Privacy Policy - Alperton Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Alperton Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Alperton Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, make bookings, receive services, or otherwise interact with us in connection with our business. We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Alperton Carpet Cleaners is the data controller for the personal data collected in connection with our services, except where a third party acts as an independent controller or where we process data on behalf of another business. This means we decide why and how personal data is used for our own operations, including customer service, scheduling, invoicing, and service delivery.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for lawful business purposes. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of information:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as your address, phone number, and email address.
Service information including property type, carpet condition, cleaning requirements, access notes, and appointment preferences.
Payment and billing details such as invoices, payment status, and transaction references. We do not store full payment card details unless provided through a secure third-party payment system.
Communications including emails, messages, notes from phone calls, and service feedback.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic device or usage information if you interact with us through digital systems.
Complaint or claims data if you raise a concern about our work, request a re-clean, or submit a dispute.

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless it is voluntarily provided and necessary for a specific purpose, such as accessibility needs or health-related access arrangements. Where such data is processed, we do so only when permitted by law and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, confirm a service, pay an invoice, or communicate with us. We may also receive information from third parties involved in the provision of services, such as property managers, letting agents, or payment processors, where this is necessary for service delivery. In some cases, we may collect limited data from publicly available sources to verify business details or manage administration.

4. Why We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for specific and legitimate purposes connected with our business operations. These include:

Providing quotes and arranging bookings.
Delivering carpet cleaning and related services.
Managing customer communications and service updates.
Processing payments, issuing invoices, and maintaining financial records.
Responding to complaints, claims, and aftercare requests.
Improving service quality, training staff, and maintaining internal records.
Meeting legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
Preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

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

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must identify a lawful basis for each type of processing. The main lawful bases used by Alperton Carpet Cleaners are:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, carrying out cleaning services, issuing invoices, and managing customer requests linked to the service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as maintaining financial and tax records, addressing consumer rights, and complying with applicable business regulations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include improving business operations, maintaining service quality, preventing fraud, and handling routine administrative communications. When we rely on legitimate interests, we take care to ensure the processing is proportionate and respectful of your privacy.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on consent, for example where it is appropriate to send certain optional marketing communications or process particularly sensitive information that is not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

6. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of data and why it is held.

Customer service records are generally retained for a period needed to manage ongoing relationships, complaints, or follow-up work.
Invoice and payment records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Correspondence and service notes may be retained for a reasonable time to support continuity of service and dispute resolution.
Marketing consent records are retained until you withdraw consent or until the information is no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer required, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

7. Data Processors and Sharing

We may share personal data with carefully selected third parties who help us run our business. These parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and under our instructions. Examples may include:

Accounting and bookkeeping providers used for invoicing and financial administration.
Payment service providers used to process transactions securely.
Scheduling or administrative software providers used to manage bookings and records.
IT and cloud storage providers used to host data securely.
Customer communication tools used for service-related messages.

Processors are only permitted to act on our instructions and must protect personal data appropriately. We do not sell personal data. We may also share information where necessary with professional advisers, insurers, regulatory authorities, or law enforcement bodies when required by law or to protect our legal rights.

8. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or accesses personal data outside the United Kingdom, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms, depending on the circumstances.

9. Data Security

We use 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, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices. Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risk and respond promptly to potential incidents.

10. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have important rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions, depending on the circumstances.

Right of access – you may request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of it.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your personal data in certain situations.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in specific cases.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – if we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

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. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

11. Marketing

We only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. If we rely on soft opt-in or another lawful basis where allowed, you can still object to further marketing messages. We will respect your preferences and stop sending such communications when required.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any updates will take effect when published, and we encourage customers to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our services after changes are made will not affect your statutory rights.

13. Summary of Key Commitments

Alperton Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting your privacy by collecting only the data needed, using it for clear and lawful purposes, keeping it for no longer than necessary, working only with trusted processors, and respecting your rights under data protection law. Your trust is important to us, and we aim to handle personal data with care, transparency, and accountability.