Privacy Policy - Bow Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Bow Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Bow Carpet Cleaners customers in the Bow area, including residential and commercial clients, prospective customers, and anyone who interacts with us in connection with a booking, quotation, or service enquiry.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only process personal data where we have a valid legal reason to do so and we apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep it secure.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the data needed to provide our services, manage our operations, and meet our legal obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Identity data, such as your name and title.
Contact data, such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service data, including property details, carpet or fabric type, stain or issue descriptions, service preferences, and appointment information.
Payment data, such as transaction details and payment status. We do not normally store full card details where third-party payment providers are used.
Communication data, including emails, messages, notes from calls, and records of complaints or feedback.
Technical data, where relevant, such as device information, IP address, and basic website usage data if you interact with our online services.
Marketing preferences, including your preferences about receiving promotional communications.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it to us, for example by sharing health-related information relevant to a cleaning request. Where such information is provided, we will only use it where necessary and lawful.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, arrange bookings, and carry out carpet cleaning and related services.
To contact you about appointments, service changes, or follow-up matters.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain business records.
To respond to questions, complaints, and service requests.
To improve our services, training, quality control, and customer experience.
To meet legal, accounting, and tax obligations.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.
To send marketing communications where we are permitted to do so and where you have not opted out.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where UK GDPR allows us to do so. Our main lawful bases are:

Contract: We process data to enter into and perform a contract with you, such as arranging and delivering cleaning services.
Legitimate interests: We may process data to manage our business, improve our services, prevent fraud, and keep records, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Legal obligation: We may process data to comply with legal requirements, including tax, accounting, and regulatory duties.
Consent: We rely on consent where it is required, for example for certain marketing communications or where we process optional data that you have actively chosen to share.

If we rely on legitimate interests, we assess the impact on your privacy and take steps to minimise any unnecessary intrusion. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act as data processors or independent controllers depending on the service provided. We only share data where necessary and we require appropriate safeguards.

Processors we may use

IT and cloud service providers that host secure data storage, email, or business systems.
Payment service providers that process transactions and help prevent payment fraud.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support financial records and tax compliance.
Customer management or scheduling tools that help organise appointments and service records.
Professional advisers, such as lawyers, insurers, or auditors, where necessary for legal or business purposes.

Where processors handle personal data on our behalf, they are contractually bound to process it only on our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with data protection law. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose data if required by law, court order, or a lawful request from a public authority. If a business reorganisation occurs, personal data may be transferred as part of that process, subject to appropriate protections.

5. Data Retention

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

Service and booking records are retained for a period that allows us to manage customer history, disputes, and service follow-up.
Financial and invoice records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint or correspondence records may be retained for as long as needed to resolve issues and demonstrate proper handling.
Marketing data is kept until you withdraw consent or object to receiving marketing messages.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it. In some cases, we may retain limited information to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable and appropriate security measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and restricted sharing of information on a need-to-know basis.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risks and review our safeguards regularly. If a personal data breach occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will handle it in line with applicable legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

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

Right of access: You can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: You can request that inaccurate or incomplete data be corrected.
Right to erasure: In certain situations, you may ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction: You can request limited processing in specific circumstances.
Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing.
Right to data portability: Where applicable, you may request that data you provided to us be transferred to another organisation in a structured format.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise your rights, you may make a request using the channels we provide for customer communication. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve the issue promptly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are generally directed to adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the context of a service request and provided by an adult responsible for the booking. If we become aware that we have collected data improperly, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is stored or accessed outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect it. These may include approved contractual terms or other lawful transfer mechanisms. We only make such transfers where necessary and where adequate protection can be maintained.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

11. Summary of Key Points

We collect only the data needed to deliver and manage our carpet cleaning services.
We process data under lawful bases including contract, legitimate interests, legal obligation, and consent.
We share data only with trusted processors and others where legally required.
We retain data only as long as necessary and then securely dispose of it.
You have important rights over your personal data, including access, correction, deletion, and objection.

By using Bow Carpet Cleaners’ services in the Bow area, you acknowledge that your personal data will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We are committed to respecting your privacy and using your data responsibly, transparently, and lawfully.