Privacy Policy - Brixton Carpetcleaning

Effective for all Brixton Carpetcleaning customers in our service area. This Privacy Policy explains how Brixton Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all customers, prospective customers, and website or enquiry users in the Brixton Carpetcleaning area.

1. Who we are

Brixton Carpetcleaning is a service provider offering carpet cleaning and associated domestic and commercial cleaning services. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as a data controller in relation to the personal data we collect and use in connection with our services.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Personal data we collect

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

Identity data such as your name, title, or business name.
Contact data such as your address, email address, and phone number.
Service data such as cleaning requirements, property access details, service history, appointment preferences, and notes relevant to the work requested.
Payment and billing data such as invoice details, payment status, and transaction records.
Communication data such as messages, enquiry details, complaints, feedback, and records of correspondence.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, including basic device or usage information where relevant for security and service performance.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and appropriate for a specific service, and only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data to carry out our business activities and provide services effectively. This includes:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
Booking, managing, and delivering cleaning services.
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and handling refunds where applicable.
Maintaining service records and customer history.
Improving our services and customer experience.
Managing complaints, disputes, and service follow-up.
Meeting tax, accounting, and other legal obligations.
Protecting our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We only process data for the purposes stated in this policy or for purposes that are reasonably compatible with them.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Depending on the situation, Brixton Carpetcleaning may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling bookings, service delivery, billing, and related customer management.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain data where required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, such as tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override ours. Examples include maintaining business records, improving services, preventing fraud, and handling customer communications. We always consider whether our interests are appropriate and proportionate.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where optional marketing communications are sent or where a particular use of data requires it. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us run our business and deliver services. These parties act as processors when they process data on our instructions, or as independent controllers where they determine their own purposes.

Typical processors and service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers that support our systems, storage, and communication tools.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that help with invoicing, tax records, and financial administration.
Payment service providers that process card or electronic payments securely.
Customer management or scheduling tools used to manage appointments and service records.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors where necessary.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, only on our documented instructions, and in compliance with data protection law. We do not sell personal data.

Where required by law, we may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement bodies.

6. Data retention

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

As a general approach:

Customer service and appointment records are kept for the duration of the business relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Invoice and payment records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint and correspondence records are kept long enough to resolve issues and manage future reference needs.
Data collected with consent is kept until consent is withdrawn or it is no longer needed.

When 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 appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access restrictions, secure storage, password protection, and careful handling of paper and electronic records.

While we work hard to safeguard data, no system is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we review our practices regularly to maintain appropriate protection.

8. Your rights

You have a number of rights under data protection law in relation to the personal data we hold about you. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions under the law. They include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – to ask us to delete personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to request that we limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your data is handled. If you believe your rights have been infringed, you may also complain to the relevant supervisory authority.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

If we use a website or online tools, we may use cookies or similar technologies for basic functionality, security, and service improvement. Where consent is required, we will seek it in a clear and lawful way. You can manage browser settings to control cookies, though some features may not function properly without them.

10. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that your data remains protected to the standard required by law. This may include use of approved contractual safeguards or transfers to countries with recognised adequate protection.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data processing practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

12. Summary of your protection

Brixton Carpetcleaning only uses personal data where we have a clear lawful basis, keeps it only as long as necessary, and works with processors that must protect it appropriately. We aim to process data transparently and respectfully, while recognising your rights and ensuring this policy applies to all Brixton Carpetcleaning customers in our area.

If you have questions about how your personal data is handled, you should review the relevant rights and legal information provided under data protection law.