Privacy Policy - Cleaners Richmond

Cleaners Richmond is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Richmond area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Cleaners Richmond customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our cleaning services.

We aim to be transparent about what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over your information. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide, manage, and improve our cleaning services. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information, such as your name and title.
Contact details, including address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information, such as the type of cleaning requested, property access details, preferred schedule, and special instructions.
Billing information, such as invoicing details and payment records.
Communication records, including emails, messages, complaints, and service feedback.
Technical information, where relevant, such as basic website or device information if you contact us through online channels.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you voluntarily provide it and it is necessary for a specific service request. Special category data may include information relating to health, accessibility needs, or other sensitive matters. If such data is shared with us, we handle it carefully and only where lawful and necessary.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your data for the following purposes:

To arrange and deliver cleaning services.
To manage bookings, changes, and cancellations.
To communicate with you about your service requests.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To respond to queries, complaints, or requests.
To improve our services and maintain quality standards.
To meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only process data that is relevant and limited to what is needed for these purposes. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

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 rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract: Processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes managing bookings, delivering cleaning services, and handling payments.
Legitimate interests: Processing may be necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as maintaining accurate records, improving service quality, managing customer communications, and protecting our business, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests.
Legal obligation: We may process and retain certain information to comply with tax, accounting, employment, or other legal requirements.
Consent: In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example if you choose to receive certain marketing communications or provide sensitive information for a specific purpose. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Where we process special category data, we will do so only where a separate lawful condition applies, such as explicit consent or another condition permitted by law.

4. How We Share Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to operate our services safely and effectively. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers that handle card or online payments.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that support our financial records.
IT and cloud storage providers that help us store and secure data.
Communication tools used to send service updates or respond to enquiries.
Professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where needed.

We require our processors to handle personal data securely, use it only for specified purposes, and comply with data protection law. We may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, insurers, or legal representatives where required by law or necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. The retention period depends on the type of data and the reason it is held.

In general:

Customer service records are kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and transaction records are typically kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Complaints, disputes, or claims may be kept longer if needed to resolve issues or comply with legal obligations.
Information held on the basis of consent is retained until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely destroy it. Retention is reviewed regularly to ensure information is not kept for longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, and staff awareness procedures.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will assess the risk and notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals where required by law.

7. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal 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 data.
Right to erasure: In certain cases, you can request that we delete your data.
Right to restriction: You can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to data portability: You can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits required by law unless an exemption applies.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults responsible for arranging cleaning services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing or service administration. If we become aware that children’s data has been collected unintentionally, we will take appropriate steps to delete it unless there is a lawful reason to retain it.

9. Marketing Communications

We may send you service-related communications that are necessary to manage your booking or account. We may also send marketing messages where permitted by law and where you have opted in or we have another lawful basis. You can opt out of marketing at any time. Service messages will still be sent where necessary for operational or legal reasons.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or the way we process personal data. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated to you. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Cleaners Richmond processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, share it only with trusted processors or when required by law, and keep it only for as long as necessary. We respect your rights and strive to protect your privacy at every stage of our service.