Privacy Policy - Clapham Carpetcleaning

This Privacy Policy explains how Clapham Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Clapham Carpetcleaning customers in the area, including individuals who request quotations, make bookings, receive services, or communicate with us in relation to our work. 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.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for delivering our services, managing customer relationships, maintaining accurate business records, and meeting legal obligations.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name, title, and where relevant, business or household name.
Contact information such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information including details of the rooms, carpets, upholstery, rugs, or other items requiring cleaning, plus any special instructions.
Appointment and transaction information such as booking dates, service history, payment status, invoices, and records of quotations provided.
Communication records including correspondence, messages, complaints, and feedback.
Technical or usage information if you interact with us through digital systems, such as device details, cookies, or website interaction logs, where applicable.
Access and property information if needed for entry, service delivery, or safety purposes.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or it is otherwise required for a legitimate business or legal reason. If such information is shared with us, it will be handled with additional care and only where a valid lawful basis exists.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data only for defined and legitimate purposes. These include:

providing quotations, estimates, and service updates;
carrying out carpet cleaning and related services;
managing bookings, cancellations, and rescheduling;
processing payments and maintaining accounting records;
responding to enquiries, complaints, or requests;
improving service quality and customer experience;
keeping internal records for operational and legal purposes;
meeting our legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. Where we need to use data for a new purpose, we will make sure that the use is permitted under data protection law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Clapham Carpetcleaning relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, delivering cleaning services, issuing invoices, and handling payment-related matters.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer relations, preventing fraud, maintaining service records, and improving our operations. We ensure that any such processing is proportionate and carefully considered.

Legal Obligation

Some data must be processed to comply with legal requirements, including tax rules, accounting obligations, health and safety duties, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or where required by law for specific processing activities. Where consent is used, it will be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, known as processors or service providers, who help us run our business. These parties act on our instructions and are required to keep data secure and process it only for the agreed purpose.

Examples of processors may include:

payment service providers;
accounting or bookkeeping services;
IT, hosting, or data storage providers;
customer management or scheduling systems;
professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, or auditors;
delivery or administrative support providers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our rights, property, customers, or the safety of others. We do not sell your personal data.

5. International Transfers

If any of our processors or systems are located outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before any transfer takes place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other approved legal mechanisms. We remain responsible for ensuring that your data receives a level of protection that is consistent with UK data protection standards.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including the fulfilment of contractual, accounting, legal, and insurance requirements.

Customer service and booking records are generally retained for a period that allows us to manage repeat services, resolve disputes, and maintain accurate business history.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be kept for as long as needed to respond to queries, manage complaints, or demonstrate compliance.

When personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and lawful manner. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record, the purpose of processing, and any legal duties that apply.

7. Data Security

We take the security of personal data seriously and use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality requirements, and regular review of our data handling practices.

Although we work to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data breach occurs that affects your rights or freedoms, we will take the steps required by law, which may include notifying the relevant supervisory authority and, where appropriate, affected individuals.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal limits and verification of your identity, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
Erase your personal data in certain circumstances;
Restrict the processing of your data in certain cases;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability for data you provided to us and that we process by automated means under contract or consent;
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We may need to retain certain information where required by law or where we have a compelling legitimate reason to do so. If you exercise your rights, we will respond within the time limits set by data protection law.

9. Cookies and Digital Data

If we use online systems that place cookies or similar technologies on your device, these may be used to help the system function properly, remember preferences, or collect limited technical information. Where required, we will provide appropriate information and obtain consent before using non-essential cookies. You can usually control cookies through your browser settings.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children in the ordinary course of business. If we become aware that we have collected such information without a valid basis, we will take steps to delete it promptly unless retention is required by law.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or technical changes. Any updates will take effect when published in the revised version. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Clapham Carpetcleaning is committed to treating personal data with care, transparency, and respect. We only collect the information we need, use it for clear purposes, rely on appropriate lawful bases, keep it no longer than necessary, and work with processors who are required to protect it. We also respect your rights and aim to make it easy for customers to understand how their data is used.

This policy applies to all Clapham Carpetcleaning customers in the area. By engaging our services, you can expect your personal information to be handled in a manner that is lawful, secure, and proportionate to the services you request.