Privacy Policy - Cleaners Kensington

Cleaners Kensington is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Kensington area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Cleaners Kensington customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about our services, make bookings, receive cleaning services, or communicate with us in any way.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Cleaners Kensington acts as the data controller for personal data we collect and process about our customers, prospective customers, and service users. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing personal information in connection with the cleaning services we provide.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide and manage our services effectively. The categories of data we may collect include:

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, special instructions, property access notes, and service history.
Payment data such as payment status, transaction details, and billing records.
Communication data such as messages, feedback, complaints, and correspondence with our team.
Technical data where relevant, such as limited information from devices or systems used to access our services online.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you voluntarily provide it and it is necessary for a specific service request, for example information related to allergies, disabilities, or access needs. Where such data is processed, we do so only with appropriate safeguards and a valid lawful basis.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotes.
To manage bookings and deliver cleaning services.
To personalise services according to your preferences and property requirements.
To process invoices, payments, and refunds where applicable.
To maintain service records and quality control.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support matters.
To meet legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes explained in this Policy or for compatible purposes that are reasonably expected in the context of our relationship with you.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Cleaners Kensington relies on the following lawful bases, depending on the context:

Contract – where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging and delivering cleaning services.
Legitimate interests – where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests and your rights do not override those interests, such as improving services, keeping records, or managing customer communications.
Legal obligation – where processing is required to comply with the law, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.
Consent – in limited cases where we rely on your freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent, such as certain optional communications or the use of special category data where required.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before your consent was withdrawn.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our services. These parties act either as independent controllers or as processors acting on our instructions. We only share data where necessary and with appropriate safeguards in place.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment service providers that handle secure payment processing.
IT and cloud storage providers that host booking, communication, or record systems.
Administrative and accounting service providers that support invoicing and financial management.
Customer support or communications tools used to manage enquiries and service updates.

We require processors to keep personal data secure, to use it only for the purposes we specify, and to comply with data protection law. We do not sell your personal data. If we share data with independent controllers, such sharing will only occur when necessary and lawful, for example with tax authorities or other professional advisers.

6. International Transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under data protection law. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that your data remains protected to a standard equivalent to that required in the UK.

7. Data Retention

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

In general:

Customer booking and service records are kept for as long as needed to manage the service relationship and resolve any issues.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to support customer service, dispute resolution, and quality assurance.
Where data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it.

When determining retention periods, we consider the volume, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, and the applicable legal obligations.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, staff training, and restricted data sharing. Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to safeguard your information.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different circumstances and may be subject to legal limitations. Your rights 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 restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our cleaning services are intended for adults and households. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in a limited and incidental way, such as when property access or household arrangements involve family members. If we become aware that we have collected children’s personal data without a valid reason, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. 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 processing practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this Policy periodically to remain informed about how we handle personal data. Continued use of Cleaners Kensington services after any updates indicates acknowledgment of the revised Policy to the extent permitted by law.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

At Cleaners Kensington, we respect your privacy and aim to handle personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate and clearly defined purposes, share it only with trusted processors where necessary, and keep it only for as long as required. This Policy applies to all Cleaners Kensington customers in the area and is designed to ensure your information is treated with care, responsibility, and compliance.

Key Principles

Lawfulness and fairness in all processing.
Transparency about how and why data is used.
Data minimisation by collecting only what is necessary.
Accuracy and up-to-date records where relevant.
Storage limitation through defined retention practices.
Security and accountability in our operations.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with any service terms or notices that apply to a specific booking or service arrangement. By engaging Cleaners Kensington, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in the ways described above and that such processing is carried out in line with applicable data protection law.