Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners Brompton

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners Brompton collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing cleaning services to customers in the Brompton area. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners Brompton customers in the area, including individuals who request quotations, book services, receive cleaning visits, or otherwise interact with us in connection with our services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Carpet Cleaners Brompton acts as the data controller for the personal data we collect and use in the course of providing our services. This means we decide how and why your personal information is processed. We only collect and use data where there is a valid legal basis to do so and only for purposes that are relevant to delivering our services, managing our business, and meeting our legal obligations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information including booking details, service history, property access notes, and preferences relating to cleaning.
Payment information such as billing details and payment confirmation records. We do not intentionally store full card details where payment is processed securely through third-party providers.
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic website usage information, device details, or IP address if you contact us through online methods.
Special category data only in limited cases, and only where necessary and lawful, for example where you voluntarily provide information relevant to access arrangements, health, mobility, or allergies that may affect service delivery.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary information. If you choose not to provide certain details, we may be unable to provide some services safely or effectively.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, pay for services, or provide feedback. We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, such as payment processors or referral partners. In some cases, data may be collected automatically through digital systems used to manage appointments, invoicing, or communication.

4. Why We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and manage cleaning services.
To schedule appointments and confirm bookings.
To communicate about service changes, updates, or queries.
To prepare invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests.
To improve our services, operations, and customer experience.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To keep records necessary for business administration and accounting.

We will only use your data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably determine that a compatible purpose applies.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Carpet Cleaners Brompton relies on the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, delivering cleaning services, issuing invoices, and handling service-related communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal requirements, including tax, accounting, consumer protection, and record-keeping obligations.

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. This may include improving service quality, maintaining internal records, preventing fraud, and responding to customer enquiries.

Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent, particularly for optional processing that is not necessary for the contract or legal compliance. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and only according to our instructions. Examples may include:

Payment service providers.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers.
Appointment scheduling or customer management systems.
IT support and data storage providers.
Communication service providers, such as email or messaging systems.

We require processors to implement appropriate security measures and to process personal data only for agreed purposes. We do not sell personal data. We may also disclose information where required by law, to prevent fraud, to protect our rights, or in connection with legal proceedings.

7. International Transfers

If any processor stores or processes personal data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms designed to protect your data to a standard consistent with UK GDPR.

8. Data Retention

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 vary depending on the type of data and the reason it is held. For example:

Customer service records are kept for a period necessary to manage the relationship and address follow-up issues.
Invoice and payment records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained for a longer period if needed to resolve the matter or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymise it. Retention is always limited to what is necessary, and we review our records regularly to avoid holding information longer than needed.

9. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and careful oversight of processors. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to protect your information using reasonable and proportionate safeguards.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or exemptions in some circumstances.

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data where it is no longer needed or where another legal basis applies.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how your data is used in certain circumstances.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where consent is the legal basis, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults who arrange cleaning services for homes or properties. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidentally provided in connection with a service arrangement and only where appropriate and necessary. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without a lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or service arrangements. Any updates will apply from the date they are published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

13. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or how your personal data is processed, you can raise your concerns through our usual customer communication channels. We will aim to respond promptly and to resolve any issue fairly and transparently. We value your privacy and take our obligations seriously, making sure that all processing is carried out with care, security, and respect for your rights.

In summary: Carpet Cleaners Brompton processes personal data only where lawful, necessary, and proportionate, and this policy applies to all Carpet Cleaners Brompton customers in the area. We collect only the information needed to provide services, use trusted processors under contract, retain data for appropriate periods, and respect your rights under UK data protection law.