Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners Putney

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners Putney collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with services provided to customers in the Putney area. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners Putney customers in the area, including residential and commercial clients, prospective clients, and individuals who make enquiries, request quotations, book services, or otherwise interact with us.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy sets out what information we collect, the lawful basis for processing, how long we keep data, the types of processors we use, and the rights available to data subjects.

1. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for delivering our cleaning services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The information we collect may include:

Identity details: name, title, and any relevant business name.
Contact details: address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information: details about the property, type of carpet cleaning required, preferred dates, access instructions, and service history.
Payment information: billing details and transaction records. We do not store card security codes.
Communication records: enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical data: limited website or device-related information if you contact us through digital channels, such as IP address and browser type where relevant to security or functionality.

We may also collect special category data only where it is strictly necessary and where a lawful condition applies, for example if you provide information that may affect access arrangements, disability-related needs, or health-related instructions for safe service delivery. We ask that you do not share unnecessary sensitive information unless it is relevant to the service.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to provide, manage, and improve our services. This may include:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
booking, confirming, and delivering cleaning appointments;
issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining accounting records;
managing customer support, complaints, and follow-up services;
maintaining internal records and service quality;
complying with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will not use your data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason for collection without informing you and, where necessary, obtaining a valid legal basis.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on the following lawful bases under UK GDPR:

3.1 Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, completing services, processing payments, and handling post-service queries.

3.2 Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining service records, improving operations, preventing fraud, and responding to customer queries.

3.3 Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, insurance, consumer protection, and record-keeping obligations.

3.4 Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent, for example if we process certain optional information or send marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time, and this will not affect processing already carried out lawfully before withdrawal.

Special category data will only be processed where a lawful condition under Article 9 UK GDPR applies, such as explicit consent or necessity for legal claims or employment-related obligations.

4. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer records: retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards to handle enquiries, disputes, or repeat bookings.
Financial records: kept for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records: kept as long as needed to manage service history and resolve issues.
Consent-based information: kept until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer identify you.

5. Sharing Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These parties only process data according to our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately.

Payment processors: to handle secure payment transactions.
IT and cloud service providers: to store and manage business records securely.
Accounting providers: to support invoicing, bookkeeping, and tax compliance.
Customer service tools: to help manage enquiries, scheduling, and communication.
Professional advisers: such as legal or insurance advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose data to authorities or other third parties where required by law or where necessary to protect our legal rights, prevent fraud, or ensure safety. We do not sell personal data.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, encryption where appropriate, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of security practices.

While we take reasonable steps to protect information, no method of transmission or storage is entirely risk-free. In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have important rights over your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, you may have the right to:

access the personal data we hold about you;
rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
erase your data in certain circumstances;
restrict processing in certain situations;
object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
data portability for data you provided to us, where applicable;
withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To make a rights request, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

8. Marketing Communications

We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If consent is required, you may opt in voluntarily. You can withdraw your consent or object to marketing at any time. Service-related messages, such as booking confirmations or billing updates, are not marketing and may still be sent when necessary for service delivery.

9. Third-Party Websites and Services

If you interact with third-party tools or services used in connection with our operations, those third parties may process your data under their own privacy notices. We encourage you to review their policies where relevant. This Privacy Policy applies only to personal data processed by or on behalf of Carpet Cleaners Putney.

10. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that the transfer is carried out in compliance with data protection law. This may include using approved contractual safeguards or transferring data only to countries with an adequate level of protection.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our services. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

At Carpet Cleaners Putney, we treat privacy as a core responsibility. We collect only the personal data needed to provide our services, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We also respect your rights and aim to handle every request promptly and transparently.

This policy applies to all Carpet Cleaners Putney customers in the area. By using our services or contacting us, you acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.