed by automated means where the legal conditions are met.
Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to be informed about how your data is used and the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. Exercising these rights will not usually affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before your request was received.

10. Children’s data

Our services are aimed at adults and property occupants arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidental and necessary for service-related reasons, for example where a child’s name may appear in access or household notes. If we become aware that we have collected children’s data without a lawful basis, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

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

12. Summary of our approach

Carpet Cleaners E16 processes personal data only where necessary, uses it for clear and lawful purposes, limits access to trusted processors, and retains it only for as long as required. We aim to protect privacy at every stage of the service relationship and to respect all customer rights under applicable data protection law. This policy applies to all Carpet Cleaners E16 customers in area.