Privacy Policy

Mottingham Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Mottingham 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 Mottingham Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who contact us for services or enquiries.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Mottingham Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for personal information collected in connection with our carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, and related domestic or commercial cleaning services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is used.

2. Information We Collect

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

• Identity information, such as your name and any preferred title.
• Contact details, such as your address, phone number, and email address.
• Service details, including the type of cleaning requested, property access instructions, appointment preferences, and information about the condition of items or areas to be cleaned.
• Billing and payment information, such as payment status, transaction references, and invoicing details.
• Communication records, including messages, notes from enquiries, complaints, and service updates.
• Technical information if you contact us electronically, such as device and usage data where necessary for security or service performance.
• Special category data only where strictly necessary and with appropriate safeguards, for example if you choose to tell us about allergies, medical sensitivities, or access needs relevant to service delivery.

We aim to collect only the data that is necessary and relevant to provide our services effectively and safely.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
• To arrange and deliver cleaning services.
• To manage appointments, changes, and cancellations.
• To issue invoices, take payments, and maintain financial records.
• To communicate about service updates, customer support, and complaints.
• To improve our services and maintain business records.
• To comply with legal obligations, including tax and accounting requirements.
• To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We do not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those listed above unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. 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:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes preparing quotes, scheduling services, and completing cleaning work.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, or record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include business administration, service improvement, preventing fraud, handling complaints, and maintaining operational security.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may ask for your consent, particularly where processing involves optional communications or sensitive information not otherwise required for service provision. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, depending on the nature of the service. These may include:

• Payment service providers for processing transactions securely.
• Accounting or bookkeeping providers who support financial administration.
• IT and data storage providers that host our systems, files, or communications tools.
• Communication service providers used to send appointment confirmations or updates.
• Professional advisers such as insurers, lawyers, or accountants where needed.
• Public authorities or regulators where disclosure is required by law.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely, use it only on our instructions, and comply with applicable data protection obligations. We do not sell your personal data.

6. International Transfers

If any of our service providers store or process data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal measures recognised under data protection law.

7. 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 obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

• Customer and service records are typically retained for a reasonable period after the completion of services to manage queries, disputes, or repeat bookings.
• Financial and invoicing records are kept for the period required under tax and accounting laws.
• Communication records may be retained for business reference, complaint handling, or service improvement.

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

8. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and limited access to information on a need-to-know basis.

While we work hard to safeguard your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data breach occurs that is likely to pose a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in accordance with legal obligations, including notifying affected individuals and regulators where required.

9. Your Rights

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data, subject to certain conditions and exemptions:

• Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to erasure – to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
• Right to data portability – to receive certain information in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
• Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children as part of normal service delivery. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will take appropriate steps to delete it unless there is a lawful reason to retain it.

11. Marketing Communications

We may send limited service-related communications where necessary to manage appointments, quotes, or follow-up matters. Where we send optional marketing communications, we will do so only if permitted by law and, where required, with your consent. You may opt out of marketing at any time. We will always respect your preferences.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Mottingham Carpet Cleaners is dedicated to handling customer information lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We only collect the data we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it for appropriate periods, and rely on trusted processors who protect it to required standards. We respect your rights and aim to make our data practices clear and accountable for every customer in the Mottingham area.