Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning Putney

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning Putney collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Putney customers in area, including residential and commercial clients who request quotes, book services, receive cleaning treatments, or otherwise interact with our business. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for delivering our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and company name if applicable.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property access details, booking preferences, cleaning requirements, stain or fabric notes, and service history.
Payment information such as billing address and transaction records. We do not store card details unless a secure payment provider requires temporary processing.
Communication records including emails, messages, complaints, feedback, and notes from customer support interactions.
Technical information where relevant, such as device or browser data collected through our systems for security, fraud prevention, or website functionality.

We may also receive information from third parties where you have authorised them to act on your behalf, such as letting agents, landlords, property managers, or business representatives. We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, for example where access needs or health-related instructions are relevant to service delivery.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to operate our business and provide services efficiently. This may include:

Preparing quotations and confirming bookings.
Delivering carpet cleaning, stain removal, upholstery care, and related services.
Managing access to properties and coordinating appointments.
Processing payments, issuing receipts, and maintaining accounting records.
Responding to enquiries, complaints, or aftercare requests.
Improving service quality, training staff, and maintaining internal records.
Meeting legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax requirements.
Protecting our business, customers, and staff from misuse, fraud, or security incidents.

We use your information only where a valid legal basis applies and only for the purposes described in this policy.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal data. Depending on the situation, Carpetcleaning Putney may rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

3.1 Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling bookings, carrying out cleaning services, confirming appointments, and processing payments.

3.2 Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is in our legitimate business interests and your rights do not override those interests. Examples include maintaining customer records, improving services, preventing fraud, managing disputes, and ensuring network and information security. When relying on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary and whether it is reasonable for you to expect it.

3.3 Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with legal duties, such as tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

3.4 Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, for example where optional marketing communications are involved or where you provide special category information that we do not otherwise need. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Retention of Personal Data

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

Customer and service records are usually retained for a reasonable period after the last service date to manage queries, repeat bookings, or disputes.
Financial and transaction records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be retained where needed to evidence instructions, resolve complaints, or maintain service history.
Security and system records are retained only as long as necessary for protection, audit, and operational purposes.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties only where necessary for business operations, legal compliance, or service delivery. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation.

Payment processors that handle secure payment transactions.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support invoicing, tax, and financial reporting.
IT and cloud service providers that host systems, maintain records, and support secure communications.
Scheduling or customer management tools used to organise appointments and service records.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors where required.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where processors act on our behalf, they are required to process personal data only according to our instructions, to keep it secure, and to use appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. We do not sell personal data.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, staff confidentiality obligations, secure storage, and system safeguards. While no system can guarantee absolute security, we work to ensure that all handling of personal data is proportionate and responsible.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. Subject to legal exceptions, these rights include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
The right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification if your personal data is inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing where you want us to limit how your data is used.
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.
Rights relating to automated decision-making, where applicable, though we do not normally make decisions about customers using solely automated means.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will consider your request in line with applicable law and respond within the required timeframe. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. Some rights may not apply in full where legal obligations or legitimate business needs require us to keep certain information.

8. International Transfers

Where any service provider stores or processes data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information. This may include recognised transfer mechanisms and contractual protections designed to preserve a similar level of privacy protection.

9. Marketing Communications

We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If consent is required, we will obtain it before sending such messages. You may opt out of marketing at any time. This will not affect service messages that are necessary for bookings, billing, or customer support.

10. 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 connection with a service request made by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult. If we become aware that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practice, or service delivery. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. Customers are encouraged to review the policy periodically to understand how personal data is protected and used.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpetcleaning Putney respects your privacy and handles personal data carefully, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate service and business purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where the law requires it. All Carpetcleaning Putney customers in area can expect their data to be treated with confidentiality, fairness, and care.

This policy aims to provide a clear and transparent explanation of our practices so that you can understand how your information is managed and what rights you have. If you have concerns about your personal data, you may exercise your rights under data protection law, and we will respond appropriately.