Privacy Policy - Gardeners Charlton

Effective for all Gardeners Charlton customers in the area, this Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected when you use our gardening services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all customers, prospective customers, and other individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our services in the Charlton area. By engaging with our services, making an enquiry, or otherwise interacting with us, you acknowledge the practices described here.

1. Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details including address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information such as the nature of the gardening work requested, property access notes, scheduling preferences, and service history.
Billing and payment information needed to issue invoices, record payments, and manage accounts.
Communication records including messages, call notes, and correspondence relating to enquiries, bookings, complaints, or feedback.
Technical data collected through website or email interactions, such as basic device and usage information where applicable.

We do not deliberately collect special category data unless it is necessary and lawful to do so. If such data is ever provided to us accidentally, it will be handled carefully and only retained where there is a valid legal reason.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for legitimate service-related purposes, including:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
booking, delivering, and managing gardening services;
processing invoices and payments;
keeping service records and maintaining customer accounts;
communicating about appointments, changes, and service updates;
handling complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
improving our services, processes, and customer experience.

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

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a valid legal ground to process personal data. Depending on the circumstances, Gardeners Charlton relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, carrying out gardening work, billing, and customer communication connected to the service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data where we are required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax records, accounting rules, and business compliance requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided that your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service administration, record keeping, quality control, fraud prevention, and limited direct communication with existing customers. We always consider whether our interests are proportionate and necessary.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for certain optional communications or specific data uses. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell personal data. We may share information only when necessary and only with trusted third parties acting as processors or independent controllers. These may include:

Payment processors that handle secure card or electronic transactions.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support invoicing, financial records, and tax compliance.
IT and cloud service providers that store or support business systems, email, and data backup services.
Scheduling and administration tools used to manage appointments and customer records.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or accountants where needed for compliance or dispute handling.

When we use processors, they are required to process personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with data protection law. We take steps to ensure appropriate contracts and safeguards are in place before sharing data.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, by a court order, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public. If a business restructuring, transfer, or sale occurs, personal data may be transferred as part of that process, subject to legal safeguards.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of record and why it is held.

Customer service records are typically kept for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be kept for as long as needed to resolve queries, maintain continuity, or defend legal claims.
Consent-based information is retained until consent is withdrawn or it is no longer necessary.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or dispose of it in a controlled manner. Retention decisions are reviewed periodically to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff awareness procedures, and restricted handling of sensitive records.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and respond appropriately to any suspected data incident.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under data protection law. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, these rights may include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
The right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification if your data is inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes known as the “right to be forgotten”.
The right to restrict processing where you want us to limit the way we use your data.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability for certain information provided by you, where applicable.
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve the matter promptly and fairly.

8. Automated Decision-Making

We do not use personal data for decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals. If this position changes, we will update this policy and provide the necessary information.

9. Children's Data

Our services are intended for adults or for individuals acting on behalf of a property or household. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in a specific circumstance. Where children’s data is inadvertently collected, we will handle it with care and in accordance with applicable law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service-related changes. Any revised 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 personal data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Charlton is committed to processing personal data responsibly, securely, and only when there is a valid legal basis. We aim to be transparent about what we collect, why we use it, how long we keep it, and who may process it on our behalf. Our approach is designed to protect privacy while still allowing us to deliver reliable gardening services throughout the Charlton area.

This policy is intended to support a trustworthy, lawful, and privacy-conscious service experience for every customer in the area.