Privacy Policy - Twickenham Carpetcleaning

This Privacy Policy explains how Twickenham Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Twickenham Carpetcleaning customers in the area, including current, former, and prospective customers, as well as anyone who enquires about our services or interacts with us in connection with a booking, quotation, or service visit.

We are committed to handling personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we only keep it for as long as necessary.

1. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to all customers in the Twickenham area who use or request carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, stain treatment, rug cleaning, or related services. It also applies to people who provide personal data to us on behalf of a customer, such as household members, tenants, landlords, letting agents, property managers, or business representatives.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or providing information to us, you acknowledge that your personal data will be handled in accordance with this policy.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service information such as requested dates, type of cleaning required, property access details, and service preferences.
Payment information such as transaction records, invoice details, and payment confirmation. We do not retain full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, and complaint or feedback correspondence.
Property and job details such as carpet type, room layout, visible stains, and relevant service conditions needed to complete the work.
Technical data limited to basic logs or device information if you interact with us electronically.

We normally do not seek special category data. However, in limited circumstances, such data may be disclosed to us incidentally in communications. Where this occurs, we will only process it where a lawful basis applies and where it is necessary and proportionate to do so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and respond to enquiries.
To manage bookings, appointments, and service delivery.
To record instructions, preferences, and service notes.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To communicate with customers about scheduling, access, service changes, or follow-up matters.
To handle complaints, disputes, refunds, and quality concerns.
To maintain internal records, improve our services, and support business operations.
To comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance obligations.

We will only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably need to use it for another compatible purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for every use of personal data. Twickenham Carpetcleaning relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing a quotation, arranging a service visit, carrying out cleaning work, and managing payment or follow-up arrangements.

Legal Obligation

We process personal data where needed to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, 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 maintaining business records, improving service quality, managing customer communications, and resolving disputes. We always consider whether our legitimate interests are appropriate before using this basis.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is the most suitable basis for a specific optional activity. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing already carried out.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us operate our business. These recipients act as processors or independent controllers depending on the circumstances. We only share the minimum data necessary and require appropriate safeguards where processing is undertaken on our behalf.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

Payment service providers who handle secure payment processing.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with invoicing, financial records, and tax compliance.
IT and cloud storage providers who support secure data storage, email, scheduling, and record management.
Customer communication tools used for appointment confirmations or service updates.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors where needed.
Public authorities where we are required to provide information by law.

We do not sell your personal data. If we transfer data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. Retention periods depend on the type of data, the reason for processing, and any legal requirements that apply.

Quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up communication and business administration.
Service and booking records may be retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a further period where needed for warranty, dispute handling, or service history.
Invoice, tax, and accounting records are typically kept for the period required by law.
Complaint and correspondence records may be retained for as long as necessary to resolve issues and defend legal claims.

When data is no longer required, it will be 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 against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, password protection, and secure disposal practices.

While we work to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore encourage customers to share only the information necessary for service provision.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions.

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 data.
Right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your data where there is no good reason for us to keep it.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been mishandled.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are aimed at adult customers and property-related service arrangements. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is unavoidably provided in the course of dealing with a household or property matter and is necessary for service provision.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated.

By using Twickenham Carpetcleaning services in the area, you agree that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We aim to process all information responsibly, securely, and in a way that respects your privacy rights.