Privacy Policy – Carpetcleaning Wandsworth

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning Wandsworth collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data belonging to our customers and website users. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Wandsworth customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about, book, receive, or have received our carpet cleaning services. 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

For the purposes of data protection law, Carpetcleaning Wandsworth acts as the data controller for personal data collected in connection with our services. This means we decide how and why your personal data is used. We take data protection seriously and aim to ensure that only the information necessary for service delivery, administration, legal compliance, and legitimate business operations is processed.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on your interaction with us. This may include:

Identity details such as your name;
Contact details including phone number, email address, and service address;
Booking and service information such as requested services, appointment times, service history, and special instructions;
Payment information needed to process transactions, invoices, or refunds;
Communication records including messages, enquiries, complaints, and feedback;
Technical data such as device, browser, or usage information if you interact with our digital systems;
Operational data such as access notes relevant to service delivery;
Any other information you choose to provide when contacting or using our services.

We do not knowingly collect data that is unnecessary for service delivery. Where we need to process special category data, we will only do so where permitted by law and where it is relevant and necessary, for example in relation to health or access needs you voluntarily disclose to help us provide a safe service.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data in several ways:

Directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, or communicate with us;
When you provide information during service delivery or follow-up communication;
Automatically through our systems when you use digital tools or submit forms;
From third parties where necessary, such as payment providers or processors acting on our behalf.

We use data minimisation principles and seek only the information required for a legitimate and clearly defined purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data when we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the context, our lawful bases may include:

Contract

We process your personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging carpet cleaning services, confirming appointments, issuing invoices, and providing the services you requested.

Legal obligation

We may process data where required to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, or record-keeping duties.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. Examples include managing service quality, preventing fraud, improving operations, responding to enquiries, and maintaining accurate records.

Consent

In some cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly for optional communications or certain types of processing not covered by the bases above. Where 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 Data

Your personal data may be used for the following purposes:

To provide and manage carpet cleaning services;
To respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
To schedule, confirm, and carry out appointments;
To process payments, refunds, and invoices;
To maintain service and customer records;
To handle complaints or disputes;
To meet legal and regulatory obligations;
To improve our service, systems, and customer experience;
To communicate important service-related information.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected unless we are allowed to do so by law or we obtain your permission.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who support our operations. These third parties act either as independent controllers or as processors acting on our behalf. Processors only handle your data according to our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment processors for secure transaction handling;
IT and hosting providers for data storage and system support;
Administrative software providers for booking, invoicing, or communications;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary;
Subcontractors or operational partners who help deliver services under our instructions.

We may also disclose data where required by law, court order, or regulatory request. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and in line with legal, accounting, and operational requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer and booking records are generally kept for a reasonable period after service completion to manage queries, complaints, warranties, and repeat services;
Financial records may be retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
Communication records may be retained for reference, quality assurance, and dispute resolution;
Technical logs are retained only as needed for security, diagnostics, and system management.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, staff confidentiality obligations, secure systems, and regular review of data handling practices. While no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, we aim to maintain a high standard of data security at all times.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used;
The right of access to request a copy of your personal data;
The right to rectification if your data is inaccurate or incomplete;
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten;
The right to restrict processing in certain situations;
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
The right to data portability for data you provided where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
The right to withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis;
Rights in relation to automated decision-making, where applicable.

To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. Some rights may be limited where legal obligations require us to keep certain data.

10. Complaints and Concerns

If you are concerned about how your data has been handled, you may raise the issue with us so we can review and address it. You also have the right to complain to the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage customers to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operations, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it becomes effective. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpetcleaning Wandsworth is committed to processing personal data lawfully, transparently, and securely. We collect only the information needed to deliver services, use it for specified purposes, keep it no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where legally required. We respect your rights and aim to provide a reliable, privacy-conscious service to all customers in the Wandsworth area.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Carpetcleaning Wandsworth customers in the area.