Privacy Policy - Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who interact with us in connection with our carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, rug cleaning, stain treatment, and related cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners provides professional cleaning services to homes and businesses in the local area. In the course of offering these services, we may collect and process personal data about customers, property occupiers, booking contacts, payment contacts, and other individuals whose details are needed to complete a service safely and effectively.

We only collect data that is relevant, adequate, and limited to what is necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal data:

• Identity information such as name and title.
• Contact details such as address, telephone number, and email address.
• Service information such as property access notes, cleaning preferences, room details, stain or fabric information, and service history.
• Payment information such as billing details and transaction records. We do not store card data unless this is necessary and securely handled by a payment provider.
• Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, complaints, estimates, and booking confirmations.
• Technical data when you interact with digital systems we use, such as IP address or device-related information, if applicable.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. However, if such information is incidentally provided, for example where it is relevant to access arrangements or a complaint, we will handle it with appropriate safeguards and only where a lawful basis exists.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

• request a quote or make an enquiry;
• book or amend a cleaning appointment;
• pay for services or request an invoice;
• communicate with us by phone, email, or message;
• provide feedback or make a complaint;
• enter into a contract with us for cleaning services.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary, such as landlords, letting agents, property managers, insurers, or payment processors, when they arrange services or communicate information relevant to the job.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide quotations, bookings, and cleaning services;
• to communicate with customers about appointments, access, changes, or aftercare;
• to process payments and issue invoices or receipts;
• to manage customer accounts and maintain service records;
• to respond to enquiries, complaints, or requests;
• to meet legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
• to protect the safety and security of staff, customers, and property;
• to improve our services and maintain internal business records.

We do not sell personal data. We only use data for legitimate business operations and service delivery.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the circumstance, we rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging and delivering carpet cleaning services, confirming appointments, or handling payments.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping 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 managing bookings, preventing fraud, maintaining service records, handling complaints, and improving our business operations.

Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on consent. If we ask for consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

6. Data Retention

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

• Customer and booking records are generally kept for a reasonable period after service completion to manage follow-up, disputes, and business records.
• Payment and invoice records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
• Correspondence and complaint records may be retained to evidence communications and resolve issues.
• Data held on the basis of consent will be kept only until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner.

7. Processors and Data Sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These processors are only permitted to process data according to our instructions and must protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors may include:

• IT and software providers used for scheduling, email, secure storage, or business administration;
• payment service providers that securely handle transactions;
• accountants or bookkeeping services assisting with financial records and compliance;
• customer communication tools used for sending confirmations or service updates.

We may also disclose personal data where necessary to law enforcement, regulators, courts, insurers, or other third parties when required by law or for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.

Any third party receiving personal data is required to safeguard it and use it only for the agreed purpose.

8. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses personal data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in line with applicable data protection laws. This may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections.

9. Security of Personal Data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and restricted use of information. While no system is completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risks involved.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These may include:

• The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten;
• The right to restrict processing in certain situations;
• The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• The right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
• The right to withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis;
• The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been mishandled.

Some rights are subject to conditions and exceptions. If you make a request, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults or for customers acting on behalf of a household or property. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in connection with a service arrangement. If we become aware that we have collected such data without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it securely.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners is committed to respecting privacy, using personal data responsibly, and protecting the information entrusted to us. We process data only when there is a valid lawful basis, we keep it only for as long as needed, and we work with processors who are expected to maintain appropriate safeguards. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to handle every customer’s information with care, transparency, and accountability.

This policy applies to all Coney Hall Carpet Cleaners customers in area.