Privacy Policy - Marks Gate Carpet Cleaners

Marks Gate Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you use our services. It applies to all Marks Gate Carpet Cleaners customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us for a quote, booking, or service enquiry.

This policy is written in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It sets out what data we collect, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep information, who processes data on our behalf, and what rights you have over your personal information.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage bookings, respond to enquiries, and meet legal or operational obligations. The type of information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name.
Contact details such as your address, phone number, and email address.
Service information such as property access details, carpet cleaning requirements, preferred appointment times, and notes relating to the work requested.
Billing information such as invoice details and payment status.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, and service feedback.
Technical information if you interact with digital systems used by us or our providers, such as basic device or usage data where relevant for security or functionality.

We do not seek to collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and lawful to do so. If such information is ever provided to us incidentally, we will treat it with appropriate care and protection.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide carpet cleaning and related services.
To arrange quotations, bookings, and service visits.
To communicate with you about your appointment or enquiry.
To issue invoices, record payments, and manage accounts.
To keep internal records and improve our service quality.
To handle complaints, disputes, or service queries.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only process your data where we have a valid and lawful reason to do so. We do not sell your personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract

We process your information when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. For example, this includes arranging and delivering carpet cleaning services, confirming appointments, and processing payments.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain personal data where we are required to do so by law, such as for tax records, accounting, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include managing bookings, maintaining service records, preventing fraud, improving operations, and handling customer support. We always consider whether our interests are balanced against your privacy rights.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional forms of communication or non-essential processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These third parties act as processors when they process personal data on our instructions. We only use processors that are contractually required to protect your data and use it only for agreed purposes.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Accounting and bookkeeping providers who help us manage invoices, payments, and records.
IT and cloud storage providers who support secure data storage, email, and business systems.
Customer communication tools used for booking confirmations or service updates.
Payment service providers that help process card or electronic payments.
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, by a court order, or to protect our rights, customers, staff, or property. If data is shared outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with data protection law.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend 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 service relationship and after that for a limited time to deal with queries or disputes.
Invoice and transaction records are typically retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records are kept for as long as needed to handle customer care, complaints, or operational reference.
Security or system records may be retained for a shorter period where needed for fraud prevention or technical integrity.

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

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data we hold and the risks associated with its processing. Although no system is completely secure, we work to reduce risks through access controls, secure storage, and careful handling of customer information.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal conditions or exceptions, depending on the circumstances.

Right of access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction – you can request limited processing in some situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases direct marketing-related processing.
Right to data portability – where applicable, you can request a copy of data in a usable format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We aim to respect these rights and respond within the time limits set by law. If a request is complex, we may need more time, but we will keep you informed.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use online systems that involve cookies or similar technologies, these may be used for basic functionality, security, and performance. Where required, we will provide appropriate information and choices about such technologies. Any non-essential cookies will only be used in accordance with applicable law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service request made by an adult customer and only to the extent required for that service. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without a proper basis, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. When we make material changes, we will update the policy text accordingly. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we process personal data.

11. Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data is handled, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly. You also have the right to seek independent legal advice if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

12. Summary of Key Points

This Privacy Policy explains how Marks Gate Carpet Cleaners collects and uses customer data for service delivery, communication, invoicing, and compliance. We process data on the bases of contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and where needed, consent. We retain information only for as long as necessary, share it only with trusted processors, and respect your rights under data protection law.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

This policy applies to all Marks Gate Carpet Cleaners customers in area.