Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners Highbury

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners Highbury collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners Highbury customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us to request information, quotations, or cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or otherwise interacting with Carpet Cleaners Highbury, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

Carpet Cleaners Highbury provides carpet cleaning and related domestic and commercial cleaning services. In the context of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal data we collect and determine the purposes and means of processing that data.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide services, manage enquiries, fulfil obligations, and improve our operations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data: name, title, and any relevant customer reference details.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and preferred contact method.
Service data: details about the cleaning service requested, property type, access notes, appointment details, and service history.
Billing and transaction data: payment records, invoices, payment status, and related administrative details.
Communication data: records of correspondence, enquiries, feedback, complaints, and any information provided through phone, email, or other communication channels.
Technical data: limited information such as IP address, browser type, and device information if you interact with us online, where applicable.
Special category data: we do not normally seek to collect sensitive personal data. If such data is provided to us inadvertently, it will be handled carefully and only where permitted by law.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is required for the relevant purpose. You should only provide information that is necessary for us to respond to your enquiry or deliver the requested service.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data in the following ways:

directly from you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, book a service, or communicate with us;
from records generated during the provision of services;
from payment and invoicing processes;
from third parties acting on your behalf, such as property managers or household representatives, where appropriate;
from publicly available sources when necessary for legitimate business purposes and in line with applicable law.

4. Why We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to arrange and deliver carpet cleaning and related services;
to manage appointments, access requirements, and service logistics;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to maintain service history and support customer care;
to deal with complaints, disputes, and service issues;
to meet legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, customers, and staff from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
to improve our services, processes, and customer experience.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for a compatible purpose and the law allows us to do so.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of 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, managing bookings, and carrying out carpet cleaning work.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This may include maintaining records, improving operations, preventing fraud, and responding to customer queries.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where specific optional communications or preferences require it. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect processing carried out before it was withdrawn.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and deliver services. These parties act either as independent controllers or as processors acting on our instructions. Examples may include:

payment service providers;
accounting or bookkeeping services;
IT and data storage providers;
customer management and communication tools;
service partners who help us fulfil bookings or administrative tasks;
professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary;
public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where required by law.

Where we use processors, we ensure they are subject to appropriate contractual obligations, including confidentiality, security measures, and limits on how they may use your data. We do not sell your personal data.

7. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards, as required by law.

8. Data Retention

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

Enquiry records may be retained for a limited period to manage follow-up and service continuity.
Customer service and transaction records may be retained for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required by applicable law.
Complaint and dispute records may be kept longer where needed to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in a controlled manner.

9. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, confidentiality obligations, and internal procedures designed to reduce risk.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we will act promptly and responsibly if any data incident occurs.

10. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these rights include:

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

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

11. Complaints and Supervisory Authority

If you are concerned about how your personal data is handled, we encourage you to raise the matter so it can be reviewed. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

12. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the course of providing services to a household and with appropriate authorisation. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take steps to delete it.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational needs. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your data is handled.

Last updated: This policy is maintained as part of our commitment to transparency, accountability, and lawful processing. Carpet Cleaners Highbury is dedicated to safeguarding privacy while delivering reliable services to customers across the area.