Privacy Policy - Old Malden Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Old Malden Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Old Malden Carpet Cleaners customers in area, including prospective customers, existing customers, and anyone who interacts with us in relation to our carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, and related domestic or commercial cleaning services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We aim to keep personal data secure and to respect the privacy rights of every individual whose information we process.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Old Malden Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for the personal data collected and used in the course of providing our services. This means we determine why and how personal data is processed.

This policy applies to all Old Malden Carpet Cleaners customers in area and to data collected through phone enquiries, online forms, email correspondence, in-person bookings, service visits, and other communications connected to our operations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for delivering our services, managing customer relationships, meeting legal obligations, and improving our business operations. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name, title, and any business name you provide.
Contact data such as your address, phone number, and email address.
Service data such as booking details, property access notes, cleaning requirements, and service history.
Payment data such as payment confirmation, billing records, and transaction references. We do not store full card details where secure payment providers are used.
Communication data including messages, complaints, feedback, and records of enquiries.
Technical data such as basic device or browser information if you interact with us electronically.
Special category data only where necessary and only if you voluntarily provide it, for example information about allergies, access needs, or health-related considerations relevant to service delivery. We will process such data only where permitted by law and with appropriate safeguards.

We do not intentionally collect unnecessary personal information. If you provide data relating to another person, you should ensure that you have permission to do so and that they are aware of this policy.

3. How We Collect Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quote or make a booking;
communicate with us by phone, email, message, or in person;
complete forms or provide details for service delivery;
make a complaint, ask a question, or give feedback;
make payment or request an invoice;
leave a review or otherwise engage with our services.

We may also receive data from third parties where this is necessary for scheduling, payment processing, or customer administration, provided those third parties have the right to share it.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:

Contract – processing is necessary to provide a quote, arrange a booking, carry out cleaning services, manage payments, and fulfil our obligations to you.
Legitimate interests – processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as managing enquiries, maintaining service records, preventing fraud, improving our services, and handling complaints, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Legal obligation – processing is necessary to comply with tax, accounting, consumer, or other legal requirements.
Consent – in limited cases, we may rely on your consent, especially where optional marketing communications or certain special category data are involved. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason for collection without first confirming that we have a lawful basis to do so.

5. How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to schedule and deliver cleaning services;
to communicate about appointments, changes, and service updates;
to process and record payments;
to manage customer accounts and service histories;
to resolve complaints and respond to disputes;
to comply with legal, tax, and accounting requirements;
to maintain security and prevent misuse of our systems;
to analyse performance and improve our business operations.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have considered the impact on your rights and freedoms and have balanced those interests against the need to process the data.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third-party processors who act on our instructions and help us run our business. These processors may include:

payment service providers;
booking and administration software providers;
cloud storage and IT support providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
customer communication tools;
professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers;
delivery, scheduling, or subcontracted service partners where needed to complete a booking.

We only share the minimum information necessary for the relevant purpose. All processors are expected to keep personal data secure, process it only under our instructions, and comply with applicable data protection law. We do not sell personal data.

We may disclose data if required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

7. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, and reporting obligations.

Typical retention periods

Customer service records – retained for a reasonable period after the end of the service relationship to manage queries, complaints, and follow-up issues.
Financial and transaction records – retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Enquiry records – retained for a limited period if no booking is made, unless longer retention is needed for legal or operational reasons.
Marketing consent records – kept while consent remains valid and for a short period afterwards to demonstrate compliance.

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

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff training, and limiting access to those who need the information to perform their duties.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect personal data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a data breach occurs that affects your rights and freedoms, we will respond in line with legal requirements.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to limitations and exemptions. They include:

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – in some cases, you may request that we delete your data.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – where applicable, you may request that we provide certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will respond to valid rights requests in accordance with data protection law and within the required timeframes.

10. Marketing Communications

We may send service-related communications that are necessary for bookings, appointments, or customer support. We will only send marketing messages where we are permitted to do so. If you receive marketing and do not wish to continue, you may object or withdraw consent, as applicable.

11. International Transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections, so that your data remains protected to a standard consistent with UK law.

12. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in a family or household context and provided by an adult customer. If we learn that we have collected data improperly, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or the way we process personal data. The updated policy will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review it periodically.

14. How to Exercise Your Rights

If you wish to exercise any of your rights, or if you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you may make a request through our normal customer communication channels. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will always aim to handle requests fairly, promptly, and in line with applicable legal obligations.

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide a clear explanation of our data practices. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described above, subject always to your rights under data protection law.