Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaning Kennington

Carpet Cleaning Kennington is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of every customer we serve in the Kennington area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you request our carpet cleaning services, communicate with us, or interact with us in any way related to our business. It applies to all Carpet Cleaning Kennington customers in the area, including residential and commercial clients.

This policy is written in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It explains the lawful basis we rely on for processing your information, how long we keep it, the third parties who may process it on our behalf, and the rights you have over your data.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, complying with legal obligations, and improving our operations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking information including appointment dates, requested services, and service preferences.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records.
Property and service information such as carpet type, room size, stain concerns, or access notes.
Communication records including messages, emails, complaints, feedback, and service confirmations.
Technical data if you visit our digital channels, such as IP address, browser type, and device information, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily or we are legally permitted to process it. If such data is ever required, we will handle it with additional care and appropriate safeguards.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning quotations and service estimates.
To schedule, deliver, and manage cleaning appointments.
To process payments, refunds, and invoices.
To communicate with you about bookings, service changes, or follow-up matters.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer support requests.
To maintain internal records and service history.
To improve service quality, train staff, and review customer satisfaction.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory duties.
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We use your information only for legitimate business purposes and only where such use is necessary and proportionate. We do not sell your personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Depending on the situation, Carpet Cleaning Kennington may rely on the following grounds:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. For example, we need your name, address, and contact details to deliver cleaning services and complete your booking.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with legal requirements, including tax law, accounting rules, and dispute resolution obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include managing customer enquiries, improving our services, preventing fraud, and maintaining business records.

Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, for example if you agree to receive optional marketing communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These grounds are unlikely to be relevant to our routine services, but may apply in exceptional situations if necessary to protect someone’s safety or to comply with public obligations.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, but only where necessary and lawful. These parties help us provide and support our services. Examples include:

Payment processors who handle card or electronic payments securely.
IT and cloud service providers who store or maintain booking, communication, or record-keeping systems.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with invoicing, taxes, and financial administration.
Customer management or scheduling software providers who support appointment coordination and service tracking.
Professional advisers such as legal, insurance, or compliance advisers where required.
Public authorities if disclosure is required by law, court order, or regulatory request.

Where a third party processes data on our behalf, we require them to protect it through appropriate technical and organisational measures. They may only use the data for the agreed purpose and must not use it for their own unrelated activities.

We may also share information in connection with a business transfer, merger, reorganisation, or sale, where permitted by law and subject to confidentiality protections.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason we hold it.

Booking and service records are typically kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up queries, service history, and customer support.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Communication records are retained as long as needed to resolve matters and maintain accurate business records.
Consent-based marketing data is kept until you withdraw consent or it is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in accordance with our retention practices. This ensures that personal information is not retained indefinitely without purpose.

6. Security of Your Information

We take the security of personal data seriously and use appropriate safeguards to protect it from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of data handling practices.

While no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a high standard of protection. If a personal data breach occurs and we are legally required to notify you or a supervisory authority, we will do so without undue delay.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limitations, these 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 - you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction - 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 - you can request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits required by law and will explain if any exceptions apply.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we operate an online presence that uses cookies or similar technologies, these tools may be used to support basic functionality, analyse usage, or improve user experience. Where consent is needed, it will be obtained in advance. You may also control cookies through your browser settings.

This policy does not rely on unnecessary tracking or intrusive profiling. Any analytics or functionality tools are used only where they are lawful and proportionate to our business needs.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age required for lawful consent without appropriate authorisation. If we become aware that such data has been collected unintentionally, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

11. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or are concerned about how your personal data has been handled, you may contact us through our usual customer service channels. You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or another relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

Carpet Cleaning Kennington will always aim to handle personal information fairly, transparently, and securely. We believe good privacy practices are part of delivering a trustworthy service, and we are committed to treating customer information with care, respect, and accountability.