Privacy Policy - Archway Carpet Cleaners

Archway Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers. 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. This policy applies to all Archway Carpet Cleaners customers in area, including individuals who request quotations, book services, receive cleaning services, or otherwise interact with us in connection with our carpet cleaning and related services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Archway Carpet Cleaners is the data controller of the personal information we collect about our customers. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing personal data when we provide our services, manage customer relationships, maintain records, and handle enquiries or complaints.

We take privacy seriously and aim to process personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for the services we provide.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on your interaction with us. This may include:

Identity details such as your name, and where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Service information such as the type of cleaning requested, room details, carpet condition, stain or odour concerns, and appointment preferences.
Billing and payment details such as invoice records, payment status, and transaction references.
Communication records including messages, booking requests, feedback, complaints, and notes from calls or written correspondence.
Technical and usage data if you interact with digital systems used for booking or administration, such as device information or log records where applicable.

We generally do not need special category data. However, if you provide information that could reveal sensitive personal circumstances, we will only process it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, arrange appointments, and deliver cleaning services.
To communicate with you about bookings, service updates, and customer support.
To manage payments, invoices, and our accounting records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, or disputes.
To maintain accurate business and customer records.
To improve our services, training, and internal processes.
To comply with legal obligations, such as tax and record-keeping requirements.

We only use your data for the purposes explained in this policy or for purposes that are compatible with those originally stated.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the context, Archway Carpet Cleaners may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, providing cleaning services, issuing invoices, and handling service-related communication.

Legal Obligation

We process data when required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, and record retention requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, improving services, and keeping internal records. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and apply appropriate safeguards.

Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent to process specific information or to carry out certain optional activities. Where consent is used, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with trusted third parties only where necessary for business operations, legal compliance, or service delivery. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the service they provide.

Examples of parties we may share data with include:

Payment processors who handle card or electronic payments.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers who assist with financial records and tax compliance.
IT and software providers who support secure storage, booking systems, or communication tools.
Professional advisers such as legal or insurance advisers where necessary.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or to protect legal rights.

When we engage processors, we ensure they are bound by data processing terms requiring them to act only on our instructions, protect your data, and implement suitable technical and organisational measures.

6. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK or European Economic Area, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that your data remains protected to a standard equivalent to UK data protection requirements. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it is held.

In general:

Customer service and booking records are kept for as long as needed to complete the service and manage any follow-up queries or disputes.
Financial and invoicing records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained for a reasonable period to defend legal claims or resolve issues.
Marketing preferences are retained until you withdraw consent or object where applicable.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete it or anonymise it so it can no longer identify you.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the information we hold and the risks involved.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of data protection by limiting access to data, using secure storage practices, and ensuring personnel are aware of privacy responsibilities.

9. Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have important rights in relation to your personal data. Depending on the legal basis for processing and the circumstances of your request, these may include:

The right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
The right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
The right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability – to request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
The right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has been misused or your rights have not been respected. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can address them promptly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property occupants with lawful authority to request cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally included in service communications and only where necessary for legitimate service reasons. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use digital tools that place cookies or similar technologies on a device, they will be used only where necessary for functionality, security, or performance measurement. Any such technologies will be managed in accordance with applicable law and, where required, your consent or preferences. We aim to keep tracking to a minimum and use data only for legitimate operational purposes.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service-related changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Archway Carpet Cleaners respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal data responsibly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information needed to provide our services, use it for defined and legitimate purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and safeguard it with appropriate protections. We also respect your rights and will respond to requests in line with GDPR requirements.

By engaging our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy.