Privacy Policy - Cleaners Croydon

This Privacy Policy explains how Cleaners Croydon collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to its customers in the Croydon area. It applies to all Cleaners Croydon customers in the area, including prospective clients, current customers, and anyone who has enquired about services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Personal Data We Collect

To provide cleaning services effectively and safely, Cleaners Croydon may collect and process different categories of personal data. The type of information collected depends on how you interact with us and the services requested.

Information you provide directly

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, company or property name.
Contact details including telephone number, email address, and service address.
Service information such as booking preferences, requested cleaning tasks, access instructions, and special requirements.
Payment-related details needed to process invoices, payments, or refunds.
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.

Information collected automatically or indirectly

Appointment and service records such as dates, times, frequency of visits, and job notes.
Technical information when you communicate digitally, which may include device type, browser type, and basic usage information.
Security and access information where relevant to the provision of services at a property.

We only collect information that is necessary for delivering our cleaning services, managing business operations, maintaining safety, and complying with legal obligations. We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and lawful to do so.

2. How We Use Your Data

Cleaners Croydon uses personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To schedule and deliver cleaning services.
To manage customer accounts, bookings, and service changes.
To process payments, refunds, and accounting records.
To communicate service updates, confirmations, and important notices.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests.
To improve our services, quality control, and internal operations.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud or misuse.

Where needed, we may also use data to ensure that services are carried out safely and appropriately, for example by recording access instructions or special cleaning requirements. We only use personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful reason to use it otherwise.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Cleaners Croydon relies on the following lawful bases depending on the situation:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, delivering services, sending invoices, and managing service delivery.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, quality assurance, business recordkeeping, fraud prevention, and responding to customer enquiries.

Legal obligation

Some data must be processed to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, safeguarding, and recordkeeping requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for optional communications or non-essential processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will always ensure that our processing is proportionate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the relevant purpose.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

Cleaners Croydon may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us run our business and provide services. These parties act as data processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Types of processors we may use

Payment processors to handle card payments, invoicing, and related financial transactions.
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage, communication tools, and business administration.
Scheduling and booking systems used to manage appointments and service allocation.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.
Operational subcontractors involved in delivering cleaning services when appropriate.

We only share the minimum amount of data necessary for the relevant service. All processors are required to handle personal data securely, use it only on our instructions, and comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell your personal data.

In rare cases, we may disclose personal data if required by law, court order, regulator, or law enforcement authority, or to protect our legal rights, staff, or customers.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the context in which it is used.

Typical retention periods

Customer and booking records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint or dispute records may be kept longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.
Inactive or unnecessary data is securely deleted or anonymised when no longer needed.

We review retained data regularly to ensure it is still needed. When personal data is no longer required, we take appropriate steps to delete, destroy, or anonymise it securely.

6. Data Security

Cleaners Croydon takes the security of personal data seriously. We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, confidentiality obligations, and careful handling procedures.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs that is likely to pose a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will take appropriate action in line with legal requirements.

7. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions.

Your rights include:

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 information.
Right to erasure – in certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction – you may request that we limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
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.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with household services and provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully or without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it.

9. International Transfers

Where data is processed by a provider outside the United Kingdom, we ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect your information. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. 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 updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their personal data is handled.

11. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or how we handle information, you may contact us through the usual customer communication channels used for service arrangements and account management. We will respond to legitimate data protection requests in accordance with applicable law.

Cleaners Croydon is committed to protecting privacy and ensuring that all customer data is processed responsibly, transparently, and securely. This policy applies to all Cleaners Croydon customers in the Croydon area.