Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners N2

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaners N2 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with its services. It applies to all Carpet Cleaners N2 customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who interacts with us in relation to carpet cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Carpet Cleaners N2 provides professional carpet cleaning services to residential and commercial customers. In the context of this Privacy Policy, we act as the data controller for personal data we collect and process for our own business purposes. This means we determine why and how personal data is used.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

• Identity information such as name and title.
• Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
• Service information such as booking details, cleaning preferences, property access notes, and job history.
• Payment and billing information where required to process transactions and maintain records.
• Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
• Technical data such as basic website or device information if you contact us electronically.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data unless it is strictly necessary and you have chosen to provide it, or where the law allows us to do so. If such data is received accidentally, we handle it with additional care and limit its use.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• To arrange, deliver, and manage cleaning services.
• To confirm bookings, provide updates, and respond to queries.
• To issue invoices, process payments, and keep accounting records.
• To improve our services, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
• To handle complaints, disputes, or service-related concerns.
• To comply with legal, tax, insurance, or regulatory requirements.
• To maintain accurate internal records and business administration.

We only use personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must identify a lawful basis before processing your personal data. Depending on the context, Carpet Cleaners N2 may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

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

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data when required to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, fraud prevention, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, quality control, business improvement, and limited internal record management. When relying on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary and proportionate.

Consent

In some cases, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communication or particular uses of data that are not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and only with trusted third parties who support our operations. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our instructions. They are required to keep personal data secure and use it only for the agreed purposes.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

• Payment processors for handling card or online payments.
• Accounting or bookkeeping providers for financial administration.
• IT and cloud service providers for data storage and business systems.
• Communication providers for email, messaging, or appointment management.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or a public authority. If business ownership changes, customer data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to legal safeguards.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

• Customer and service records are typically retained for as long as needed to manage the customer relationship and address any follow-up issues.
• Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
• Complaint or dispute records may be retained longer where necessary to defend legal claims or resolve issues.
• Consent-based data is kept only until consent is withdrawn or no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access to data on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risks and respond appropriately if a data incident occurs.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these 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 may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
• Right to data portability – you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and property-related customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing or service purposes. If we become aware that we have collected a child’s data without appropriate authority or legal basis, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

10. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores data outside the UK, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place to protect it. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections or other lawful transfer mechanisms permitted under data protection law.

11. 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 processing practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpet Cleaners N2 respects your privacy and handles personal data responsibly. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. Your rights matter to us, and we are committed to supporting you if you wish to access, correct, delete, or otherwise manage your personal data.

By using Carpet Cleaners N2 services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.