Privacy Policy - Coombe Carpet Cleaners

Coombe Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of every customer. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Coombe Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services.

We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is intended to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your data.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information such as the type of cleaning requested, property access notes, preferred appointment times, and special instructions.
Billing and payment information such as invoice records, payment confirmation, and transaction references. We do not usually store full card details if payment is handled through a third-party payment provider.
Communications such as emails, messages, complaint records, and service feedback.
Technical data where relevant, such as basic website or device information if you contact us through online channels.

We generally do not collect special category data. If a customer voluntarily provides information that may reveal health conditions, access needs, or other sensitive matters so we can safely provide the service, we will only use it where necessary and handle it with appropriate care.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To arrange bookings, confirm appointments, and manage service delivery.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and requests for support.
To issue invoices, process payments, and keep financial records.
To maintain internal records and service history.
To improve our services, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those described in this policy unless we notify you or are otherwise permitted by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal information. Depending on the situation, we rely on the following bases:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes booking and delivering our cleaning services, confirming appointments, and handling payment arrangements.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to meet legal requirements, such as accounting, tax, bookkeeping, or regulatory compliance obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process your data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include managing our business, maintaining service records, handling complaints, preventing fraud, and improving our operations. We always assess whether our interests are appropriate and proportionate.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example if you agree to receive certain marketing messages or if you voluntarily provide sensitive information and consent is the most suitable basis. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share it with trusted third parties who assist us in providing services and operating our business. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud storage providers used to store emails, records, or business files securely.
Booking or scheduling software providers that help manage appointments and customer records.
Payment service providers that handle transaction processing.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support financial administration.
Communication service providers that help us send appointment confirmations or service updates.

We require all processors to handle personal data securely, only for our instructions, and in compliance with data protection law. We may also disclose information to insurers, legal advisers, regulatory authorities, or law enforcement where required or permitted by law.

If business ownership changes or we undergo restructuring, personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to legal safeguards.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and why we hold it.

Customer service records are generally kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards in case of repeat service, dispute resolution, or warranty-related issues.
Invoice and payment records are kept in line with tax and accounting rules, which may require retention for several years.
Complaint and correspondence records may be retained for a period necessary to demonstrate how issues were handled and to protect our legal position.
Marketing preferences are retained until you unsubscribe, object, or the data becomes outdated.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in a way that protects your privacy.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, and staff awareness procedures. Although no system is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a level of security appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have important rights regarding your personal information. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these may include:

The right to access your personal data and receive a copy of the information we hold about you.
The right to rectification if any information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing in certain situations.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability for information processed by automated means and based on consent or contract, where applicable.
The 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 believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We would appreciate the chance to address your concerns first, but you are not required to contact us before making a complaint.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging carpet cleaning on behalf of a household or business. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that data relating to a child has been provided without a lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

9. 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 protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we handle personal data.

10. Summary of Our Commitments

Coombe Carpet Cleaners is committed to using personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information we need, use it for clear business purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We also respect your rights and will respond to valid requests in accordance with data protection law.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy. We aim to ensure that all customers in our area can rely on a service that is not only effective, but also respectful of privacy and compliant with applicable legal standards.