Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaning Putney

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaning Putney collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with its carpet cleaning services. It applies to all Carpet Cleaning Putney customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who interacts with our services on behalf of a household, landlord, tenant, business, or property manager. We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We respect your privacy and aim to be clear about what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what choices and rights you have. This policy should be read carefully so you understand how your information is managed when you arrange or receive cleaning services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide and manage our services effectively. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name, and where relevant, the name of the person booking on behalf of another individual or organisation.
Contact details including address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the type of carpet cleaning requested, property access notes, preferred appointment times, and any special instructions.
Billing and payment information where needed for invoicing, payment processing, refunds, or accounting records.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and correspondence relating to your service.
Technical data if you contact us electronically, such as basic device or usage information provided by your browser or email service.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, for example to explain access needs or an exceptional circumstance relevant to a service appointment.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to operate our services, communicate with customers, manage bookings, and meet our legal obligations. The main purposes include:

Arranging and delivering carpet cleaning services.
Confirming appointments, handling enquiries, and providing service updates.
Processing payments and maintaining financial records.
Managing customer accounts, service history, and aftercare.
Responding to complaints, requests, or disputes.
Improving our service quality, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
Meeting legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.

We use your data only when there is a valid reason to do so, and we do not use it in ways that are incompatible with the original purpose for which it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. We rely on the following legal grounds:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, carrying out the cleaning service, processing payments, and handling related customer communications.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This may include service administration, record keeping, quality control, fraud prevention, and responding to customer enquiries. We always consider whether the processing is fair, necessary, and proportionate.

Legal Obligation

Some information must be retained or processed to meet legal requirements, such as tax rules, accounting standards, or obligations related to dispute resolution and business compliance.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example if you voluntarily agree to receive certain types of marketing communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will always ensure that the lawful basis used is appropriate to the specific purpose of processing.

4. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share it with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These organisations act as processors or independent controllers depending on their role.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers that handle card or electronic payments.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial administration.
IT and cloud storage providers that host or secure our records.
Communication tools used for sending booking confirmations or service updates.
Customer management or scheduling systems used to organise appointments.

Where a processor acts on our behalf, they are required to handle personal data securely, use it only for the agreed purpose, and follow appropriate data protection obligations.

We may also share information with:

Professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, insurers, or legal advisers.
Public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where required by law.
Other parties with your permission or where disclosure is necessary to protect rights, property, or safety.

We only share the minimum information necessary and take steps to ensure that any third party receiving data handles it appropriately.

5. Data Retention

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

In general:

Booking and service records are kept for a period that allows us to manage repeat services, resolve disputes, and maintain accurate business records.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Customer correspondence may be retained for as long as needed to handle queries, complaints, or service follow-up.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or withdraw consent, where applicable.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in a way that prevents unauthorised access. Retention is always limited to what is necessary and lawful.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, and staff confidentiality obligations.

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

7. Your Rights

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have important rights regarding your personal data. These include:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restriction of processing in specific situations.
The right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

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

We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concern quickly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is unavoidable for household service administration and is provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

9. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or processes data outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place so that your personal data remains protected to the standard required by law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or technological changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpet Cleaning Putney is committed to protecting the personal information of every customer in the area. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it responsibly with trusted processors and advisers. We also respect your privacy rights and aim to handle all personal data in a fair, transparent, and secure manner.

This Privacy Policy is designed to support trust, accountability, and compliance in every customer relationship.