Privacy Policy - Charlton Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Charlton Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Charlton Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us to request a quotation, booking, or support. We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for delivering our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, the name of a business or property manager.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as details of the cleaning service requested, property access information, appointment notes, and special instructions.
Payment information such as payment status, transaction reference, and billing records. We do not intentionally store full card details where a secure third-party payment provider is used.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and service-related correspondence.
Technical information where relevant, such as basic website or device information used to improve service performance and security.

We generally do not collect special category data. If you voluntarily provide information about allergies, health conditions, mobility issues, or other sensitive matters so that we can safely perform a service, we will only use that information where necessary and appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, schedule appointments, and deliver cleaning services.
To communicate with customers about bookings, changes, service updates, and aftercare.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain accurate accounting records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer service requests.
To maintain service quality, prevent fraud, and protect our business and customers.
To meet legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.
To improve our services, operational efficiency, and customer experience.

We only use data for the purposes described in this policy or for closely related legitimate business purposes. We will not sell your personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Charlton Carpet Cleaners 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 handling booking details, service delivery, payment processing, and customer support connected to the service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, taxation, record-keeping, insurance, and consumer protection obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is in our legitimate interests to operate and improve our business, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include managing client records, preventing misuse, handling service disputes, and improving internal administration. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we carry out a balancing assessment to ensure your privacy is protected.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you choose to provide optional sensitive information or agree to certain marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time, where consent is the basis for processing.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our services. These organisations act as processors or independent controllers depending on their role. We require appropriate contracts and safeguards to protect your data.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment service providers that process card or online payments securely.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records and tax compliance.
Software and IT service providers that host customer records, email systems, or scheduling tools.
Cloud storage and data backup providers used for secure record management.
Administrative support providers who help manage bookings, documents, or communications.

We may also disclose data where required by law, such as to tax authorities, regulators, law enforcement, courts, or insurers. Where possible, we limit the information shared to what is necessary for the relevant purpose.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely and only in accordance with our instructions, unless they are separately responsible under law.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Customer and booking records may be retained for the duration of the service relationship and a reasonable period afterwards for administration and disputes.
Financial and tax records are typically retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be kept for as long as needed to manage queries, complaints, or follow-up service issues.
Consent-based records are kept until consent is withdrawn or the purpose ends.

When information is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer be linked to an individual.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, password protection, and regular review of data handling procedures. While no system is completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risks and maintain the confidentiality of your information.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have important rights under data protection law. Subject to certain exceptions and conditions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances, sometimes known as the right to be forgotten.
Restriction of processing in specific situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how we handle your personal data. If you believe your rights have not been respected, you may contact the relevant data protection supervisory authority. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve the issue promptly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household service request and provided by an adult customer or legal guardian. If we become aware that we have collected data improperly, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised protections. These safeguards are intended to keep your data protected to a standard consistent with UK data protection law.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or how we process personal data. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we use your data.

11. Summary of Key Principles

Charlton Carpet Cleaners processes personal data only when necessary, only for clear and lawful purposes, and only for as long as needed. We aim to be fair, transparent, and accountable in every stage of data handling. Customers in the area can expect that their information will be used responsibly, protected carefully, and shared only where required to deliver the service or comply with the law.

By using our services or providing us with your information, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy explains how your personal data may be handled. We remain committed to respecting your privacy and maintaining trust in the way we work.