Privacy Policy - Carpetcleaning W3

Carpetcleaning W3 is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in area. 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 Carpetcleaning W3 customers in area, including individuals who enquire about services, request quotations, book appointments, receive cleaning services, or communicate with us in any other way.

1. Who we are

For the purposes of data protection law, Carpetcleaning W3 acts as the data controller for the personal data we process in connection with our cleaning services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is used. We only process data that is necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, meeting legal obligations, and operating our business responsibly.

2. Personal data we collect

We collect only the information needed to deliver our services efficiently and safely. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data: name, title, and basic identification details.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and service location details.
Service data: information about the services requested, cleaning preferences, appointment details, and notes relevant to carrying out the work.
Payment data: transaction details, payment confirmation, invoicing records, and billing information. We do not store card details unless necessary and lawful, and where payment processing is used, this may be handled by secure third-party processors.
Communication data: correspondence, feedback, complaints, and customer service records.
Technical data: limited information such as device and browser details if you interact with our digital systems.
Legal and operational data: records needed for compliance, insurance, tax, accounting, or dispute resolution.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary, lawful, and relevant to a specific service arrangement. If such data is ever provided, it will be handled with enhanced care and only where a valid legal basis applies.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to arrange, manage, and deliver cleaning services;
to communicate about bookings, changes, and service updates;
to process payments and maintain financial records;
to handle customer service issues, complaints, and follow-up requests;
to comply with legal, accounting, and insurance obligations;
to improve our services, customer experience, and internal operations;
to protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary.

We only use your data where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we do not use it in ways that are incompatible with the original purpose for which it was collected.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Carpetcleaning W3 relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, providing cleaning services, issuing invoices, and communicating about the agreed service.

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. Examples include improving service quality, maintaining records, responding to customer queries, preventing fraud, and managing business administration.

Legal obligation

We process data where necessary to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, consumer protection, and regulatory requirements.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, such as for optional communications or certain non-essential uses of information. Where consent is used, it will be specific, informed, and freely given. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for business operations, service delivery, or legal compliance. These third parties act either as processors or independent controllers depending on the circumstances.

Examples of processors may include:

payment service providers that securely handle transactions;
accounting and bookkeeping systems;
appointment or administration software providers;
IT hosting, cloud storage, and secure backup providers;
customer communication tools used to send service-related messages;
professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers when necessary.

Where we use processors, we ensure they are bound by appropriate contractual obligations to keep personal data secure, process it only on our instructions, and comply with data protection law. We do not sell your personal data. We also do not share more information than is necessary for the purpose involved.

In some cases, disclosure may be required by law, court order, or lawful request from a public authority. If this happens, we will only disclose the minimum data necessary and only where permitted by law.

6. Retention of personal data

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. The retention period depends on the type of data and the reason it is held.

Customer and service records: retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards for operational, legal, and evidential purposes.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by law.
Communication records: kept long enough to resolve queries, support service quality, and document decisions.
Legal records: retained where needed to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner.

7. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff awareness procedures, and limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis.

While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and there is a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in accordance with data protection law and take the steps required to mitigate the impact.

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal exceptions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
Erase your data in certain circumstances;
Restrict processing in specific situations;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable;
Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis;
Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are concerned about how your data is handled.

To exercise these rights, you may contact us using the details provided in our usual customer communications. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

9. Marketing communications

We only send marketing communications where we are permitted to do so under law. If you receive such messages and no longer wish to receive them, you may opt out at any time. Service-related messages, such as booking confirmations or essential updates, are not marketing and may still be sent where necessary for the performance of our services.

10. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is provided by an adult customer as part of a lawful service request and is necessary for the service arrangement.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers in area to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is processed.

12. Summary of our commitment

Carpetcleaning W3 respects your privacy and uses personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, rely on valid legal bases, retain data for appropriate periods, and work with processors that provide suitable safeguards. This policy applies to all Carpetcleaning W3 customers in area, and we are committed to handling your information in a way that protects your rights and meets our obligations under GDPR.