Privacy Policy - Wallington Carpet Cleaners

Wallington Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in our area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Wallington Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective, current, and former customers.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Wallington Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing personal information collected in connection with our services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide our services effectively, manage customer relationships, and meet legal obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Identity information such as your name and title;
Contact details such as address, telephone number, and email address;
Service information such as property details, appointment preferences, cleaning requirements, and service history;
Payment-related information such as billing records and transaction details;
Communication records including messages, inquiries, complaints, estimates, and feedback;
Technical information if you contact us electronically, such as limited device or browser details, where relevant to security and service improvement.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is shared with us accidentally, it will be handled with appropriate care and deleted where possible and lawful.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal information for the following purposes:

To provide quotes, arrange appointments, and deliver carpet cleaning services;
To communicate with customers about bookings, service changes, and payment matters;
To manage records, invoices, and service history;
To improve our services and understand customer needs;
To resolve disputes, complaints, or requests;
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use data in ways that are compatible with the original reason it was collected, unless a new lawful basis applies.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Wallington Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This applies when we prepare quotes, confirm bookings, provide services, and manage payments.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, including record-keeping, tax obligations, and accounting duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This includes improving our services, keeping secure records, managing customer communications, and preventing fraud. We assess these interests carefully to ensure they are proportionate and fair.

Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, for example where it is required for optional marketing or specific processing not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell personal data. We may share information only where necessary and lawful, including with trusted service providers and professional advisers who help us run our business.

These recipients may include:

Payment processors who handle transactions securely;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration;
IT and system support providers who maintain secure data storage and communications;
Insurance, legal, or professional advisers where advice or compliance support is required;
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or to protect legal rights.

All third parties are expected to process personal data in accordance with data protection law and only on our instructions where they act as processors.

6. Processors

Some third parties process personal data on our behalf as data processors. This means they may handle data only for specified purposes and must follow our instructions and appropriate security measures. Examples of processors may include:

Customer management or booking systems;
Secure cloud storage providers;
Email or messaging platforms used for business communications;
Invoice or payment service providers;
Website or IT maintenance providers, if applicable.

We take reasonable steps to ensure processors are contractually bound to protect your data, keep it confidential, and delete or return it when processing ends.

7. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Typical retention practices include:

Customer and service records retained for the duration of the customer relationship and a reasonable period afterwards;
Invoices and payment records retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws;
Correspondence and complaints retained as long as needed to manage the matter and any follow-up;
Marketing preferences retained until you change your preference or withdraw consent, where applicable.

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

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited access to personal data, and staff awareness of confidentiality obligations.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take data protection seriously and review our safeguards regularly.

9. Your Rights

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

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information;
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances;
Restriction of processing in certain situations;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable;
Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.

Some rights are subject to conditions and exemptions under the law. For example, we may need to retain certain records to meet legal obligations or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

10. Marketing Preferences

If we send marketing communications, we will do so only where permitted by law. You may opt out at any time. If you object to marketing, we will stop using your data for that purpose without delay.

11. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that your information remains protected to a standard consistent with UK data protection law.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updates will apply from the date they are published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

13. How to Raise Concerns

If you have concerns about how your personal data is handled, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority. We also encourage customers to raise concerns directly so that we can address them promptly and fairly.

By using the services of Wallington Carpet Cleaners, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.