Privacy Policy - Cleaners W4

This Privacy Policy explains how Cleaners W4 collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to our customers and website visitors in the W4 area. It applies to all Cleaners W4 customers in the area, including anyone who requests, receives, or enquires about our cleaning services. We are committed to handling personal data in a way that is lawful, fair, transparent, and consistent with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or otherwise engaging with Cleaners W4, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our relationship with you, and meeting legal obligations. The types of data we may collect include:

• Identity information: name, title, and, where relevant, company name.
• Contact details: address, email address, and telephone number.
• Service information: property access notes, cleaning preferences, service frequency, and appointment details.
• Billing and payment information: invoice details, payment status, and transaction records.
• Communication records: emails, messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and service updates.
• Technical data: if you interact with digital services, we may receive IP address, device information, browser type, and usage data.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, for example where information is required to support an accessibility need or an agreed service arrangement. If such data is ever processed, it will only be done where a valid lawful basis exists and appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide cleaning services and manage bookings;
• to communicate with you about appointments, changes, and service issues;
• to process payments, issue invoices, and maintain records;
• to respond to enquiries, feedback, or complaints;
• to improve our services, internal processes, and customer experience;
• to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
• to prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access;
• to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose. If we need to use it for an unrelated purpose, we will explain the legal basis for doing so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Cleaners W4 relies on the following lawful bases, depending on the nature of the data and the purpose of the processing:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to perform our contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes arranging services, managing bookings, providing cleaning, and handling billing.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, customer support, fraud prevention, quality control, and internal record keeping.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain personal data to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, taxation, insurance, health and safety, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific processing choices. Where consent is used, it will be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process personal data if necessary to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share it with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and provide services. These parties act as data processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

• Booking and scheduling providers used to manage appointments and service records;
• Payment processors used to process card payments or other transactions;
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers used for invoicing and financial administration;
• IT, cloud storage, and email service providers used to store and transmit business data securely;
• Customer support tools used to manage communication and service requests;
• Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary;
• Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where we use processors, we ensure that appropriate contracts are in place and that they only process data on our instructions, with suitable security measures and confidentiality obligations.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

• Customer and service records: retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
• Financial and tax records: retained in line with legal obligations, usually for several years after the relevant financial year.
• Complaint and communication records: retained for as long as needed to resolve issues and support quality control.
• Consent records: retained while consent is valid and for a short period after withdrawal to demonstrate compliance.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention procedures.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff training, and the use of reputable processors.

Although no system is completely secure, we aim to reduce risk by limiting access to personal data and by reviewing our security practices regularly. If a personal data breach occurs and we are required to notify you or a supervisory authority, we will do so in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing:

• Right of access: you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances;
• Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain cases;
• Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
• Right to data portability: you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable;
• Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time;
• Right to complain: you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

8. International Transfers

If any of our processors or systems transfer personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary and provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult in connection with a service arrangement. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or operational practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated to you. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we process personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Cleaners W4 is committed to processing personal data lawfully, securely, and transparently. We collect only the information needed to deliver cleaning services, maintain records, and meet legal obligations. We use appropriate lawful bases, work with trusted processors under contract, retain data only for necessary periods, and respect your rights under data protection law. This policy applies to all Cleaners W4 customers in area and is intended to provide clear information about how we handle your personal data in the course of our services.