Privacy Policy - Richmonduponthames Carpetcleaning

This Privacy Policy explains how Richmonduponthames Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to its customers, prospects, and other individuals in the local service area. It applies to all Richmonduponthames Carpetcleaning customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quotation, books a cleaning service, communicates with us, or receives our services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is intended to help you understand what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information needed to provide our services, manage our operations, and meet our legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information such as property access notes, cleaning preferences, requested appointment times, and details relevant to the service you booked.
Payment information such as payment status, billing records, and transaction references. We do not intentionally retain full card details where a secure third-party payment provider is used.
Communication records such as emails, text messages, call notes, complaint details, and feedback.
Technical data such as IP address, device information, and basic website or form usage data, where applicable.
Marketing preferences such as whether you wish to receive service updates or promotions.

We generally collect this information directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, ask a question, or give feedback. In some cases, we may receive data from a household member, landlord, letting agent, property manager, or another person authorised to arrange a service on your behalf.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for specific, limited purposes. These include:

providing carpet cleaning and related services;
managing bookings, quotes, and job scheduling;
contacting you about your appointment or service changes;
processing payments, refunds, and invoices;
maintaining records for customer service and quality control;
responding to complaints, queries, or requests;
meeting legal, accounting, tax, and insurance requirements;
sending service-related updates or, where permitted, marketing communications;
preventing fraud, abuse, or misuse of our services.

We only use your data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. If we need to use your data for a new purpose, we will ensure that a valid lawful basis exists and, where required, we will provide further information.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Performance of a Contract

We process your personal data where it is necessary to provide a quote, arrange a booking, carry out carpet cleaning services, issue invoices, or manage your account. Without this information, we may be unable to deliver the service you requested.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, business record keeping, fraud prevention, handling customer complaints, and improving our operations. When we rely on this basis, we consider whether our use of your data is proportionate and privacy-preserving.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with legal obligations, such as tax law, accounting requirements, health and safety obligations, or insurance-related record keeping.

Consent

Where required, we will ask for your consent, for example for certain marketing communications or optional follow-up messages. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect processing carried out before that withdrawal.

4. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and why it was collected.

Customer and booking records are retained for the time needed to provide services and manage any follow-up matters.
Financial and invoice records are typically retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Communications and complaint records may be kept for a reasonable period to support service history and resolve disputes.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or until they are no longer needed.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete it, anonymise it, or otherwise dispose of it in a safe and lawful manner. We review retention practices periodically to ensure data is not kept for longer than necessary.

5. Processors and Data Sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These parties are only allowed to process your information under our instructions and must protect it appropriately. Processors may include:

booking and scheduling providers;
payment processing services;
accounting and bookkeeping software providers;
email, messaging, and customer communication tools;
cloud storage and IT service providers;
CRM or record-management systems;
professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data to public authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement where we are legally required to do so or where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, customers, staff, or property.

We do not sell your personal data. If any transfer of personal data outside the UK is necessary through a service provider, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable law.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access to data on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed as completely secure. If we become aware of a data incident affecting your personal information, we will respond in line with our legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you have rights in relation to your personal data. These include the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
Erase your data in certain situations;
Restrict processing in certain situations;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable;
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. Some rights may not apply in every case, especially where we must retain information for legal, regulatory, or contractual reasons.

8. Marketing Communications

Where permitted, we may send occasional service updates or promotions that relate to our services. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time. If you choose to opt out, we will stop sending marketing messages, though we may still contact you for service, administrative, or legal reasons.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property occupants arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children. If any data relating to a child is unavoidably included in service records, it will be handled carefully and only where necessary.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal duties, or data handling practices. The most current version will apply to your use of our services. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how your information is protected.

11. Contact and Further Information

This policy is intended to provide a clear explanation of how personal data is managed by Richmonduponthames Carpetcleaning. If you have questions about this policy, your data rights, or how your information is handled, you may raise your concerns through the usual customer communication channels provided by the business.

Important note: This policy applies to all Richmonduponthames Carpetcleaning customers in the area and should be read alongside any service terms or booking information provided at the time of purchase.

Last updated: May 2026