Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Pimlico Carpetcleaning collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Pimlico Carpetcleaning customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us for a quotation, booking, or service enquiry.

1. Introduction

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way. We respect your privacy and aim to ensure that any personal information we process is used only for legitimate business purposes and retained only for as long as necessary. This policy is designed to help you understand what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services or submitting your information to us, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy.

2. Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The information we collect may include:

Identity data, such as your name.
Contact data, such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service data, such as details of the cleaning service requested, property access notes, preferred appointment times, and service history.
Communication data, such as messages, enquiry details, complaint records, and notes from conversations.
Billing and payment data, where relevant, such as payment status, invoice details, and transaction references.
Technical data, if you interact with our digital systems, such as device information or basic usage information used for security and service improvement.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. However, if you voluntarily provide information that is sensitive or special in nature, we will only process it where there is a valid legal basis and where it is necessary for the specific purpose disclosed to you.

3. How We Use Your Data

We process personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To manage bookings and deliver cleaning services.
To communicate with you before, during, and after a service.
To process invoices, payments, and accounting records.
To keep service records for quality control and customer support.
To manage complaints, disputes, and legal claims.
To improve our operations, customer experience, and service planning.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

We only use personal data for legitimate and clearly defined purposes. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, delivering cleaning services, confirming appointments, issuing invoices, and handling related service communications.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer records, improving services, preventing fraud, maintaining security, and resolving disputes. We always consider whether the processing is reasonable and proportionate.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain data where required by law, including tax, accounting, or compliance obligations.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where we need permission to send certain types of optional marketing communication. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in most carpet cleaning services, but we may process data in exceptional circumstances where necessary to protect someone’s vital interests or where required by law.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, but only when necessary and only to the extent needed for service delivery, legal compliance, or business administration. These third parties may act as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers that store or support customer records and business systems.
Accounting and invoicing providers that help with financial administration.
Payment service providers that process transactions securely.
Communication service providers used to send service-related messages.
Professional advisers, such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers, where necessary.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, only according to our instructions, and in compliance with applicable data protection law. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period may vary depending on the nature of the data and the reason we hold it.

Customer service records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage follow-up support, service history, and disputes.
Invoice and payment records are generally retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be retained for business administration, complaint resolution, and legal protection.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, or alteration. These measures may include access restrictions, secure storage, staff awareness, and controlled sharing with third parties.

Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work hard to minimise risk and protect your information.

8. Your Rights

You have rights over your personal data under data protection law. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these may include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification if your data is inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to erasure, also known as the right to be forgotten, in certain circumstances.
The right to restrict processing in certain situations.
The right to data portability for data you have provided to us, where applicable.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Rights relating to automated decision-making, if such processing ever applies.

You also have the right to withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

9. Marketing Communications

We may send service-related communications where necessary for bookings, updates, reminders, or important customer notices. Where marketing messages are sent, we will only do so when we have a lawful basis to do so. You can object to direct marketing at any time, and we will stop sending such messages where required by law.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use websites or digital tools that rely on cookies or similar technologies, these may be used for essential functionality, security, performance monitoring, or basic analytics. Any non-essential cookies will only be used where permitted by law. You can manage cookie settings through your browser or device settings.

11. Children’s Data

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

12. 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 or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

13. Complaints and Further Rights

If you have concerns about how we process your personal data, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in the UK. We would also appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly, as many issues can be resolved quickly and fairly through communication.

Pimlico Carpetcleaning is committed to maintaining privacy, transparency, and accountability in all data handling activities. We will always aim to process personal information in a way that is lawful, fair, and secure, and consistent with your rights and reasonable expectations.