Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning Tooting

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning Tooting collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Tooting customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, and any person who contacts us about 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.

We value privacy and aim to keep our practices clear and understandable. This policy describes what information we collect, why we collect it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to individuals under data protection law.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process personal data when you request a quote, book a service, communicate with us, or use our cleaning services. The information we collect may include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, the name of your business or organisation.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Service details such as the type of carpet cleaning requested, property size, preferred appointment times, and notes relevant to the job.
Payment information necessary to process transactions, such as payment confirmation or billing records.
Communication records including messages, calls, complaints, feedback, and service-related correspondence.
Technical information where applicable, such as basic website usage data, device information, and IP-related logs if you interact with our online systems.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. However, if you voluntarily provide information that could reveal health conditions, accessibility needs, or other sensitive details, we will only use it where necessary and appropriate, and with additional care.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and respond to service requests.
To schedule, deliver, and manage cleaning services.
To process payments, refunds, and accounting records.
To communicate with customers about appointments, updates, and service issues.
To handle complaints, queries, and customer support matters.
To maintain records for operational, legal, and contractual purposes.
To improve our services, training, and customer experience.
To comply with legal obligations and defend legal claims where necessary.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the purposes described in this policy. We do not sell personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Carpetcleaning Tooting relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide a quote, deliver cleaning services, manage bookings, or complete related administrative steps. This includes taking action at your request before entering into a service agreement and fulfilling the services agreed.

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. Examples include improving service quality, managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, and keeping secure operational records.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, consumer protection, and other legal requirements.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to keep optional communication preferences or process certain types of sensitive information. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. The exact retention period depends on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer service records are usually retained for a period that allows us to manage repeat bookings, resolve disputes, and maintain service history.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the periods required by law.
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to document decisions, support quality control, or address complaints.
Website or technical logs, where collected, are typically retained for a shorter period unless needed for security or legal reasons.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will take steps to delete it securely or anonymise it so that it no longer identifies you.

5. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and provide services. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context. When they act as processors, they are only permitted to process data on our instructions and must keep it secure.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment processors used to handle transactions securely.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers that store or support business systems.
Communication tools used for sending booking confirmations or service updates.
Business support suppliers that help with scheduling, record management, or operational tasks.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to comply with a court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our business, customers, or others. Where feasible, we require third parties to maintain appropriate confidentiality and data protection standards.

6. International Transfers

Where any service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will take appropriate safeguards to ensure your personal data remains protected in accordance with applicable law. These safeguards may include standard contractual protections or other approved transfer mechanisms.

7. Security of Personal Data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness practices, and limiting access to data on a need-to-know basis.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to protect data responsibly and to address any suspected incident promptly.

8. Your Rights

Individuals whose personal data we process have rights under data protection law. These rights may include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
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 data.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing in certain situations.
The right to data portability where the legal conditions apply.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
The right to withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis used.

To protect privacy, we may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We will respond within the time limits set by law unless an extension is permitted.

9. Marketing Preferences

If we send optional service-related or promotional messages, you may opt out at any time. Where consent is required, we will not send such communications without your permission. If communications are sent on another lawful basis, you still have the right to object where the law gives you that right.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children in a way that is independent of adult service arrangements. If we become aware that we have collected such data inadvertently, we will take appropriate steps to delete or protect 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 handling practices. The updated version will apply from the time it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpetcleaning Tooting is committed to protecting customer privacy and using personal data responsibly. We only collect information that is necessary for our services, rely on proper lawful bases, retain data for appropriate periods, use trusted processors where needed, and respect the rights of all individuals whose information we process. This policy applies to all Carpetcleaning Tooting customers in area and is intended to ensure clear, fair, and lawful handling of personal data at every stage of our service relationship.