Privacy Policy - Ilford Carpet Cleaning

This Privacy Policy explains how Ilford Carpet Cleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services to customers in Ilford and the surrounding area. It applies to all Ilford Carpet Cleaning customers in the area, including enquiries, bookings, completed services, follow-up communications, and any related interactions.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy sets out what information we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, which processors may handle it on our behalf, and what rights you have in relation to your personal data.

1. Personal data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity and contact details such as your name, address, telephone number, and email address.
Service details such as the type of cleaning requested, property access notes, room or item information, and service preferences.
Booking and appointment records including date, time, quotes, confirmations, cancellations, and attendance history.
Payment information such as transaction records, billing details, and payment status. We do not intentionally store full card details unless required by a payment provider.
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and messages exchanged by phone, email, or other communication methods.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic website interaction data, if you access an online booking or enquiry form.

We do not collect more information than is needed for our legitimate business purposes. We also avoid collecting special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or unless another legal condition applies.

2. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To schedule, deliver, and manage carpet cleaning services.
To maintain service records and customer history.
To take payment and manage invoices or refunds where applicable.
To communicate service updates, changes, or follow-up information.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests.
To improve the quality, efficiency, and reliability of our services.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance requirements.

We use your data only for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was collected. If we need to use your data for a new purpose that is unrelated, we will only do so where we have a lawful basis to do so and, where necessary, we will inform you.

3. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the type of processing, Ilford Carpet Cleaning may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing a quotation, confirming a booking, carrying out the cleaning service, and managing payment and service records.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include managing appointments, preventing fraud, keeping accurate records, improving service quality, and responding to customer enquiries.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain certain information where necessary to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, tax, and record-keeping obligations, or to respond to lawful requests from public authorities.

Consent

In limited situations, we may ask for your consent, for example where we send optional marketing communications or process certain additional information not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Important note: if we rely on legitimate interests, we assess those interests carefully and take steps to ensure that processing is proportionate, necessary, and respectful of your privacy.

4. Retention of personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for holding it.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for a reasonable period to support service history, dispute resolution, and business administration.
Payment and invoice records are retained in line with accounting and tax obligations.
Communication records may be retained for customer service, complaint handling, and evidence of instructions or agreements.
Marketing preferences are retained until you opt out or withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. We review retained information periodically to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary.

5. Processors and data sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third-party service providers who act as processors on our behalf. These processors only handle data according to our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately. They may include:

Payment processors that handle card or online payment transactions.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing, tax, and financial record management.
Scheduling or administration tools that support bookings, diary management, and customer communication.
IT and data storage providers that host secure systems, email, or cloud-based records.

We may also share personal data where necessary with:

Legal or regulatory authorities when required by law.
Insurance providers in connection with claims or incidents.
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where appropriate.

We do not sell your personal data. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it.

6. Data security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, and staff awareness practices. Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce privacy risks and to keep information safe.

7. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limitations, but we will always respond fairly and promptly. Your rights include:

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

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly.

8. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adult customers, property owners, tenants, landlords, and authorised representatives. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and is provided by an adult with authority to do so.

9. 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 updates will take effect when published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

10. Summary of our approach

At Ilford Carpet Cleaning, we aim to keep privacy simple, transparent, and responsible. We collect only the information needed to deliver reliable carpet cleaning services, we use it for clear and lawful purposes, and we retain it only for as long as necessary. We also work with trusted processors and respect your rights to access, correct, delete, or object to certain uses of your data.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or providing your details, you acknowledge that your personal data will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.