Privacy Policy - Bow Carpet Cleaners

Effective Date: This Privacy Policy explains how Bow Carpet Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Bow Carpet Cleaners customers in the area and to anyone who interacts with our services, whether by requesting a quote, making a booking, receiving a service, or communicating with us in any way.

1. Introduction

Bow Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting personal data and respecting the privacy of every individual whose information we process. We handle personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This Privacy Policy sets out what data we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to you.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy.

2. Data We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide and manage our services effectively. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name;
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number;
Service information such as the type of cleaning requested, appointment details, property access notes, and service preferences;
Payment information such as transaction records and limited payment details required to process payments or issue invoices;
Communication data such as messages, complaints, feedback, and records of correspondence;
Technical information that may be collected when you interact with digital systems used to manage bookings or enquiries, such as basic device or usage details;
Special instructions you choose to provide, for example where you report allergies, delicate flooring, or access requirements.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed for lawful business purposes. If you provide data about another person, you should ensure that you have the right to do so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to arrange, confirm, and complete bookings;
to deliver cleaning services safely and efficiently;
to manage payments, invoices, and account records;
to maintain service quality, handle complaints, and resolve disputes;
to comply with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations;
to prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
to improve our operations and customer service;
to keep records of consent or preferences where required.

We only process personal data where it is necessary and proportionate to the purpose for which it was collected.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to use personal data. Bow Carpet Cleaners relies on 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 quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out cleaning services, taking payment, and managing related administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data when needed to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, taxation, health and safety requirements, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include improving services, maintaining internal records, securing our systems, and handling customer communication.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is legally required for specific communications or optional processing. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

Special category data is not usually required. If you voluntarily provide such information, we will only process it where a lawful condition applies and where it is necessary to protect your interests or provide the requested service.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy and to meet legal, accounting, or operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

Booking and customer records are kept for a period necessary to manage services, respond to complaints, and maintain business records;
Financial and invoice records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws;
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to deal with follow-up queries or disputes;
Consent records are kept as long as needed to demonstrate compliance;
Data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

When data is no longer needed, we ensure that it is disposed of securely and in a manner that protects confidentiality.

6. Processors and Third Parties

We may use trusted third-party service providers, also known as processors, to help us operate our business. These processors only act on our instructions and are required to protect personal data and use it lawfully.

Examples of processors may include:

Booking and administration providers that assist with scheduling and record management;
Payment service providers that process transactions securely;
IT and cloud service providers that store or support business systems;
Communication service providers that help deliver messages or updates;
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where needed for compliance.

We may also disclose data to public authorities, regulators, insurers, or law enforcement agencies where required by law or where necessary to protect our rights, customers, or business operations. We do not sell personal data.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or misuse. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and careful handling of records. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risks and maintain a high standard of protection.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limitations, but we will always assess each request carefully and respond appropriately.

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
Right to erasure – you may ask us to delete your data where there is a valid legal basis to do so;
Right to restriction – you may request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances;
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests;
Right to data portability – you may request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format;
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain – you may raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We encourage customers to contact us with any privacy concerns so that we can address them promptly and fairly.

9. Data Sharing and International Transfers

Where we use processors or service providers, your data may be shared with them only to the extent necessary for them to perform their role. If any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it in accordance with applicable data protection law.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or how we operate. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review it periodically to stay informed about how their information is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Bow Carpet Cleaners is committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only the data needed to provide our services, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. We also respect your privacy rights and aim to support every customer in the area with responsible data handling practices.

This policy applies to all Bow Carpet Cleaners customers in the area.