Privacy Policy - Fulham Carpet Cleaning

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Fulham Carpet Cleaning customers in the Fulham area and explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected.

We respect your privacy and are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. This policy is designed to meet the requirements of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It explains what data we collect, why we use it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your information.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing carpet cleaning services, managing bookings, and meeting our legal obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following:

Identity information such as your name.
Contact details such as phone number and email address.
Address and service location for arranging and delivering services.
Booking details including dates, times, service preferences, and property access notes.
Payment information such as billing records and transaction references.
Communication records including emails, messages, and notes from calls.
Service history such as past appointments, quotes, and cleaning requirements.
Technical data if you contact us electronically, such as device or browser information used for security and record-keeping.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided by you and is necessary for a specific service-related reason. If you share any sensitive information, we will handle it carefully and only where permitted by law.

2. How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used for clear and limited purposes connected with our services. These include:

responding to enquiries and preparing quotes;
arranging appointments and carrying out carpet cleaning services;
managing billing, invoicing, and payment tracking;
keeping records of work completed and customer preferences;
handling complaints, follow-up queries, and service issues;
maintaining internal administration and business records;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
protecting our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. We do not sell your personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Depending on the situation, Fulham Carpet Cleaning relies on the following bases:

a) Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes providing quotes, arranging bookings, delivering cleaning services, and handling payments.

b) Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records because the law requires it, including tax records, accounting records, and information needed for compliance with business regulations.

c) Legitimate Interests

We may use your data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This may include record-keeping, service improvement, fraud prevention, operational management, and responding to customer requests.

d) Consent

In some situations, we may rely on your consent, particularly where you choose to provide optional information or agree to specific forms of communication. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers. Any sharing is limited to what is necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment providers who process card or electronic payments securely.
Booking or administration software providers used to schedule appointments or store records.
Email and communication service providers that support customer correspondence.
IT and cloud storage providers used for secure data storage and system maintenance.
Accountants and bookkeeping providers supporting legal and financial compliance.

We may also disclose information where required by law, such as to regulatory authorities, law enforcement, courts, or insurers. If business ownership or operations change, customer data may be transferred as part of that process, subject to the same privacy protections.

All processors are expected to handle personal data only on our instructions, apply appropriate security measures, and use it solely for the agreed purpose.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and why it is held.

In general:

Customer enquiries and quotes may be kept for a reasonable period to allow follow-up and service planning.
Booking and service records may be retained for operational reference and dispute resolution.
Financial and accounting information is retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Complaint or claim records may be kept longer where necessary to defend legal claims or manage insurance matters.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised. We do not keep personal information indefinitely.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and safe disposal of records.

No method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, but we work to ensure that personal data is handled in a responsible and secure way.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have rights over your personal data, and we will support those rights in accordance with applicable law. These include:

Right of access – you can ask for 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 – in certain circumstances, you can request deletion of your data.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to data portability – where applicable, you can request your data in a usable format.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you make a rights request, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to deal with valid requests within the legal time frame.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If digital tools or websites are used to support our services, they may use cookies or similar technologies for functionality, security, and basic analytics. Where consent is required, it will be requested before non-essential cookies are used. Details may vary depending on the system involved.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and property holders, and we do not knowingly collect data from children except where it is incidental and necessary for a service arrangement made by an adult customer. If we become aware that data has been collected unlawfully from a child, we will take appropriate steps to remove it.

10. International Transfers

Where any service provider stores or processes data outside the UK, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place, such as approved contractual protections or other lawful transfer mechanisms. These safeguards are intended to keep your data protected to UK GDPR standards.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Fulham Carpet Cleaning is committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what is needed to provide carpet cleaning services in Fulham, use it for clear purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and protect your rights at every stage. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to keep your information secure, relevant, and under control.