Privacy Policy - Carpet Cleaning Knightsbridge

This Privacy Policy explains how Carpet Cleaning Knightsbridge collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data for all customers in the Knightsbridge area. It applies to anyone who uses our carpet cleaning services, makes an enquiry, requests a quote, books an appointment, or otherwise interacts with our business as a customer or prospective customer in the area.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is designed to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over it.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant to providing carpet cleaning services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal or operational obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the type of cleaning requested, property access notes, stain or fabric information, and appointment preferences.
Billing information such as invoice records, payment status, and transaction references.
Communication records including messages, notes from phone calls, and customer service correspondence.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you submit an online enquiry, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided incidentally by you and is necessary for the service, for example where access needs or vulnerability considerations are relevant to an appointment. In such cases, we handle the information with extra care and only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to arrange, deliver, and manage carpet cleaning services;
to confirm appointments and service details;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to handle complaints, queries, and follow-up communications;
to improve our services, planning, and customer experience;
to maintain business records and comply with legal obligations;
to protect against fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access.

We will always ensure that data use is limited to what is necessary for the stated purpose. We do not sell personal data, and we do not use customer information for unrelated marketing unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a valid lawful basis for each type of processing. For Carpet Cleaning Knightsbridge, the main lawful bases are:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes booking services, confirming arrangements, carrying out the cleaning work, and managing payment-related matters.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include managing enquiries, maintaining service records, improving operations, preventing fraud, and ensuring customer support.

Legal Obligation

Some information must be retained or processed to comply with the law, such as accounting, tax, or regulatory requirements.

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for certain optional communications or specific processing activities, we will ask for it clearly and give you the choice to withdraw it at any time.

Important: if we rely on consent, you can withdraw consent without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Data Retention

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

Customer enquiry records are generally retained for a limited period to allow follow-up and service continuity.
Service and appointment records are kept for operational and quality-control purposes.
Invoices, receipts, and accounting records are retained for the period required by tax and financial laws.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained longer if needed to resolve issues or protect legal rights.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it. Our retention practices are reviewed periodically to make sure they remain appropriate and compliant.

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third-party processors who help us operate our business. These parties only process data on our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately. Typical processors may include:

Payment service providers for handling transactions securely.
Booking or scheduling tools used to manage appointments.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers for financial administration.
IT and cloud storage providers that support secure data storage and system maintenance.
Communication service providers used for email or telephone management.

In limited cases, we may also disclose data to professional advisers, insurers, or public authorities where necessary and lawful. We ensure any processor we use is subject to appropriate data processing terms and security safeguards.

6. Data Security

We take the security of personal data seriously and apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and regular review of internal procedures.

However, no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be fully secure. We therefore encourage customers to share only the information needed for service delivery and to notify us promptly if they believe any data has been compromised.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights under GDPR. Subject to legal limitations and verification of your identity, these may include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal data is handled. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concern promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our carpet cleaning services are intended for adult customers and property managers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children, and we do not target children with our services. If we become aware that we have collected a child’s data without appropriate authority, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply to all Carpet Cleaning Knightsbridge customers in the area from the date it takes effect. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

10. Summary of Our Commitments

In summary, we aim to process personal data only when necessary, only for clear and lawful purposes, and only for as long as required. We use trustworthy processors, apply suitable safeguards, and respect your rights throughout. Our approach is designed to be transparent, responsible, and compliant, while supporting high-quality carpet cleaning services for customers in Knightsbridge.

Privacy matters. We believe that customers should feel confident that their information is handled with care, integrity, and respect. This policy reflects that commitment and explains how we support a secure and lawful service experience for every customer in the area.