Privacy Policy

Fulwell Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Fulwell area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Fulwell Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quotation, books a service, communicates with us, or receives cleaning services from us.

1. Who We Are

Fulwell Carpet Cleaners provides professional carpet and upholstery cleaning services to residential and commercial customers in Fulwell and the surrounding area. In this policy, “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to Fulwell Carpet Cleaners. “You” and “your” refer to the customer, website user, or any person whose personal data we process in connection with our services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for delivering our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The data we may collect includes:

• Identity details such as your name and, where needed, business name.
• Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address.
• Service information such as property access notes, room details, cleaning preferences, and service history.
• Payment-related information such as billing records and transaction details.
• Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaint correspondence.
• Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as basic device or usage information collected for security and performance purposes.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for a specific lawful reason. If such data is accidentally shared with us, we will handle it carefully and only where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
• To schedule, deliver, and manage cleaning services.
• To process payments and maintain financial records.
• To communicate service updates, changes, or follow-up information.
• To deal with complaints, disputes, or service issues.
• To maintain our internal records and improve service quality.
• To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
• To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We will only use your data in ways that are fair, lawful, and transparent. We will not use your information for unrelated purposes without notifying you or obtaining a valid lawful basis.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Fulwell Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to provide a quote, arrange a booking, carry out cleaning services, and manage payment or service fulfilment. This includes using your contact details, address, and service instructions to complete the work you have requested.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. Examples include managing customer records, improving our services, preventing fraud, handling complaints, and securing our operations. We always consider the impact on your privacy before relying on this basis.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain personal data to comply with legal obligations, such as tax rules, accounting requirements, insurance matters, and record-keeping duties.

Consent

Where required, we may rely on your consent, for example if you voluntarily ask us to send certain types of updates not necessary for service delivery. You can withdraw consent at any time, and this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share information with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and provide our services. These third parties may act as processors or independent controllers depending on the circumstances.

Examples of processors may include:

• Payment service providers who process card or transfer payments securely.
• IT and cloud service providers who store data, support systems, or manage communications.
• Administrative or booking support providers who help us manage appointments and records.
• Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.

We require processors to handle your data securely, only act on our instructions, and comply with relevant data protection laws. If data is shared with an independent controller, that party will be responsible for its own privacy practices.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and why we hold it.

• Quotation and enquiry records may be retained for a limited period to manage follow-up queries or future service requests.
• Customer service and booking records are kept for as long as needed to provide services and resolve any issues.
• Financial and transaction records are generally retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
• Complaint or dispute records may be retained longer where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer identify you. We review our retention practices regularly to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, password protection, staff awareness measures, and careful handling of paper and electronic records. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to safeguard your information.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply depending on the legal basis for processing and the circumstances of your request.

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

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with GDPR time limits and legal requirements. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. In some cases, we may not be able to fully comply if an exemption applies or if the request would adversely affect the rights of others.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are directed to adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children in the ordinary course of our business. If we become aware that we have collected a child’s personal data without appropriate consent or legal basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

10. International Transfers

Where any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. This may include the use of approved contractual terms or other lawful transfer mechanisms. We will only make such transfers when necessary and where adequate protection can be maintained.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. The latest version will apply to all Fulwell Carpet Cleaners customers in the area. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we protect your personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Fulwell Carpet Cleaners respects your privacy and handles personal data with care, fairness, and accountability. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and work with processors who are required to protect it. You also have important rights over your personal information, and we are committed to helping you exercise them.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Fulwell Carpet Cleaners customers in the area.