Privacy Policy - Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners

Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Shoreditch area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when you use our services. It also explains the rights available to you under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to all Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us to request information or a quotation.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for the personal data we collect and use in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to process all personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your telephone number and email address.
Address information including property address and billing address.
Service details such as the type of cleaning requested, booking preferences, and any special instructions.
Payment-related information where necessary to process transactions, invoices, or refunds.
Communication records including messages, complaints, feedback, and service notes.
Technical information that may be collected when you interact with our digital systems, such as device identifiers or basic usage logs, if applicable.

We generally do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, for example where access needs or health-related considerations affect service delivery. If such information is collected, it will be handled with additional safeguards and only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quotation or make a booking,
contact us by phone, email, or other communication channels,
provide service instructions or feedback,
make a payment or request an invoice, or
interact with our staff before, during, or after a service visit.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, such as property managers, tenants, landlords, or referral partners. In such cases, we will only use the data for the purpose for which it was provided.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to:

respond to enquiries and provide quotations,
arrange and deliver cleaning services,
manage bookings, scheduling, and customer records,
process payments and maintain accounting records,
deal with complaints, disputes, and service issues,
improve the quality and efficiency of our services,
comply with legal and regulatory obligations, and
protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We only use your data where it is necessary and proportionate to do so. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal data. Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you. This includes handling quotations, bookings, service delivery, and payment processing.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include keeping internal records, managing customer service, improving operations, and protecting against misuse or fraud.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain data where required to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

Where we rely on consent, we will make that clear at the point of collection. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect any processing already carried out lawfully before withdrawal.

In limited circumstances, we may also rely on other lawful bases permitted by law, such as protecting vital interests or establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims.

6. Data Retention

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

Customer and booking records may be retained for a reasonable period after the service is completed to manage follow-up queries or disputes.
Financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be kept for business administration, complaint handling, and service quality purposes.
Unused enquiry data may be deleted after a reasonable period if no service is booked.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it. Retention is reviewed regularly to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary.

7. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide. Where a processor is used, we require them to process data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with data protection law.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment processors for card or electronic payments,
IT and hosting providers that support our systems and data storage,
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that help manage financial records,
Customer communication tools used to send service updates or respond to enquiries, and
Professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data if required to do so by law, regulation, court order, or public authority. If our business is reorganised, sold, or transferred, personal data may be shared with relevant parties subject to appropriate safeguards.

8. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms. We take reasonable steps to ensure your data remains protected to the required standard.

9. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data we process and the risks involved. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we regularly review our practices to maintain a suitable level of protection.

Access to personal data is limited to staff and service providers who need it for legitimate business purposes.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These may include:

The right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restriction of processing in certain cases.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
The right to withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis.

Some rights are subject to legal conditions and may not apply in every situation. We will assess any request carefully and respond in line with applicable law.

11. How to Exercise Your Rights

You may contact us to make a request relating to your personal data. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law, usually within one month, although this may be extended for complex requests.

If you believe your data has been handled improperly, you also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or your local data protection authority. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly.

12. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers arranging cleaning services for properties. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally provided in connection with a service arrangement. If we become aware that we have collected such data without a valid reason, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

14. Summary of Our Commitment

Shoreditch Carpet Cleaners respects your privacy and is committed to using personal data responsibly. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for appropriate periods, share it only with necessary processors or legal recipients, and protect your rights at every stage. This policy applies to all customers in the Shoreditch area and is designed to ensure our processing remains lawful, fair, and transparent at all times.