Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning NW3

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning NW3 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with services provided to customers in the NW3 area. It applies to all Carpetcleaning NW3 customers in the area, including prospective customers, existing customers, and anyone who contacts us to enquire about our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Carpetcleaning NW3 acts as the data controller for the personal data we collect and process in relation to our carpet cleaning and related services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is used. We only process personal data that is necessary for legitimate business, legal, and service-related purposes.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name or the name of your household contact.
Contact information such as address details within the NW3 area, telephone number, and email address.
Service information including the type of cleaning requested, property access instructions, booking dates, and service preferences.
Payment information such as payment status, invoice details, and transaction records. We do not store full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence related to our services.
Technical information such as limited website or device data if you interact with our online services, where applicable.
Special category data only where necessary and with appropriate safeguards, for example if you voluntarily provide information relating to accessibility or health needs that affect service delivery.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is necessary for the delivery of our services. Where possible, we keep data collection to a minimum and only request information that is relevant to your booking or customer relationship.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect data directly from you when you:

make an enquiry or booking;
request a quote or service information;
communicate with us by phone, email, or other channels;
complete forms or provide details for service delivery;
make a payment or receive an invoice;
submit feedback, a complaint, or a request regarding your data rights.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, such as building managers, property representatives, or payment processors, but only where they are authorised to share it or where you have instructed them to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a valid lawful basis under UK GDPR. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process your 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 managing bookings, carrying out cleaning services, issuing invoices, and handling service-related communication.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including accounting, tax, consumer protection, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may use your data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer relationships, improving service quality, preventing fraud, maintaining business records, and responding to complaints or disputes. We always consider whether the impact on your privacy is proportionate.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly where processing is optional or relates to certain types of marketing or special category information. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your data to:

provide carpet cleaning and related services;
manage bookings, quotes, and customer requests;
communicate service updates or appointment information;
issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
respond to enquiries, feedback, or complaints;
maintain customer records and service history;
meet legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
improve our services and operational efficiency;
protect against misuse, fraud, or unlawful activity.

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this position changes, this policy will be updated and you will be informed where required.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These processors only handle data according to our instructions and under appropriate contractual safeguards. They may include:

payment service providers;
booking or scheduling system providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
IT, cloud storage, and security providers;
communication tools used for operational messages;
professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers, where needed.

We may also share personal data where required by law, by a court order, or to protect our legal rights, the safety of our staff, or the safety of others. Any third party receiving personal data is expected to protect it in accordance with applicable data protection law.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal or operational requirements. Retention periods depend on the nature of the information and the reason we hold it.

Customer and service records: retained for the period needed to manage the customer relationship and any follow-up matters.
Financial and invoice records: kept for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records: retained for a reasonable period to resolve queries, service issues, or disputes.
Legal claim-related records: kept where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. We review retained information periodically to ensure it is still necessary.

8. International Transfers

Where processors or service providers store or access data outside the United Kingdom, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections recognised under applicable law.

9. Data Security

We take 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 access to data on a need-to-know basis. Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce privacy risks and handle data responsibly.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances:

Right of access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – in some cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including some types of direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will respond to valid requests within the timeframe required by law. To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

11. Complaints

If you are concerned about how your personal data has been handled, you may raise the issue with us so we can review it. 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 contact us first where possible so we can try to resolve the matter promptly and fairly.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, service operations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

13. Scope and Application

This Privacy Policy applies to all Carpetcleaning NW3 customers in the area and to any personal data processed in connection with our services for that customer group. By using our services, making an enquiry, or otherwise providing personal data to us, you acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this policy and with applicable data protection law.

We are committed to processing personal data fairly, securely, and transparently. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to keep the information we hold accurate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary.