Privacy Policy - Stroud Green Carpet Cleaners

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all customers of Stroud Green Carpet Cleaners in the Stroud Green area and to anyone who uses our services, makes an enquiry, or otherwise interacts with us. We are committed to protecting personal data and handling it in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when providing carpet cleaning and related cleaning services. It also explains the rights available to individuals under data protection law. We aim to process personal data fairly, lawfully, transparently, and only for specified purposes that are relevant to our business services.

By using our services or communicating with us, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed in line with this Policy. We only collect information that is necessary for operating our business, delivering services, managing bookings, handling payments, and maintaining records.

2. Data We Collect

We may collect different categories of personal data depending on the way you interact with us. This can include:

• Identity details: name, title, and any information needed to identify you as our customer or contact person.
• Contact details: address, phone number, and email address.
• Booking and service details: information about the services requested, property access details, preferred appointment times, and service notes.
• Payment-related information: payment status, transaction references, and billing records. We do not need to store card details unless this is required for a specific payment method, and where used, payment processing may be handled by a secure external provider.
• Communication records: messages, call notes, complaint details, and correspondence with us.
• Technical or usage data: limited information collected from devices or systems used to manage enquiries, bookings, and service administration.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily in connection with a specific service issue. If any such data is received, it will be handled with enhanced care and only where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
• to manage bookings and provide cleaning services;
• to communicate about appointments, changes, and service updates;
• to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain business records;
• to handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
• to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
• to improve service quality and manage our business operations;
• to protect against fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We only use personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably need to use it for another compatible purpose or where required by law.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal 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 managing bookings, providing cleaning services, and handling payment arrangements.

Legal Obligation

We process some data to comply with legal duties such as accounting, tax, financial record-keeping, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your interests and rights do not override those interests. This may include maintaining service records, improving customer service, managing our operations, and protecting our business from fraud or misuse. When relying on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and limit the processing to what is necessary.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you agree to receive optional communications that are not required for service delivery. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the legal or operational requirements that apply.

• Customer and booking records: retained for as long as needed to administer services and deal with follow-up queries.
• Invoice and accounting records: retained for the period required by tax and financial laws.
• Complaint or dispute records: retained for as long as necessary to resolve the matter and manage legal risks.
• General correspondence: retained only for as long as needed for the relevant business purpose.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymise it. In some situations, we may keep data for a longer period if necessary to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

6. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us run our business. These organisations act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We only share the minimum data necessary and require appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors may include:

• Booking and scheduling providers that help manage appointments;
• Payment processors that handle financial transactions securely;
• IT and cloud service providers that support data storage, communication, and system maintenance;
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support financial record management;
• Customer support tools used to organise enquiries and service records.

All processors are expected to process personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and use it only for the agreed purpose. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose personal information where required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect our rights, customers, employees, or property.

7. International Transfers

Some of the systems or service providers we use may store or process data outside the UK. If this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that personal data remains protected to a standard consistent with applicable data protection law.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to help protect personal data from accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, staff awareness, and careful selection of service providers. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

9. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the following rights under data protection law:

• Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain situations.
• Right to restriction: to ask us to limit processing in some circumstances.
• Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• Right to data portability: to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns if you believe your personal data has been handled improperly. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly. You also have the right to complain to the UK data protection authority if you are unhappy with how your data has been processed.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business-related contacts. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service request and provided by an adult customer or lawful representative. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, 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 our services, legal obligations, or data processing practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this Policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Stroud Green Carpet Cleaners is committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently, and in compliance with the law. We collect only what we need, use it for clear business purposes, keep it only for as long as necessary, and restrict access to trusted processors who support our operations. We respect your rights and aim to maintain your privacy at every stage of our service.