Privacy Policy - Shooters Hill Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Shooters Hill Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all customers of Shooters Hill Carpet Cleaners in the area we serve, including residential and commercial clients, whether you contact us by phone, email, online form, message, or in person. 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.

Important: By using our services, making an enquiry, or engaging with us as a customer, you acknowledge that this policy applies to the processing of your personal data.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service details such as the type of cleaning requested, property access information, appointment preferences, and service notes.
Payment information such as transaction details, billing records, and payment confirmations. We do not usually store full card details if a third-party payment provider is used.
Communication records such as messages, enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical information where relevant, such as basic website or device information if you interact with our online services.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you provide it voluntarily, for example if you mention health or access needs that affect service delivery. In such cases, we will only process that information where appropriate safeguards are in place and where a lawful basis applies.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To arrange appointments and manage service schedules.
To communicate with you about bookings, quotations, or service updates.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To respond to enquiries, feedback, and complaints.
To maintain internal records and improve customer service.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will only use your data for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was collected. If we need to use your information for a new purpose, we will ensure there is a lawful basis to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Shooters Hill Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging services, confirming appointments, carrying out the cleaning work, and handling billing.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relationships, improving services, keeping secure records, and preventing fraud or misuse. We always consider the impact on your privacy before relying on this basis.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communications or where you provide sensitive information voluntarily. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that has already taken place lawfully.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties only when necessary and only in accordance with data protection law. These third parties may act as processors on our behalf, meaning they handle data only under our instructions and are required to keep it secure.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment service providers that process card or online payments.
IT and software providers that store customer records, email communications, or scheduling information.
Accountants or financial administrators who support invoicing and tax compliance.
Cloud storage providers that securely host business files and backups.
Customer communication tools used to manage service messages or reminders.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, for example to law enforcement, courts, insurers, or regulatory bodies. We do not sell your personal data.

Where any processor is used, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place. These include obligations relating to confidentiality, security, and data handling. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented in line with applicable law.

5. Data Retention

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

Customer and service records are generally kept for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained as long as needed to resolve disputes, manage service history, or improve operations.
Consent-based records are kept until consent is withdrawn or the information is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, destroyed, or anonymised so that it can no longer identify you. We periodically review the data we hold to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure passwords, restricted staff access, regular updates, and careful handling of records. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to reduce risks and protect your information as far as reasonably possible.

7. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances.
Restriction of processing in some situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable.
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

Please note that some rights may not apply in every case, especially where we must retain information to comply with legal obligations or defend legal claims.

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

8. Cookies and Website Use

If you visit any online service we use, limited technical data may be collected through cookies or similar technologies. These may help the site function properly, improve user experience, or measure performance. Where required, we will use appropriate cookie notices and obtain consent for non-essential cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children. If any information relating to a child is provided in the course of service delivery, it will be handled only where necessary and with appropriate care.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or business practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we protect personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

We are committed to treating your information with care, transparency, and respect. Our approach is based on data minimisation, lawful processing, secure handling, and retention only as long as necessary. We use trusted processors where needed, and we aim to ensure that every customer of Shooters Hill Carpet Cleaners in our area can rely on a privacy-first service.

In short: we collect only what is needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, protect it carefully, and honour your rights under data protection law.