Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning Edgware

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected by Carpetcleaning Edgware. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Edgware customers in the area, including individuals who request a quote, make a booking, receive a service, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with our business. We are committed to handling personal data 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. Who We Are

Carpetcleaning Edgware provides carpet cleaning and related domestic and commercial cleaning services. In this policy, we, us, and our refer to Carpetcleaning Edgware as the data controller where we determine the purposes and means of processing personal data.

We process personal data only where we have a valid legal reason to do so and only for the purposes described in this policy. We take privacy seriously and aim to collect only the information needed to deliver our services, manage our relationship with customers, meet our legal obligations, and improve our operations.

2. Data We Collect

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

• Identity details: name, title, and any relevant account or booking identifiers.
• Contact details: address, email address, telephone number, and communication preferences.
• Service details: property information, cleaning requirements, requested dates, room details, stain or fabric descriptions, and access instructions.
• Payment information: payment status, transaction references, and limited billing information necessary to process payments and issue receipts or invoices.
• Correspondence: messages, feedback, complaints, and notes from calls or written communications.
• Technical data: limited information such as device type, browser type, and general usage data if you interact with our digital services.
• Special category data: we do not normally collect special category data. However, if you choose to provide information that may reveal health, accessibility, or other sensitive details for service delivery purposes, we will only process it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

We generally collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, submit an enquiry, or communicate with us. We may also receive data from third parties such as payment providers, referral partners, or property managers where this is necessary for service delivery and permitted by law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
• to schedule, deliver, and manage cleaning services;
• to process payments, refunds, and accounting records;
• to communicate about bookings, service changes, or service-related issues;
• to handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
• to maintain business records and comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
• to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
• to improve our services, customer experience, and internal operations.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to do so and you would reasonably expect such use.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes you request, confirming bookings, carrying out carpet cleaning services, and managing payment-related steps.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, record-keeping, consumer protection, or other regulatory requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include improving service quality, preventing fraud, maintaining business records, and managing customer relationships. Where we rely on this basis, we balance our interests against your privacy rights.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for specific types of optional marketing or where sensitive information is provided voluntarily and consent is the most appropriate basis. You may withdraw consent at any time, where applicable.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, only where necessary and appropriate. These parties may include:

• Payment processors that handle card or online payments;
• IT and cloud service providers that store data or provide business software;
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records;
• Communication service providers that help us send messages or manage customer correspondence;
• Subcontractors or service partners who assist in delivering services under our instructions;
• Legal, insurance, or regulatory advisers where disclosure is necessary for compliance or defence of legal claims.

Where we use processors, we require them to process personal data only on our instructions, to apply appropriate technical and organisational safeguards, and to keep data secure. We do not permit processors to use your data for their own unrelated purposes.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or a valid request from a public authority. If a business transfer occurs, such as a merger or sale, personal data may be transferred as part of the transaction subject to applicable legal protections.

6. Data Retention

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

As a general approach:

• booking and service records are retained for a reasonable period after the service is completed;
• financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law;
• complaints, correspondence, and dispute records are retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and defend legal claims;
• inactive customer information is deleted or anonymised when it is no longer needed.

Where data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in a safe manner.

7. Your Rights

If you are a customer of Carpetcleaning Edgware in the area, you have rights under data protection law in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply subject to certain legal conditions and exceptions:

• 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 data.
• Right to erasure: you may ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restriction: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
• Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a commonly used electronic format where legally applicable.
• Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, including certain marketing-related uses.
• Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

8. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limiting data access to personnel who need it for legitimate business purposes.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we regularly review our practices and aim to maintain a level of security appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

9. International Transfers

If any service provider stores or processes personal data outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that your data remains protected in line with applicable law. Such safeguards may include adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. When we make changes, we will revise the policy to keep it accurate and current. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

By using our services, submitting your data, or engaging with Carpetcleaning Edgware, you acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We are committed to respecting your privacy and using your personal data responsibly.

11. Summary of Key Principles

• We collect only the data needed to provide and manage our services.
• We process data lawfully using contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, or consent where appropriate.
• We retain data only as long as necessary and securely delete or anonymise it when no longer needed.
• We share data only with trusted processors or where required by law.
• Customers have clear rights over their personal data and may exercise them under applicable law.