Privacy Policy - Mortlake Carpet Cleaners

Mortlake Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in our service area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Mortlake Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about, book, receive, or pay for our carpet cleaning and related services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Mortlake Carpet Cleaners is the data controller of the personal information described in this policy. This means we decide why and how your personal data is processed when you use our services, communicate with us, or interact with us in connection with a booking or enquiry.

2. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the delivery of our services, administration, legal compliance, and improvement of our customer experience. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the services you request, your property type, appointment preferences, and cleaning requirements.
Payment information such as payment status, billing records, and partial payment details processed through secure providers.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, and feedback.
Technical information where applicable, such as basic website or device data used for security and service management.
Special instructions you provide about access, parking, health and safety, or vulnerable items.

We do not intentionally collect more personal data than is required for the services we provide. We do not seek sensitive personal data unless you choose to share it with us for a specific reason, such as access needs or service limitations.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To arrange, manage, and complete cleaning services.
To contact you about appointments, service updates, and customer support.
To process payments, refunds, and invoices.
To maintain internal records and service history.
To handle complaints, disputes, and insurance-related matters.
To comply with our legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To improve our operations, training, and service quality.
To protect against fraud, misuse, and security incidents.

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe we need to use it for another compatible purpose and the law allows us to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Mortlake Carpet Cleaners relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing a quote, confirming a booking, delivering cleaning services, and handling payment.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include service administration, record keeping, customer communication, fraud prevention, and business improvement.

Legal Obligation

We may process certain data to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, and record retention requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where we seek permission to send optional marketing messages or to use information not otherwise required for service delivery. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and provide our services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide. We require them to protect your data and process it only in accordance with our instructions or their own legal obligations.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment processors that handle card or online payments securely.
IT and cloud service providers that store records, emails, and business systems.
Booking or administration platforms used to manage customer requests and schedules.
Accountants and professional advisers for tax, finance, or compliance support.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where a complaint or incident requires review.
Subcontractors or employees who need access to customer details to complete a service visit.

We do not sell your personal data. We do not allow processors to use your data for their own unrelated purposes. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of data and the purpose for which it is used.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for a reasonable period to support service history, warranties, and dispute handling.
Financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained for customer support, quality control, and evidence in the event of a complaint.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention procedures.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and supplier due diligence. While no system can be completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection proportional to the risks involved.

8. Your Rights

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

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 information.
Right to erasure – in some cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has not been handled properly. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concern promptly.

9. Marketing Preferences

If we send optional marketing communications, you may opt out at any time. We will not send marketing messages where you have told us you do not wish to receive them, and we will respect your preferences in accordance with applicable law.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging domestic or commercial cleaning. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that information has been collected from a child without appropriate consent or lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our practices, or our services. The latest version will always apply to your use of our services and your interactions with Mortlake Carpet Cleaners. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to remain informed about how their data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitments

In summary, Mortlake Carpet Cleaners only processes personal data where there is a valid legal basis, keeps it for no longer than necessary, uses trusted processors with appropriate safeguards, and respects your rights under the UK GDPR. We are committed to handling customer information fairly, securely, and transparently for everyone in our service area.