Privacy Policy - Cleaners Tooting

This Privacy Policy explains how Cleaners Tooting collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Cleaners Tooting customers in the area, including current, prospective, and former customers who use or enquire about our cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Cleaners Tooting acts as the data controller in relation to the personal data we collect and process about our customers, suppliers, and service users. This means we decide why and how personal data is used. We only process personal information where there is a valid lawful basis and where it is necessary for a specific purpose connected to our cleaning services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as name and title
Contact details such as address, email address, and phone number
Service details such as property access instructions, cleaning preferences, appointment times, and service history
Payment-related information such as billing records and payment confirmation
Communications including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and service-related messages
Technical information if you interact with our digital systems, such as device identifiers or usage data

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. However, if you voluntarily provide information that may reveal sensitive details, we will only process it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and manage cleaning services
To arrange bookings, confirm appointments, and manage schedules
To communicate about service updates, changes, or service issues
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain records
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer requests
To maintain safety, security, and quality standards
To comply with legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations
To improve our services and customer experience

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the original purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a valid reason to use it for another lawful purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, delivering cleaning services, and handling payments.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include improving our services, maintaining business records, preventing fraud, and managing service communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal duties, such as accounting, taxation, or responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly where it is needed for optional communications or the use of certain categories of information. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that assist us in operating our business. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and only according to our instructions. They are required to handle information securely and to use it only for the agreed purpose.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment processors for handling transactions
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage and system support
Communication providers for sending service-related messages
Administrative support providers for booking and record management

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, regulatory obligation, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

6. 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 requirements. The exact retention period depends on the type of information and the reason we hold it.

Customer service records are retained for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law
Complaint and communication records may be retained to resolve disputes and improve service quality
Technical records are retained only as long as needed for security, troubleshooting, and operational purposes

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and data minimisation. While we make every reasonable effort to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

8. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. This may include transferring data only to countries recognised as providing adequate protection or using approved contractual safeguards.

9. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these include:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten
The right to restrict processing in certain situations
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
The right to data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been breached. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve the issue promptly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are aimed at adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the course of providing a service and there is a lawful basis to do so. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully from a child, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Cleaners Tooting is committed to using personal data responsibly, securely, and transparently. We only collect data that is necessary for delivering our cleaning services and managing our business. We rely on clear lawful bases, retain data for appropriate periods, use trusted processors, and respect your rights under data protection law. Our approach is designed to protect your privacy while allowing us to provide reliable services to all customers in the area.