Privacy Policy - Upper Clapton Carpet Cleaners

Upper Clapton Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the area we serve. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information, and sets out the rights individuals have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to all Upper Clapton Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including current, former, and prospective customers, as well as anyone who contacts us to request information, a quotation, or a service.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet our legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and, where relevant, the name of a business or property manager.
Contact data such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as details about the carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, stain treatment, or related services requested.
Payment data such as payment confirmation, billing details, and transaction records.
Communication data such as messages, feedback, complaints, and correspondence.
Technical and usage data where relevant, such as basic records of how our forms or digital systems are used.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it yourself in a relevant context. If such information is ever shared with us, we will handle it in accordance with applicable law and with appropriate safeguards.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for lawful business purposes, including:

providing quotations and responding to enquiries;
scheduling and delivering cleaning services;
processing payments and managing accounts;
maintaining service records and customer preferences;
handling complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
improving our services, operations, and customer experience;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
preventing fraud, misuse, and unlawful activity;
communicating important updates about your booking or service.

We will only use personal information for the purpose it was collected for, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and that this is permitted by law. Where required, we will provide additional notice or seek consent.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data when we have a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the activity, the lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

We process your information when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, delivering services, taking payment, and managing customer accounts.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This can include managing our business efficiently, improving service quality, keeping records, and responding to customer enquiries. When relying on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on privacy and apply safeguards where needed.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping duties.

Consent

Where we rely on your consent, we will make it clear what you are consenting to. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect any processing already carried out lawfully before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example if there is an emergency involving health or safety.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, but only when necessary and under appropriate safeguards. Processors are service providers that process data on our behalf and are required to keep it secure and use it only for the instructed purpose.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

payment processing providers;
booking and scheduling systems;
IT hosting, storage, and backup providers;
customer communication tools;
accounting and invoicing services;
professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, and accountants.

We may also disclose data where necessary to comply with a legal obligation, to enforce our terms, to protect our rights, or to prevent fraud or criminal activity. If any service provider is located outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate transfer safeguards are in place.

5. Data Retention

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

Customer and service records are normally retained for a reasonable period after the service has been completed in order to handle follow-up queries, disputes, or warranties.
Financial and transaction records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Communication records may be retained for as long as needed to manage ongoing customer relationships or resolve issues.
Security and operational logs are retained only as long as necessary for system administration and fraud prevention.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable 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 awareness, and limiting access to information on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take data protection seriously and regularly review our practices.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain exceptions, these rights include:

Right of access – you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability – you can ask for certain data to 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 can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected such data without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it as soon as reasonably possible.

9. 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 updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Upper Clapton Carpet Cleaners will process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it for no longer than necessary, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. Our approach is designed to respect privacy while allowing us to deliver reliable services to customers throughout the area.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Upper Clapton Carpet Cleaners customers in the area.