Privacy Policy - Hampstead Cleaners

At Hampstead Cleaners, we are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the area we serve. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you use our cleaning services, make an enquiry, or interact with us in any way. It applies to all Hampstead Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and former customers whose information we retain for legal or operational reasons.

1. Who We Are

Hampstead Cleaners provides professional cleaning services to homes and businesses. In connection with these services, we act as a data controller for the personal information we collect and process. This means we decide how and why your personal data is used, and we are responsible for ensuring that such processing complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet our legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information: your name and title
Contact details: address, email address, and telephone number
Service information: details about the type of cleaning requested, booking preferences, property access notes, and service instructions
Billing information: payment status, transaction records, invoices, and receipt details
Communication records: messages, emails, phone notes, and feedback
Technical data: limited website or device information if you interact with us online, such as IP address or browser type, where applicable
Special instructions: information you provide about allergies, security arrangements, or access needs that are relevant to service delivery

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. We also do not seek to collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for the service requested.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations
to manage bookings and deliver cleaning services
to communicate with you about appointments, changes, or service issues
to process payments and keep accurate financial records
to maintain internal records and business administration
to improve our services, train staff, and monitor service quality
to handle complaints, claims, or disputes
to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations

We only use personal data in ways that are fair, lawful, and relevant to the services we provide. We do not sell your data to third parties.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal information. Hampstead Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract: when processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging and delivering cleaning services
Legitimate interests: when we use data for legitimate business purposes such as record-keeping, service improvement, fraud prevention, and customer support, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms
Legal obligation: when we must process information to comply with laws, including tax, accounting, employment, and regulatory requirements
Consent: where required, such as for certain optional communications or if you voluntarily provide sensitive information that we need your permission to use

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before your withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with trusted third parties, but only where necessary and only for legitimate business purposes. These recipients may include:

Payment processors: to handle card or electronic payments securely
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: to support invoicing, tax reporting, and financial administration
IT and cloud service providers: to store data securely and support our systems
Professional advisers: such as legal, insurance, or tax advisers when needed
Operational staff or subcontractors: when necessary to provide the service you requested
Public authorities: where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect rights, property, or safety

We require our processors and service providers to keep your information secure, use it only for specified purposes, and comply with data protection law. We do not allow them to use your information for their own unrelated purposes.

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. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing. In general:

Booking and customer service records: retained for a reasonable period to manage services, disputes, and follow-up queries
Financial and invoicing records: retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws
Communication records: retained as long as needed to respond to you and keep an accurate service history
Unused enquiry records: retained only for a limited time unless you become a customer or we need to keep them for legal reasons

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or disposed of in a safe manner. Retention is reviewed regularly to ensure we do not keep information for longer than necessary.

7. International Transfers

Where possible, we keep personal data within the UK or with providers that maintain appropriate safeguards. If information is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that suitable legal protections are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards, to keep your data protected.

8. Security of Your Data

We take the security of personal data seriously and use appropriate technical and organisational measures to reduce the risk of loss, misuse, or unauthorised access. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, password protection, and staff awareness procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the nature of the information we handle.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have important rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances
Restriction of processing in specific cases
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Data portability for information you have provided to us where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means
Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent

You also have the right to raise a concern with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so we can address any concerns promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children unless it is incidentally provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult in connection with a service request. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. When we do so, we will revise the policy content accordingly. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how we protect your information.

12. Summary of Our Commitments

Our principles

Hampstead Cleaners is committed to collecting only the information we need, using it fairly, keeping it secure, and retaining it for no longer than necessary. We process personal data lawfully, transparently, and with respect for your rights.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We aim to keep our handling of data simple, responsible, and compliant with applicable data protection laws.