Privacy Policy - Bloomsbury Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Bloomsbury Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Bloomsbury Carpet Cleaners customers in the area. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Bloomsbury Carpet Cleaners provides carpet, upholstery, and related cleaning services. In the course of delivering our services, we may process personal data about customers, prospective customers, property occupants, payment contacts, and other individuals who interact with us. We only collect data that is necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity data such as name and title.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service data such as service type, cleaning requirements, booking details, property access notes, and service history.
Payment data such as billing details and transaction records.
Communication data such as messages, enquiries, complaints, and feedback.
Technical data where relevant, such as basic website interaction data or device information if you submit an enquiry online.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and usually not expected; for example, if a customer voluntarily provides information about allergies or health-related access needs so that we can safely provide the service.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed to manage bookings, provide cleaning services, process payments, and maintain service records.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect data in several ways. This may include information provided directly by you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, confirm a booking, or communicate with us about a service. We may also receive data from a person acting on your behalf, such as a landlord, tenant, property manager, or family member, where they are arranging a service for you.

In some cases, we may generate data internally, such as notes about completed work, invoices, or customer service records. We do not sell personal data and we do not use it for unrelated purposes.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases include:

Contract: to take steps at your request before entering into a contract and to perform our cleaning services once a booking is made.
Legal obligation: to comply with accounting, tax, and other regulatory requirements.
Legitimate interests: to manage our business, respond to enquiries, improve service quality, prevent fraud, maintain records, and handle customer support, provided that your rights do not override those interests.
Consent: where required, for example if we need your permission to process certain optional information or to send specific types of marketing communications.
Vital interests: in rare circumstances where processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.

If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. How We Use Your Data

We may use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and manage bookings.
To carry out cleaning services and meet service requirements.
To communicate with you about appointments, updates, or service issues.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To handle complaints, queries, and aftercare.
To improve our services and operational efficiency.
To meet legal and regulatory obligations.
To keep appropriate business records and evidence of work completed.

We use personal data only for legitimate business and service-related purposes and do not make decisions about customers based solely on automated processing in a way that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as data processors or independent controllers, depending on the circumstances. Where a processor is used, they are only allowed to process data on our instructions and must protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors or recipients may include:

Payment service providers who process card or bank transactions.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers who help manage invoices and financial records.
IT and cloud storage providers who securely host data or business systems.
Customer communication tools that help manage messages, scheduling, or service administration.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.
Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where the law requires disclosure.

We require processors to implement suitable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. We aim to share only the minimum amount of data necessary for the relevant purpose.

7. Data Retention

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

Booking and service records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage repeat services, resolve disputes, and maintain service history.
Financial records are retained for the periods required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be retained for customer service, complaint handling, and evidence of instructions.
Information collected with consent is retained only for as long as the consent remains valid or until it is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify an individual.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, staff awareness, and reputable service providers. No system is completely secure, but we work to reduce risks and to respond promptly if a data incident occurs.

9. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis we rely on.

Right of access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: if we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Where a right does not apply because of a legal exception or because it would affect the rights of others, we will explain this clearly. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

10. Marketing Communications

We will only send marketing messages where permitted by law and, where needed, with your consent. You may opt out of marketing at any time. If you do so, we will stop sending such communications, although we may still contact you about bookings, service matters, legal notices, or payment-related issues.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If our online services use cookies or similar technologies, they may be used for basic site functionality, performance, and analytics. Where consent is required, we will seek it before placing non-essential cookies. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or other available controls.

12. International Transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that the data remains protected to a standard required by law. Such safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

13. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect data from children unless it is provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult as part of arranging a service. If we become aware that we have collected data without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete or correct it.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

15. Summary of Our Approach

In summary, Bloomsbury Carpet Cleaners processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and securely. We collect only the information needed to deliver our services, we rely on appropriate lawful bases, we keep data only for as long as necessary, and we use trusted processors under clear obligations. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to respect your rights at every stage of our relationship with you.