Privacy Policy - Brompton Carpet Cleaning

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Brompton Carpet Cleaning customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data when providing our carpet cleaning services.

1. Introduction

Brompton Carpet Cleaning is committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. We respect your privacy and process personal information only where there is a valid legal basis under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to you as a data subject.

This Privacy Policy applies to all customers, prospective customers, and other individuals in the area who interact with our services, including enquiries, quotations, bookings, and completed cleaning appointments. It also applies where we receive information from third parties acting on your behalf, such as property managers or household members.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity information: name and, where relevant, business or property details.
Contact information: address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information: details about the carpets, rugs, upholstery, or associated cleaning requirements you request.
Appointment information: preferred dates, access instructions, booking notes, and service history.
Payment information: limited billing and transaction details needed to process payments and keep records.
Communication records: correspondence relating to enquiries, quotes, complaints, feedback, or service updates.
Technical information: basic device or usage information if you contact us electronically, such as IP address or browser data, where collected automatically by our systems.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it, for example to explain an access requirement or a health-related consideration that affects service delivery. If such information is provided, we will treat it with additional care and only use it for the specific purpose for which it was disclosed.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to schedule, manage, and complete carpet cleaning services;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain business records;
to communicate about appointments, service changes, or aftercare;
to deal with complaints, insurance matters, or service disputes;
to improve our services, training, and customer experience;
to comply with legal, accounting, tax, and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We will only use your data in ways that are compatible with the reasons for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to do otherwise.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for every processing activity. Depending on the circumstances, Brompton Carpet Cleaning may rely on one or more of the following:

a) Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes, booking services, completing cleaning work, and handling billing.

b) 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 managing customer records, improving our operations, preventing fraud, and maintaining security. We always consider whether the processing is proportionate and relevant.

c) Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with laws that apply to accounting, tax, consumer protection, insurance, or dispute resolution. In such cases, processing is required by law.

d) Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, especially where optional information is provided or where a law requires consent. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that has already taken place lawfully before consent was withdrawn.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and deliver services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context.

Examples of processors may include:

payment service providers that handle transactions securely;
accounting and bookkeeping systems used for invoicing and records;
customer management or scheduling platforms;
IT and cloud storage providers that support secure data storage;
email, messaging, and communication tools used to send service-related updates;
professional advisers, such as legal or insurance advisers, where needed.

Where processors act on our behalf, they are required to process data only in accordance with our instructions, to keep it secure, and to use it only for the agreed purpose. We take reasonable steps to ensure that such third parties provide appropriate safeguards for personal data.

We may also disclose information if required by law, by a regulator, or in connection with legal proceedings. In the event of a business reorganisation or transfer, customer data may be transferred as part of the business assets, subject to applicable data protection safeguards.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

As a general approach:

enquiry and quotation records are kept for a limited period to allow follow-up and business administration;
service and payment records are retained for tax, accounting, and audit purposes;
complaint and dispute records are kept for as long as needed to resolve the matter and defend legal claims;
data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

When deciding retention periods, we consider the volume, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, and the legal requirements that apply. Once data is no longer necessary, we will take reasonable steps to remove it securely.

7. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, password protection, secure storage systems, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our procedures.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we strive to maintain a level of protection that is appropriate to the risks associated with the information we process. If a personal data breach occurs and we are required to notify you or a regulator, we will do so in accordance with applicable law.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing:

Right of access: you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: you may request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, including certain direct marketing uses.
Right to data portability: you may request your data in a portable format where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your data has been handled. We encourage you to contact us first so we can address any concerns promptly and fairly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally provided by an adult customer in connection with service arrangements. If we become aware that we have collected information about a child without appropriate justification, we will take steps to delete it where required.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updates will take effect when published in the revised version. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is used.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Brompton Carpet Cleaning is committed to using personal data responsibly, lawfully, and with respect for your privacy. We collect only what we need, use it only for valid purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and protect it with suitable safeguards. Our approach is designed to be transparent, proportionate, and aligned with GDPR principles such as data minimisation, purpose limitation, storage limitation, and accountability.

By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process your personal data as described in this Privacy Policy.