Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaners Westminster

Carpet Cleaners Westminster is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers, website visitors, and anyone who contacts us for cleaning services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all Carpet Cleaners Westminster customers in the Westminster area, including individuals, landlords, tenants, property managers, and business clients who use our services within our local service area.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our cleaning services, manage customer relationships, meet legal obligations, and improve our operations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the type of cleaning requested, property access information, preferred appointment times, and service notes.
Payment-related information such as billing records, invoices, and transaction details. We do not intentionally store full card details unless required by secure payment processors.
Communication records including messages, complaints, feedback, and service confirmations.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, browser type, and basic usage data.

We do not knowingly collect special category data unless you choose to disclose it voluntarily and it is necessary for a service-related reason. Where such information is provided, it is handled with extra care and only used where permitted by law.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To arrange and deliver carpet cleaning and related services.
To confirm bookings, manage appointments, and provide service updates.
To prepare quotations, issue invoices, and process payments.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer service requests.
To keep internal records and maintain service quality.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To protect our business, customers, and staff from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We only use personal data in ways that are fair, lawful, and transparent. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for every use of personal data. Depending on the situation, we 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 services, sending confirmations, and handling payment or invoice administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal requirements, such as accounting, record-keeping, tax compliance, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This may include improving our services, managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, and maintaining security. We always balance our interests against your privacy rights.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you agree to receive certain marketing communications or where you voluntarily provide optional information that is not required to provide the service. You can withdraw consent at any time.

4. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer and service records are generally retained for a reasonable period after the last service date to allow us to handle follow-up queries, complaints, or rebookings.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained for as long as needed to manage customer service, resolve disputes, or demonstrate compliance.
Marketing records are kept until you withdraw consent or object to receiving them.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised. We review retention regularly to ensure we do not keep personal data longer than necessary.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us run our business and provide services. These parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We only share information where it is necessary and proportionate.

Types of processors we may use

Payment processors to handle secure financial transactions.
Booking and scheduling providers to manage appointments and service records.
IT and cloud storage providers to host systems, store data securely, and support operational tools.
Accounting and invoicing providers to manage financial administration.
Customer communication tools to send service-related updates or respond to enquiries.

All processors are required to protect data, use it only on our instructions, and follow data protection law. We do not allow processors to use personal data for their own unrelated purposes.

We may also disclose information where required by law, by a court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our business, customers, or staff.

6. International Transfers

Where any service provider stores or processes data outside the UK, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include approved contractual protections and measures designed to keep your data secure and compliant with applicable law.

7. Data Security

We use reasonable 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 regular review of our handling practices.

No system can be guaranteed completely secure, but we take data protection seriously and continually assess ways to improve our safeguards. Confidentiality and integrity are central to how we manage all customer information.

8. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limits or exceptions, but we will always consider and respond to your request appropriately.

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 data.
Right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – you can ask for 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 we rely 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 aim to handle requests promptly and within the timeframes required by law.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If you interact with our online services, we may use cookies or similar technologies for essential functionality, security, and basic analytics. Any non-essential use of such technologies will be handled in accordance with applicable consent rules. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though some features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in the context of a property booking or where a parent or guardian provides information on their behalf. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate permission, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or the way we handle personal data. 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.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Carpet Cleaners Westminster processes personal data carefully, lawfully, and only when needed to deliver services in the Westminster area. We use appropriate safeguards, retain data for limited periods, and respect your rights under data protection law. This policy applies to all customers in our service area and is designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and responsible handling of personal information.

Important: by using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.