Privacy Policy - Harringay Carpetcleaning

This Privacy Policy explains how Harringay Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our carpet cleaning services. It applies to all Harringay Carpetcleaning customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who has previously used or enquired about our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Personal data we collect

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

Identity information: name, title, and any details you provide when making an enquiry or booking.
Contact information: address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information: details about the cleaning service requested, property access notes, preferred appointment times, and relevant instructions.
Payment information: billing records and transaction details. Where payments are processed through third-party payment providers, we do not store full card details unless necessary for processing or record keeping.
Communication records: messages, calls, complaints, feedback, and correspondence relating to our services.
Technical information: limited device or usage data if you interact with us electronically, such as basic log data needed to maintain security and functionality.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is strictly relevant to delivering a service, for example where access needs or health-related information must be considered for safety reasons. If such information is provided, we will treat it with extra care and only use it where there is a lawful basis to do so.

2. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To book, deliver, and manage carpet cleaning services.
To communicate about appointments, service updates, and changes.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To handle complaints, resolve disputes, and improve our services.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To maintain the safety, security, and integrity of our systems and operations.

We will only use your personal data for purposes that are compatible with the reasons it was collected. Where we need to use data for a new purpose, we will ensure there is a lawful basis and, where required, provide appropriate notice.

3. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only where permitted under the UK GDPR. The lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, carrying out cleaning services, communicating about the service, and managing payment-related administration.

Legal obligation

We process certain information to meet legal requirements, such as record keeping, tax compliance, accounting, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include managing our business efficiently, improving customer service, preventing fraud, maintaining internal records, and ensuring security. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we assess the impact on your rights and freedoms.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information or agree to specific types of communication. If consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and under our instructions. Examples may include:

Payment service providers used to process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers used for financial administration and compliance.
IT and cloud storage providers used to store data, maintain systems, and support security.
Communication service providers used for sending messages or managing customer communications.
Professional advisers such as legal or tax advisers where necessary.

We require our processors to handle personal data securely, keep it confidential, and process it only for the purposes we specify. We do not sell personal data. We will not share your information with unrelated third parties unless required by law, necessary to protect our rights, or needed to provide the requested service.

5. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it is held.

Customer and service records: retained for the period needed to manage the business relationship and service history.
Financial records: retained for the duration required by tax and accounting laws.
Correspondence and complaints: retained for a reasonable period to handle disputes, demonstrate service quality, or comply with legal obligations.
Security and technical logs: retained for a limited time unless longer retention is needed for investigation or legal reasons.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it. We do not keep data longer than necessary.

6. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, data minimisation, and staff awareness procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard the information entrusted to us.

7. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis used for processing.

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 may ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To help protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. We aim to respond within the legal timeframes set by GDPR. If a request is complex or numerous, we may take longer where permitted by law.

8. International transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. This may include using jurisdictions with adequate protection or relying on approved contractual safeguards where required.

9. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service request made by an adult customer and processed lawfully. If we become aware that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it.

10. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review it periodically to stay informed about how their personal data is handled.

11. Contact and complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is used, you may raise them through our normal business channels. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns promptly and fairly.

Summary: Harringay Carpetcleaning processes customer data lawfully, securely, and only as needed. This policy explains collection, lawful bases, retention, processors, and user rights for all customers in the area.