Privacy Policy - Fulham Carpet Cleaners

Fulham Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the personal data of its customers and website users. 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 Fulham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area and to anyone who uses our services, makes an enquiry, or otherwise interacts with us.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Fulham Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for personal data we collect and process in connection with our services. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing personal information where we provide carpet cleaning and related services.

We take our responsibility seriously and process personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so, and only for clearly defined and legitimate purposes.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you engage with us. The information we collect may include:

Identity information, such as your name.
Contact information, such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service details, including information about the type of cleaning requested, property access notes, appointment preferences, and special instructions.
Transaction information, such as invoices, payment records, and service history.
Communication records, including messages, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical information, where relevant, such as basic device or browsing data if you interact with us online.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. However, if such information is provided to us by you in connection with service delivery, for example to support access arrangements or health-related considerations, we will process it only where necessary and in line with applicable law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To manage bookings, appointments, and service arrangements.
To communicate with you about your enquiries, requests, or completed services.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support matters.
To improve service quality, training, and internal administration.
To comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.

We only use personal data where it is necessary and proportionate to the service relationship or other lawful purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Fulham Carpet Cleaners may rely on one or more of 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 arranging services, confirming bookings, and delivering cleaning work.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where required to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, fraud prevention, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data for our legitimate interests where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This can include managing our business efficiently, improving services, maintaining customer records, and responding to customer enquiries.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you clearly agree to certain types of optional communication or processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reasons for holding it.

In general:

Customer service records are retained for as long as needed to manage the customer relationship and address any follow-up issues.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required under tax and accounting laws.
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage complaints, disputes, or service queries.
Consent-based records are kept only while consent remains valid and necessary for the purpose.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it.

6. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for business operations and service delivery. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, separate controllers. We only share the minimum amount of information needed for the relevant purpose.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers that help process transactions.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial record-keeping.
IT and data storage providers that securely host or manage data.
Administrative support services used to manage bookings or communications.

Where processors are used, they are required to act only on our instructions, keep information secure, and comply with data protection obligations. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose information where necessary to comply with law, enforce our rights, protect the safety of individuals, or prevent fraud and misuse.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, and staff awareness of confidentiality obligations.

While we take reasonable steps to safeguard information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continually review our practices to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have important rights regarding your personal information. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances.
Restriction of processing in certain situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability for information you provided to us where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. Before doing so, we encourage you to raise any concerns directly with us so that we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

9. Automated Decision-Making

We do not normally use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on individuals. If this changes in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide appropriate information about the processing involved.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is provided by an adult customer in the context of arranging services. Where such information is incidental to service delivery, we will process it only as necessary and in accordance with this policy.

11. 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 take effect when it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we process personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Fulham Carpet Cleaners is committed to processing personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information needed to provide our services, rely on appropriate lawful bases, retain information for no longer than necessary, and use trusted processors under strict safeguards. We respect your rights and aim to handle all personal data with care, integrity, and accountability.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy and that this policy applies to all Fulham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area.