Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning E14

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpetcleaning E14 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing services to customers in the E14 area. It applies to all Carpetcleaning E14 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 manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Carpetcleaning E14 provides professional carpet cleaning and related cleaning services for homes and businesses in the E14 area. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal information we collect and use in connection with our services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the services we provide, for business administration, and for compliance with legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name;
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number;
Service details such as property access information, cleaning requirements, preferences, and booking history;
Payment information such as payment confirmation, billing records, and transaction references;
Communication records such as messages, complaints, feedback, and service-related notes;
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you interact with us online, where applicable;
Marketing preferences such as whether you wish to receive updates or promotional messages.

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless it is strictly necessary and you provide it voluntarily, for example if relevant to service access or health and safety needs. If such data is provided, we will process it only where permitted by law and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, pay for services, or provide feedback. We may also receive information from third parties where necessary to deliver the service, for example from payment providers, business partners, or property managers acting on your behalf.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide carpet cleaning and related services;
to manage bookings, schedule appointments, and communicate service updates;
to process payments and maintain financial records;
to respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer support requests;
to improve our services, training, and customer experience;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to protect against fraud, misuse, or security incidents;
to send direct marketing communications where allowed and where you have not opted out.

We will 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, where required, your consent.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Carpetcleaning E14 relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

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

Legal Obligation

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

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service improvement, administrative operations, fraud prevention, customer follow-up, and internal record management.

Consent

Where we rely on consent, such as for certain marketing communications or optional data uses, you may withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Vital Interests and Public Task

These lawful bases are not generally expected to apply to our routine services, but they may be used in exceptional circumstances if required by law.

6. Sharing Your Data with Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third-party service providers who act as processors on our behalf. These processors may only use personal data according to our instructions and must keep it secure. Examples may include:

payment processing providers;
customer administration and scheduling tools;
IT and cloud storage providers;
email or communication service providers;
accounting or bookkeeping providers;
professional advisers such as auditors or legal advisers, where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data to public authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or courts where required by law or where necessary to protect our rights, users, or the public. We do not sell personal data.

7. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal mechanisms designed to protect your personal data.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, including to meet legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason we hold it.

In general:

customer service and booking records are retained for the period needed to manage services and resolve issues;
payment and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to maintain service history and handle complaints;
marketing preference records are retained until you update your preferences or ask us to stop sending marketing communications.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices.

9. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data we process and the risks involved. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a level of security appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we hold.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exceptions, you may have the right to:

access your personal data and receive a copy of it;
rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
erase your data in certain circumstances;
restrict how we use your data in certain circumstances;
object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable;
withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

Please note that some rights may not apply in all cases, for example where we must keep information to comply with legal obligations or to defend legal claims.

11. Marketing Communications

We may send service updates, booking confirmations, or limited marketing messages where legally permitted. You can object to direct marketing at any time. If you opt out, we will stop sending marketing communications to you as soon as reasonably possible. Service-related messages that are necessary to deliver the work you requested are not marketing and may still be sent.

12. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If you interact with us online, we may use cookies or similar technologies to support basic website functionality, analyse usage, and improve user experience. Where required by law, we will obtain consent before placing non-essential cookies. You may control cookies through your browser settings, although some features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

13. Children

Our services are intended for adults arranging cleaning services for their homes or businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a child without appropriate permission, we will take steps to delete it where required.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it becomes effective. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

15. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpetcleaning E14 is committed to processing personal data responsibly, securely, and transparently. We only collect information that is necessary, we use it for clear and lawful purposes, we share it only where needed with trusted processors or legal authorities, and we keep it only for as long as required. We respect your rights and aim to handle all customer data with care and accountability.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Carpetcleaning E14 customers in the area.