Richmond Carpet Cleaners Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Richmond Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with our carpet and upholstery cleaning services. It applies to all Richmond Carpet Cleaners customers located in our service area, including prospective customers who contact us for quotes or information, and existing and past customers whose details we hold.
We are committed to complying with all applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. We encourage you to read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand how and why we process your personal data and the rights you have in relation to it.
Data Controller
Richmond Carpet Cleaners is the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data when you engage with our services or visit our website.
Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The personal data we may collect includes:
Identification and contact information, such as your name, address, service address, and general location details when arranging appointments. Communication details, such as your preferred contact method and the content of communications you send to us, including enquiries, bookings, feedback, or complaints. Service and transactional information, such as details of the services you request, dates and times of appointments, access instructions for your premises, and information about your carpets, upholstery, or other items being cleaned. Billing and payment information, such as invoicing details, billing address, payment status, and payment method type. Please note that we do not store full payment card details; these are processed securely by our chosen payment processors. Technical and usage information, such as basic information about how you use our website and services, for example pages visited, time and date of visits, and general device information where this is collected through cookies or similar technologies. Optional marketing preferences and feedback, such as your preferences for receiving marketing messages from us and any reviews or survey responses you choose to provide.
We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary for the agreed service, and you choose to disclose it to us, for example specific health or mobility information relevant to access requirements.
How We Collect Your Personal Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you contact us by phone, through our website, in person, or by any other communication method to request a quote, make a booking, or ask a question. We also obtain data as part of delivering our services, such as notes about your requirements and the progress of your job.
We may collect limited information about you from third parties, for example if someone refers you to us, books on your behalf, or if we receive payment details from our payment processors or booking platforms to confirm a transaction.
Lawful Bases for Processing
We rely on the following lawful bases under the GDPR to process your personal data:
Contract: We process your personal data where it is necessary to enter into and perform a contract with you, such as providing cleaning services, managing bookings, issuing invoices, processing payments, and communicating with you about your service.
Legal obligation: We process certain data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax and accounting rules and obligations relating to health and safety and record keeping.
Legitimate interests: We process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes managing and improving our services, responding to enquiries and feedback, maintaining business records, preventing fraud, ensuring security, and sending relevant service-related communications.
Consent: Where required by law, we may rely on your consent to send you direct marketing communications or to use certain optional cookies or similar technologies. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us and updating your preferences.
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:
To provide our carpet and upholstery cleaning services, including confirming appointments, attending your premises, tailoring our work to your requirements, and following up as necessary. To respond to your enquiries, provide quotes, and manage ongoing customer relationships. To issue invoices, process payments, handle refunds where applicable, and maintain accurate financial records. To communicate important information about your bookings, such as changes to appointment times or access requirements. To manage our business operations, including planning workloads, training staff, improving our services, and ensuring quality control. To handle complaints, resolve disputes, and establish, exercise, or defend legal claims. To send optional marketing communications about our services, promotions, or updates, where you have not opted out of such communications or where your consent is required and has been given. To protect our business, our customers, and our staff, including by preventing misuse of our services and complying with applicable laws and regulations.
Sharing Your Personal Data and Use of Processors
We may share your personal data with trusted third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These processors are only permitted to process your data in accordance with our instructions and for specified purposes. We require them to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data.
These processors may include:
Payment processing providers who handle card and electronic payments securely. Accounting and bookkeeping service providers who assist with financial records and compliance. IT and hosting providers who support our website, email, and data storage systems. Customer management and booking system providers who help us manage appointments and communications. Professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary for our legitimate business interests and legal obligations.
We may also share personal data where required by law, for example with law enforcement agencies or regulatory authorities, or in connection with legal proceedings.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
International Data Transfers
Some of our trusted processors or their sub-processors may be located outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area. Where this is the case and your personal data is transferred internationally, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data, such as the use of standard contractual clauses or equivalent measures required by data protection law.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
In general, we retain customer records for a period that allows us to respond to queries, manage repeat work, and comply with tax and accounting obligations. After these periods expire, or when the data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise your personal data.
The exact retention period may vary depending on the type of data and our legal obligations. We regularly review the personal data we hold and remove data that is no longer required.
How We Protect Your Personal Data
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures include limiting access to personal data to staff and processors who need it, using secure systems and storage solutions, and training staff on data protection responsibilities.
While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for keeping any passwords or access details confidential if applicable.
Your Rights Under Data Protection Law
As an individual whose personal data we process, you have several rights under data protection law. These rights apply to all Richmond Carpet Cleaners customers in our service area, subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions.
Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation that we process your personal data and to obtain a copy of that data, along with information about how we use it.
Right to rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
Right to erasure: In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you withdraw consent and there is no other lawful basis for processing.
Right to restriction of processing: You may ask us to restrict the use of your personal data in certain situations, such as while we are verifying its accuracy or considering an objection you have raised.
Right to object: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests as the lawful basis. You also have an absolute right to object to direct marketing, including any profiling related to direct marketing.
Right to data portability: Where processing is based on your consent or on a contract and carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to request that we transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we process your personal data based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact methods made available to you through our usual communication channels. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority responsible for data protection in your jurisdiction.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or other factors. Any updated version will be made available through our usual communication channels and will take effect from the date of publication. We recommend that you review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.
