Privacy Policy - Stanmore Carpet Cleaners

Stanmore Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers, prospective customers, and website users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in connection with our carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, rug cleaning, stain treatment, and related services. It applies to all Stanmore Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, letting agents, and commercial clients who engage our services within our operating area.

This policy has been written to reflect the principles of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We aim to process personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently, and only for clear and legitimate purposes.

1. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name or business name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details including property access information, cleaning instructions, preferred appointment times, and service history.
Billing and payment information such as invoice details, payment status, and transaction records.
Communication records including emails, telephone notes, message content, and any feedback or complaints.
Technical data if you interact with our digital services, such as basic device or browser information, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it to us. If you tell us about a health condition, access need, allergy, or similar information so that we can safely perform a service, we will only use that information where necessary and appropriate.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide cleaning services and manage appointments.
To communicate with you about bookings, estimates, changes, cancellations, or follow-up matters.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To keep internal service records and improve customer experience.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, or requests.
To meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will never use your personal data in a way that is incompatible with the purposes set out in this policy unless we have a valid legal basis and provide appropriate notice where required.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal data. Stanmore Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, carrying out cleaning services, handling payments, and managing customer service communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain data to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, insurance, and consumer law 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. Examples include managing our client base, improving services, preventing fraud, and maintaining business records.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example if you ask us to store optional details that are not required for the service. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, such as where urgent action is needed for safety reasons.

4. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it only when necessary and only with trusted parties acting on our behalf or where required by law. These may include:

Payment processors who help us accept and reconcile payments.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with invoices, tax records, and financial administration.
IT, software, and data storage providers who support scheduling, communications, records management, or secure file storage.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers, where necessary.
Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

Any third party that processes personal data on our behalf acts as a processor and is only permitted to use the data under our instructions and for agreed purposes. We take steps to ensure that processors provide appropriate safeguards for confidentiality, security, and lawful processing.

5. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms required under data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and why it is held. In general:

Customer service and booking records are kept for as long as needed to manage the relationship and deal with any follow-up queries.
Invoice, payment, and accounting records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Correspondence and complaint records may be retained for a reasonable period to help resolve disputes and maintain service quality.
Optional consent-based information is kept only until consent is withdrawn or the information is no longer needed.

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

7. Security of Personal Data

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, staff confidentiality obligations, and careful selection of processors. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection that is appropriate to the risks involved.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different situations, subject to legal limits and exemptions:

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 information.
Right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can ask for certain data to be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable data protection law. We may need to verify your identity before actioning your request.

9. Marketing Communications

We may send limited service-related communications, such as booking confirmations or follow-up information. We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If you object to marketing, or if you withdraw your consent where consent is the basis, we will stop sending such communications.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household booking and supplied by an adult responsible for the service. If we become aware that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our business operations. Any updated 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 we protect personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Stanmore Carpet Cleaners is committed to handling personal data responsibly, securely, and lawfully. We only collect the information needed to deliver our services, we rely on valid lawful bases for processing, we limit access to trusted processors, and we retain data only for as long as necessary. Above all, we respect your rights and aim to manage your information in a transparent and trustworthy way.