Privacy Policy

Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you use our carpet cleaning services. It applies to all Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, makes an enquiry, or otherwise interacts with us.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners acts as the data controller for the personal data we process in connection with our services. This means we decide how and why your personal data is used.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services effectively, respond to enquiries, manage bookings, process payments, and meet legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business or property details;
Contact information such as phone number, email address, and service address;
Booking details including appointment dates, service preferences, and property access instructions;
Payment information such as transaction references or payment status;
Service records including notes about carpet types, stain concerns, cleaning requirements, and completed work;
Communication records such as messages, emails, and call notes;
Technical information that may be collected if you interact with us online, such as device type or IP-based location approximations, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or where required by law. We also do not seek to collect data about children in the ordinary course of our services.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data only for clear and legitimate purposes. These may include:

Providing quotations and confirming bookings;
Delivering carpet cleaning and related services;
Managing customer communication before, during, and after service delivery;
Processing invoices, payments, and refunds where relevant;
Maintaining records of services provided;
Handling complaints, warranty questions, or follow-up requests;
Meeting tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
Improving service quality, staff training, and operational planning;
Preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was originally collected, unless we have a valid lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. For example, we use your name, address, and contact details to arrange and deliver carpet cleaning services.

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. This includes managing enquiries, keeping internal service records, improving our operations, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of our services.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information where required to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, or record-keeping rules.

Consent

In some cases, we may ask for your consent, for example for specific marketing communications or optional data use. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our business. These organisations act as processors when they handle data on our behalf and only under our instructions. Processors may include:

Payment service providers that process card or online payments;
Booking and scheduling platforms used to organise appointments;
IT and cloud storage providers that support secure data storage, email, or communications;
Accountants and bookkeeping services that help with financial administration;
Customer relationship or administrative tools used to manage service records and follow-ups.

We may also disclose personal data to professional advisers, insurers, regulators, or law enforcement if required by law or necessary to protect our legal rights. We do not sell your personal data.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor stores or accesses data outside the UK or EEA, we take appropriate safeguards to ensure your personal data remains protected. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for the duration of our business relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards;
Payment and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
Communication records may be retained where needed to manage queries, complaints, or service history;
Marketing preferences are retained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent, where applicable;
Technical logs are retained for limited periods for security and operational purposes.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it.

8. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and the limitation of data access to those who need it for legitimate business purposes.

However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore cannot promise absolute security, but we work hard to reduce risks and respond promptly to any suspected incidents.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These include:

Right of access – you can request 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 – in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data;
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
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;
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain – you may raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We will respond to valid rights requests within the timeframes required by law. In some cases, we may need to verify your identity before proceeding.

10. Marketing Communications

If we send any optional marketing communications, we will do so in line with applicable law and only where we have a lawful basis to do so. You may opt out at any time. If you object to direct marketing, we will stop using your data for that purpose as soon as reasonably possible.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use an online presence that employs cookies or similar technologies, these may be used for essential site functions, analytics, or preference management. Where consent is required, we will seek it before placing non-essential cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data practices. Any changes will take effect when the updated version is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

13. Summary of Key Principles

Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners processes personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only the data we need, use it for clear service-related purposes, share it only with trusted processors or when legally required, and keep it only for as long as necessary. We respect your rights and aim to handle all personal information in a responsible and privacy-conscious manner.

Effective for all Whitechapel Carpet Cleaners customers in area.