Privacy Policy - Preston Carpet Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Preston Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Preston Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who make enquiries about our cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who we are

Preston Carpet Cleaners provides carpet cleaning and related domestic and commercial cleaning services. In the course of operating our business, we may process personal information relating to customers, household occupants, business contacts, and service recipients. We only process data where we have a valid legal reason to do so and we take appropriate steps to keep that information secure and confidential.

2. Information we collect

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

Identity information such as your name or title.
Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address.
Service information such as details about the cleaning service requested, preferred dates, access notes, and property information relevant to the job.
Payment-related information where necessary to confirm payment or issue invoices, although full card details are usually handled by secure payment providers.
Communication records including emails, messages, booking notes, complaints, and feedback.
Technical information such as basic website or device details if you contact us online, where applicable.

We normally collect personal data directly from you when you submit an enquiry, request a quotation, make a booking, communicate with us, or use our services. In some cases, information may be provided by a third party, such as a landlord, letting agent, property manager, or another person arranging services on your behalf.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotes.
To arrange and deliver carpet cleaning and related services.
To manage appointments, reminders, and service updates.
To process invoices, payments, refunds, and account administration.
To handle complaints, claims, or customer support requests.
To maintain business records and improve our services.
To comply with legal, tax, and accounting obligations.

We only use your information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that another compatible purpose exists and is permitted by law.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Preston Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling bookings, providing services, processing payment, and fulfilling service-related requests.

Legal obligation

We may process data where needed to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is in our legitimate interests to run and improve our business, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, improving operations, and maintaining service quality.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain marketing communications where consent is required. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data sharing and processors

We do not sell personal data. However, we may share information with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent data controllers, depending on the situation. These parties may help us operate our business and deliver services.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment processors that handle secure transactions.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers.
IT, software, and cloud storage providers that support booking, record-keeping, or communications.
Administrative support services that assist with scheduling or customer management.

Where a processor is used, they are required to handle personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and use it only for the agreed purpose. We may also disclose information where required by law, for example to courts, regulators, or law enforcement bodies.

In some circumstances, we may share limited information with third parties such as landlords, letting agents, or property managers where they are involved in arranging the service or have a legitimate reason to receive updates about the appointment. We will only do this where appropriate and lawful.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. The exact retention period depends on the type of record and the reason it is held.

Customer and service records are normally retained for the period needed to manage the relationship and resolve any follow-up issues.
Financial and tax records are kept for the time required by law.
Complaint, dispute, or claim records may be retained longer if needed to protect our legal rights or defend a claim.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

7. Data security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, and restricted use of information. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take the protection of your data seriously and regularly review our handling practices.

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and legal basis for processing.

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – in certain cases, you may ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – in certain cases, you may request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where 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 breached. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly.

9. Marketing communications

We may send service updates or limited marketing communications where permitted by law. If you no longer wish to receive marketing messages, you may opt out at any time. We will respect your preferences and update our records accordingly. Any optional marketing activity will be kept separate from essential service communications.

10. Children’s data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is provided by an adult customer in connection with a service booking. If we become aware that we have collected such data inappropriately, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your personal data is used.

12. Summary of our approach

Preston Carpet Cleaners only processes personal data where there is a lawful basis to do so. We collect information that is necessary to provide services, manage customer relationships, meet legal obligations, and support business operations. We use trusted processors where needed, keep data only for as long as necessary, and respect the rights of all customers in the area. Our approach is to use personal data fairly, securely, and transparently, with privacy by design and data minimisation in mind.