Privacy Policy - Harold Wood Carpet Cleaners

Harold Wood Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our carpet cleaning services. It applies to all Harold Wood Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including any individual who enquires about, books, receives, or has received our services.

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy is designed to help you understand what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are committed to processing personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

We only collect and use personal information where it is necessary for our business operations and where we have a valid legal basis to do so. We also aim to keep all information accurate, secure, and limited to what is relevant for the services we provide.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name or title.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details including booking information, property access notes, cleaning requirements, and service history.
Payment information such as payment method or transaction reference, where needed to process invoices or payments.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and customer feedback.
Technical data such as basic device or usage information if you contact us through digital channels.

In most cases, we collect personal data directly from you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, book a service, or communicate with us. We may also receive information from third parties where necessary to complete a booking or deliver our services, for example from a landlord, letting agent, or property manager acting on your behalf.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To manage bookings, quotes, and customer enquiries.
To communicate with you about appointments, changes, or service updates.
To process payments, refunds, and related administrative tasks.
To maintain records of services provided.
To deal with complaints, disputes, or customer support requests.
To improve our services and customer experience.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, or regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe we need to use it for another compatible purpose and that new purpose is permitted by law.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

4.1 Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes preparing quotes, confirming appointments, delivering cleaning services, and managing payments.

4.2 Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include record keeping, responding to customer questions, improving service quality, preventing fraud, and managing business operations.

4.3 Legal Obligation

We may process and retain personal data where necessary to comply with a legal obligation, such as accounting requirements, tax record keeping, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

4.4 Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for certain optional communications. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. These parties help us operate our business and provide our services. Where they act as processors, they are only permitted to process your data on our instructions and must protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

IT and cloud service providers used for data storage, email, or business administration.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers supporting financial and tax record management.
Payment service providers handling transactions securely.
Scheduling or customer management tools used to organise appointments and service records.
Professional advisers such as legal or financial advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, such as to law enforcement, regulators, or courts. If we transfer personal data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. The retention period depends on the type of information and the purpose for which it is used.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for the period needed to provide services and handle follow-up issues.
Financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Correspondence and complaint records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage customer care and business protection.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or dispose of it. We regularly review the personal data we hold to ensure it is not retained longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data we process and the risks involved.

While we work hard to safeguard your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If we become aware of a personal data breach that is likely to pose a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will take appropriate action in line with legal requirements.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to certain exceptions or conditions. They include:

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 personal 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 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.
The right to withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable data protection law. You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.

9. Children's Data

Our services are intended for adults and property-related customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information relating to a child without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it as soon as reasonably possible.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, regulation, business practices, or the way we process personal data. 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 their personal data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Harold Wood Carpet Cleaners is committed to handling personal data responsibly, securely, and lawfully. We only collect the information we need, we use it for clear and legitimate purposes, and we keep it only as long as necessary. We also work with trusted processors under appropriate safeguards and respect your rights under data protection law.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy.