Privacy Policy - Bellingham Carpet Cleaners

Bellingham 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 when we provide carpet cleaning and related services. It applies to all Bellingham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, book appointments, receive services, or otherwise interact with us.

1. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy covers personal data processed by Bellingham Carpet Cleaners in connection with our domestic and commercial carpet cleaning services, stain treatment, upholstery cleaning, deodorising, inspection visits, customer support, invoicing, and record keeping. It applies regardless of whether you communicate with us by phone, email, online form, text message, or in person.

We only process personal information that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, meeting legal obligations, and operating our business responsibly. We aim to handle data in a fair, transparent, and secure manner in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Identity details: name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
• Contact details: postal address, email address, and telephone number.
• Service details: information about your property, rooms, carpet type, stains, cleaning requirements, access notes, and appointment preferences.
• Payment and billing information: payment status, invoice details, and transaction records. We do not retain unnecessary full payment card details where these are handled by secure payment processors.
• Communication records: messages, quotes, complaints, service notes, and feedback.
• Technical and website-related data: if you use our digital services, we may collect basic technical information such as device type, browser information, and usage data through cookies or similar technologies, where applicable.

We may also collect limited information about access or service conditions that are necessary to complete a job safely and effectively. In rare cases, a customer may voluntarily share information that is sensitive in nature. We ask customers not to provide unnecessary special category data unless it is essential to the service.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide quotations and respond to enquiries;
• to schedule, deliver, and manage cleaning services;
• to communicate with you before, during, and after appointments;
• to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records;
• to manage customer service, complaints, and service quality;
• to maintain internal records and business administration;
• to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
• to prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
• to improve our services, training, and operational efficiency.

We do not use customer data for unrelated purposes that would be unexpected or unfair. Where any new use of data is required, we will ensure it is compatible with the original purpose or obtain additional permission where needed.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Performance of a contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide a quote, complete a booking, carry out cleaning services, manage payments, and fulfil our obligations to you as a customer.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is in our legitimate interests to operate and improve our business, respond to customer enquiries, maintain records, protect our services, and manage customer relationships, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests.

Legal obligation

We process certain data when required to comply with legal duties, including accounting, tax, and record-keeping obligations, as well as responding to lawful requests from authorities where applicable.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for specific optional communications or particular types of data use. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These organisations act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We only share the data necessary for the relevant purpose and require appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

• Payment processors that securely handle card or electronic payments;
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help manage invoices and tax records;
• IT and cloud storage providers that support data storage, email, and business systems;
• Customer communication tools used to send booking confirmations or service updates;
• Scheduling or operational software providers that help organise appointments and service records.

We may also disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, regulator, insurer, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our business, customers, or others. When processors are used, they are expected to process personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with applicable data protection obligations.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, and operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it is held.

In general:

• customer service and booking records are retained for the period needed to manage the relationship and resolve follow-up issues;
• invoice, payment, and accounting records are retained for the period required by tax and financial laws;
• communications and complaint records are retained for a reasonable time to support service quality and dispute handling;
• unused enquiry data may be deleted after a shorter period if no service is booked.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices. We do not keep personal information indefinitely.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality practices, and regular review of our systems and procedures.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take data protection seriously and work to reduce risk at every stage of processing. If a personal data breach were to occur, we would assess it promptly and take steps in line with legal obligations.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have important rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and verification of identity, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you;
• Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Erasure of your data in certain circumstances;
• Restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• Data portability for information you provided to us where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your personal data is handled. If you believe we have not dealt with your data properly, you may also complain to the relevant supervisory authority.

We encourage customers to contact us first to resolve any privacy concerns quickly and transparently.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidentally provided as part of a property visit or service interaction and is necessary for safety or communication. Where such data is encountered, it is handled carefully and only for legitimate service-related purposes.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our business practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Bellingham Carpet Cleaners is committed to lawful, fair, and transparent processing of personal data. We collect only the information we need, use it for clear business purposes, protect it with appropriate security measures, and keep it only as long as necessary. We respect your rights and aim to maintain trust with every customer in our service area.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Bellingham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area.