Privacy Policy - Hounslow Cleaner

This Privacy Policy explains how Hounslow Cleaner collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing cleaning services. It applies to all Hounslow Cleaner customers in the area, including private households, landlords, tenants, and commercial clients who use our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who we are

Hounslow Cleaner provides professional cleaning services for homes and businesses. In the course of delivering these services, we may need to collect and process certain personal information about our customers, their property, and service preferences. This policy explains what we collect and why, and sets out the rights available to you in relation to your personal data.

2. Data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary for the delivery, management, and improvement of our cleaning services. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name or business name.
Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address.
Service details such as cleaning preferences, appointment times, access instructions, and service history.
Payment information such as billing records and transaction details. We do not store full card details unless securely handled by a payment processor.
Property information such as layout notes, parking instructions, and relevant access requirements.
Communication records such as messages, complaints, feedback, and notes relating to your bookings or requests.
Technical information if you contact us electronically, such as device or email metadata, where relevant for security or service management.

We do not intentionally collect special category data, such as health, religious beliefs, or biometric data, unless you choose to share such information with us for a specific reason, for example to support access arrangements or safety needs. If this happens, we will only process it where a lawful basis exists and where it is necessary.

3. How we use your data

We process personal data for clearly defined purposes connected to our business operations. These may include:

To provide cleaning services and manage bookings.
To confirm appointments, respond to enquiries, and communicate service updates.
To issue invoices, receive payments, and maintain accounting records.
To meet legal, tax, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.
To handle complaints, disputes, or service-related concerns.
To improve service quality, train staff, and maintain customer relationships.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or security risks.

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

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Hounslow Cleaner relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract: We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a cleaning service agreement with you. This includes managing bookings, delivering services, and taking payment.
Legal obligation: We may process and retain data where required by law, such as for tax, accounting, fraud prevention, or compliance with regulatory duties.
Legitimate interests: We may process certain data for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights do not override those interests. This may include service improvement, administration, record keeping, business security, and responding to customer queries.
Consent: In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information or agree to specific marketing communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Where we process special category data, if any, we will do so only where a separate condition under UK GDPR is met, such as explicit consent or necessity for legal claims, health and safety, or employment-related obligations.

5. Sharing your data with processors

We may share your personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These processors are only allowed to use your data according to our instructions and under appropriate confidentiality and security obligations. Examples may include:

Booking and scheduling providers that help manage appointments and service calendars.
Payment service providers that securely process transactions and reduce payment risk.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support invoicing, taxes, and financial records.
IT and cloud storage providers that host systems, back up information, and maintain secure records.
Communication service providers that help us send service-related messages or emails.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers when required for business operations or compliance.

We may also share data where necessary with public authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or courts if required by law or to protect our rights, customers, or staff.

We do not sell your personal data. We will only disclose your information where there is a valid reason to do so and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing. In general:

Customer booking and service records are kept for the period needed to manage the relationship and resolve any issues.
Invoice, tax, and accounting records are kept for the period required by applicable financial and tax laws.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained for longer where needed to defend legal claims or support investigations.
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable period to maintain service continuity and evidence of instructions.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely, anonymise it, or archive it where appropriate. We review retention needs periodically to ensure that data is not kept longer than necessary.

7. Data security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, staff training, data minimisation, and supplier checks. While no system can be completely secure, we work to reduce risk and to respond promptly to any suspected data incident.

8. Your rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights under UK GDPR. These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions or limitations. Your rights include:

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 personal 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 to direct marketing.
Right to data portability: You can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will assess your request in line with data protection law and respond within the required timeframe. We may need to verify your identity before taking action.

9. International transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are used to protect your personal information in accordance with applicable law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other approved transfer mechanisms.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

11. Summary of our approach

In summary, Hounslow Cleaner collects only the data needed to provide and manage cleaning services, uses it on lawful grounds, shares it only with appropriate processors or where required by law, and keeps it only as long as necessary. We respect your privacy and aim to ensure that all personal data is handled responsibly, securely, and transparently.

Your privacy matters

We are committed to protecting your information and maintaining trust in every service we provide.