Privacy Policy - Cleaners Surrey

Cleaners Surrey is committed to protecting the privacy of all customers in the Surrey area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when we provide cleaning services to all Cleaners Surrey customers in the area. It also explains the rights available to you under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

This Privacy Policy applies to personal data processed by Cleaners Surrey in connection with our domestic, commercial, and specialist cleaning services. We act as a data controller for the personal data we collect and use to manage customer accounts, bookings, service delivery, billing, communication, and related business operations.

By using our services, requesting a quote, making a booking, or communicating with us, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services and operating our business. Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect the following categories of information:

• Identity data such as your name and title.
• Contact data such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
• Service data such as booking details, cleaning preferences, property access notes, and service history.
• Billing and transaction data such as payment records, invoice details, and payment status.
• Communication data such as messages, complaints, feedback, and support requests.
• Technical data such as basic device or browser information if you interact with us through digital systems.
• Special category data only where strictly necessary and where you have provided it to us, for example information relating to access arrangements or health-related instructions that affect service delivery.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. Where possible, we encourage customers to avoid sharing unnecessary personal information.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

• request a quote or booking;
• communicate with us by phone, email, or online forms;
• provide feedback or make a complaint;
• pay for services or request an invoice;
• arrange service instructions or property access details.

We may also receive information from third parties where necessary, such as payment providers, referral partners, or professional advisers. When data is obtained from a third party, we only use it for the purpose for which it was provided and in line with applicable law.

4. Why We Use Your Data and Our Lawful Basis

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. We use personal data only where one or more of the following legal bases applies:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, carrying out cleaning services, sending service confirmations, and handling payments.

Legal obligation

We may process certain information to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, and fraud prevention obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes service administration, business improvement, handling customer queries, and protecting against misuse or security risks.

Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on your consent. For example, if we ever need to process optional marketing data or certain types of sensitive information beyond what is required for the service, we will ask for your clear agreement. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

Vital interests

In rare cases, we may process data to protect someone’s life or safety, for example if urgent access information is needed in an emergency.

5. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide and manage cleaning services;
• to respond to enquiries and customer requests;
• to prepare quotes, invoices, and receipts;
• to arrange appointments and service schedules;
• to maintain service records and quality standards;
• to deal with complaints, disputes, or claims;
• to comply with legal and financial requirements;
• to protect our business, staff, customers, and property;
• to improve our services and internal operations.

We do not sell your personal data. We only use your data in ways that are relevant to the services we provide and the obligations we must meet.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, but only where necessary and lawful. These parties may include:

• Payment processors who handle transactions securely.
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration and tax compliance.
• IT and cloud service providers who support our storage, email, and business systems.
• Customer management or scheduling tools used to organise bookings and service records.
• Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers.
• Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety.

Where we use processors, they are required to act only on our instructions, apply appropriate security measures, and process data in compliance with data protection law. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party handling personal data does so responsibly and securely.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and to satisfy legal, accounting, contractual, or operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

In general:

• customer and service records are kept for as long as needed to manage the service relationship;
• financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law;
• communication records are retained for a reasonable period to resolve disputes or maintain service history;
• data that is no longer needed is securely deleted or anonymised.

When data is no longer required, we take steps to ensure it is disposed of securely and appropriately.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, password protection, secure storage, and careful management of information shared with third parties.

Although we work to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and we are legally required to do so, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals in accordance with data protection law.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the data in accordance with applicable law. This may include use of adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protective measures.

10. Your Rights

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These may include:

• 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 data.
• Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
• Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal or contractual limitations. If you wish to exercise any of your rights, we will respond in line with applicable data protection law and within the required timeframes.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for service-related reasons and provided by an adult responsible for the booking. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or the way we process personal data. Any updates will take effect when published or otherwise communicated to customers where appropriate.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Cleaners Surrey is dedicated to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We only collect what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it for a limited period, and protect it using appropriate safeguards. This Privacy Policy applies to all Cleaners Surrey customers in the area and is intended to explain our privacy practices in a clear and accessible way.