Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning Westminster

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning Westminster collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Carpetcleaning Westminster customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who communicates with us about our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who we are

For the purposes of data protection law, Carpetcleaning Westminster acts as the data controller for the personal data collected in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how personal data is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to process only the data necessary to provide our services and run our business effectively.

2. Personal data we collect

We may collect personal data directly from you, from third parties acting on your behalf, or automatically through our systems when you make an enquiry or use our services. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name, title, and any relevant business name.
Contact data such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service data such as property details, cleaning preferences, booking history, service instructions, and notes about work completed.
Payment data such as payment confirmation details, billing records, and transaction references. We do not store unnecessary payment information.
Communication data such as emails, messages, complaint records, and feedback.
Technical data such as IP address, browser type, device information, and basic usage information when you interact with our digital systems.
Marketing preferences where you have told us whether you wish to receive updates or offers.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is shared with us, we will handle it with appropriate safeguards and only where a lawful basis exists.

3. How we use your personal data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To manage bookings, quotes, and service arrangements.
To communicate with you about appointments, changes, or service updates.
To process payments, invoices, refunds, and related records.
To handle complaints, queries, and customer support.
To maintain business records and meet our legal obligations.
To improve our services, operations, and customer experience.
To send marketing communications where permitted by law and where you have not objected.

We only use personal data for the specific purposes stated above, unless we reasonably need to use it for a compatible purpose or where law requires us to do otherwise.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. We rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes handling quotes, bookings, service delivery, invoicing, and customer support.

Legal obligation

We may process data where it is necessary to comply with legal obligations, such as record-keeping, tax requirements, accounting rules, or responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include improving services, managing business administration, preventing fraud, and resolving disputes. We always consider whether our interests are balanced against your privacy rights.

Consent

Where required by law, we rely on your consent, particularly for certain forms of electronic marketing or other optional processing. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing your personal data

We only share personal data where necessary and with appropriate safeguards. We may disclose your data to:

Service providers and processors who support our operations, such as booking tools, payment processors, IT support, cloud storage providers, and administrative systems.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.
Public authorities where we are required to do so by law or to protect our legal rights.
Successors in business if our business structure changes, subject to confidentiality and data protection protections.

We do not sell personal data. Any third party receiving data on our behalf is required to process it only according to our instructions and to maintain appropriate security measures.

6. Processors we use

When other organisations process personal data on our behalf, they act as data processors. These processors may include providers of:

Customer relationship and scheduling software.
Secure cloud storage and file hosting.
Payment and invoicing systems.
Email and communication platforms.
Website or system maintenance services.

We choose processors carefully and only work with those that can demonstrate compliance with data protection standards. We ensure that suitable contracts are in place and that processors only use personal data for the purposes we specify. All processors are required to safeguard your information and to assist us where necessary with data subject requests and security obligations.

7. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

Typical retention approach

Customer service and booking records are retained for as long as needed to manage our relationship with you and to respond to any follow-up queries.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law and standard accounting practice.
Complaint and dispute records may be kept for a longer period where needed to defend legal claims or resolve issues.
Marketing preference data is retained until you unsubscribe, object, or we no longer have a lawful basis to keep it.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it no longer identifies you. Retention is reviewed regularly to ensure we do not keep data for longer than necessary.

8. International transfers

If any of our processors or systems transfer personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other approved transfer mechanisms. We only allow transfers where adequate protection for your personal data is maintained.

9. Data security

We use appropriate 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 regular review of our procedures. While no system can be guaranteed as completely secure, we work to reduce risks and respond promptly to suspected incidents.

10. Your rights

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

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 data.
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to restrict processing in certain cases.
Right to data portability – you can request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will review your request and respond in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before taking action to protect your information.

11. Cookies and similar technologies

If we use cookies or similar technologies in connection with our digital systems, they may be used for basic functionality, security, and performance measurement. Where required, we will provide appropriate information and controls regarding non-essential cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings, though some features may be affected.

12. Children

Our services are intended for adults and business or domestic customers arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children without appropriate authority. If we become aware that we have collected such data without proper consent or lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your data is protected.

14. Contact and complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we use your personal data, you may raise them with us through the usual business communication channels. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns first.

Carpetcleaning Westminster is committed to respecting your privacy and handling personal data responsibly. We process information only where necessary, keep it secure, and apply GDPR principles throughout our operations. This policy applies to all customers in the area and reflects our commitment to lawful, transparent, and fair data protection practices.