Privacy Policy - Balham Carpet Cleaners

Balham Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Balham area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Balham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about our services, request a quotation, book a cleaning appointment, receive a service, or otherwise interact with us.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Balham Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller in relation to the personal information we collect and use in the course of providing carpet cleaning and related services. This means we determine how and why your personal data is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to handle all personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and, where applicable, the name of your business or property manager.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Service information such as booking dates, requested services, preferred appointment times, and notes about cleaning requirements.
Payment-related information such as billing details and transaction records, although we do not intentionally store full card details unless necessary and permitted through secure payment systems.
Communication records such as emails, messages, complaint details, and feedback.
Technical information where relevant, such as limited device or usage information if you interact with our digital systems, for example through forms or booking tools.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary or excessive personal data. We also do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided voluntarily and strictly required for a specific service request, such as access needs or health-related concerns affecting site access.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To arrange and deliver carpet cleaning services.
To manage appointments, customer records, and service history.
To process payments and maintain accounting records.
To communicate with you about bookings, service changes, or follow-up matters.
To deal with complaints, disputes, and service quality concerns.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To improve our services, processes, and customer experience.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the purposes for which it was collected. If we need to use your data for a new and unrelated purpose, we will ensure that we have a valid lawful basis before doing so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a valid legal reason, or lawful basis, for processing personal data. Balham Carpet Cleaners may rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling bookings, delivering carpet cleaning services, sending service-related updates, and managing payment arrangements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining records, improving customer service, preventing fraud, and managing service quality. We carefully assess these activities to ensure they are proportionate.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information where required to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, taxation, health and safety, or insurance requirements.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example if you agree to receive specific marketing communications or provide optional information not required for the service. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who support our operations. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of their role. We only share data when necessary and only with parties that provide appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors or third-party service providers may include:

Payment processors that handle secure transactions.
Scheduling or booking systems used to organise appointments.
Email or communication providers that help us send messages.
Accounting or bookkeeping services supporting financial records.
IT and cloud storage providers that maintain secure systems.

Where processors are used, they are required to act only on our instructions, keep your data confidential, and implement suitable security measures. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or where necessary to protect our rights, property, customers, or staff.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, tax, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the nature of our relationship with you.

Customer booking and service records are generally retained for as long as needed to manage the customer relationship and any follow-up issues.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained for a reasonable period after the matter is resolved.
Marketing preferences are retained until you opt out or withdraw consent.

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or destroyed. We review our retention practices periodically to ensure that data is not kept longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted use of personal data, and staff awareness procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we strive to safeguard all information we hold.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have a number of important rights in relation to your personal information. Subject to legal limitations, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erase your data in certain circumstances.
Restrict processing in certain situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Port your data to another service provider where applicable.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your data is handled. If you believe your rights have been infringed, you may contact the relevant supervisory authority. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

9. Marketing Preferences

If we send marketing communications, we will only do so where permitted by law. You may opt out at any time. We will respect your preferences and stop sending direct marketing where you have asked us not to do so. Changes to your marketing preferences will be handled as soon as reasonably possible.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging domestic or commercial carpet cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and clearly provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult in connection with a service request. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without proper authority, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

11. International Transfers

Where personal data is processed by third-party providers outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other approved transfer mechanisms designed to protect your information to the required standard.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any revised 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 data is used.

13. Summary of Your Relationship With Us

When you choose Balham Carpet Cleaners, you trust us with personal information that helps us provide a reliable service. We respect that trust by collecting only what we need, using it for clear and lawful purposes, retaining it for appropriate periods, and sharing it only with approved processors or where required by law. Our approach is based on transparency, accountability, and respect for your privacy.

By using our services, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy applies to all Balham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, you should contact us before providing personal data or proceeding with a booking.

This policy is designed to reflect current UK GDPR principles and should be read alongside any specific terms that apply to the services you request.