Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning Camden

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning Camden collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Camden customers in the area, including anyone who requests, receives, or enquires about our carpet cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We aim to collect only the information needed to deliver our services properly, maintain records, manage payments, respond to enquiries, and meet legal obligations.

1. Data We Collect

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

Identity details: name, title, and any preferred contact name.
Contact details: postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details: property type, cleaning requirements, booking information, service history, and notes needed to complete the work.
Payment details: transaction information, invoicing records, and limited billing details required to process payments.
Communication records: messages, complaints, feedback, and correspondence relating to our services.
Technical information: basic website or device data, if collected through standard analytics or service tools, such as IP address or browser type.
Special instructions: information you choose to provide about access arrangements, cleaning preferences, or sensitive property conditions.

We do not intentionally collect more personal information than is necessary. If you provide data relating to another person, you should ensure you have permission to do so.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to arrange, deliver, and manage carpet cleaning services;
to respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
to process payments and issue invoices or receipts;
to maintain records of completed work and service history;
to manage complaints, disputes, or follow-up requests;
to improve our services, training, and customer experience;
to comply with tax, accounting, and other legal obligations;
to protect our business from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, we tell you about it first.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal data. Carpetcleaning Camden relies on the following legal bases:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, completing cleaning work, handling payments, and communicating about the service you requested.

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 service administration, record keeping, responding to complaints, improving operations, and preventing fraud.

Legal Obligation

Some data must be retained or processed to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, and regulatory requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to store certain optional information or send specific communications not covered by contract or legitimate interest. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us run our business. These parties act as processors or independent controllers, depending on the service they provide. We require processors to handle data securely and only in accordance with our instructions and applicable law.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment processors: for handling card or electronic payments securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: for invoicing, tax records, and financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers: for secure data storage, email, or system support.
Scheduling or booking tools: for managing appointments and service planning.
Professional advisers: such as accountants, legal advisers, or insurers where needed.

We may also disclose data if required by law, court order, or a lawful request from public authorities. If our business structure changes, such as through a sale or merger, personal data may be transferred to the relevant party under appropriate safeguards.

We do not sell your personal data.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and why it is held.

Customer and service records: retained for the duration of the business relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards to support customer service, disputes, or repeat bookings.
Payment and accounting records: retained for the period required by tax and financial laws.
Complaints and correspondence: retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and demonstrate compliance.
Consent-based data: kept until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in a manner that prevents unauthorised access or use.

6. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under GDPR in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis used for processing.

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 information.
Right to erasure: in certain cases, you may request that we delete your data.
Right to restriction: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: where applicable, you may request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent: if we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will respond to valid requests within the time limits required by law. To protect privacy, we may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. These rights are available to all Carpetcleaning Camden customers in the area.

7. Security of Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited data sharing on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections. We only permit international transfers where the required level of protection is maintained.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated 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.

10. Contact and Complaints

If you wish to exercise your rights, raise a concern, or ask a question about this policy, you can contact the relevant data protection representative through the usual business channels. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly.

In summary: Carpetcleaning Camden collects only the personal data needed to provide carpet cleaning services, relies on lawful bases such as contract, legitimate interests, consent, and legal obligation, retains data only as long as necessary, uses trusted processors under safeguards, and respects your GDPR rights.