Privacy Policy - Dulwich Cleaner

This Privacy Policy explains how Dulwich Cleaner collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Dulwich Cleaner customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who interact with us in relation to bookings, quotations, service delivery, or customer support. We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Dulwich Cleaner provides cleaning services for homes and businesses in the local area. In the course of delivering these services, we may need to collect and use personal data about customers, property occupants, authorised representatives, and other relevant individuals. For the purposes of data protection law, Dulwich Cleaner acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this policy, meaning we decide how and why such data is used.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for our business operations and the services we provide. The types of information we may collect include:

• Identity details such as name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
• Contact details such as telephone number, email address, billing address, and service address.
• Booking and service information such as preferred dates, requested services, access instructions, special cleaning requirements, and notes about the premises.
• Payment-related information such as payment status, invoicing details, and limited transaction records.
• Communication records including emails, messages, phone notes, complaints, and service feedback.
• Technical data where relevant, such as basic website or device information used to manage enquiries or improve functionality.

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, for example where access needs or household arrangements are mentioned. If such information is provided, we treat it with enhanced care and only use it where there is a lawful basis to do so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide quotations, manage bookings, and deliver cleaning services;
• to communicate with customers about appointments, changes, or service issues;
• to manage payments, invoices, and account records;
• to respond to enquiries, feedback, and complaints;
• to maintain internal records and improve service quality;
• to meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
• to prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
• to send service-related updates where necessary.

We will only use your personal data in ways that are compatible with the purposes described in this policy.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Dulwich Cleaner relies on the following lawful bases, depending on the context:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, delivering cleaning services, issuing invoices, and handling customer administration.

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 may include managing communications, improving services, maintaining records, and protecting our business against misuse or disputes. We always consider whether the impact on your privacy is proportionate.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain data to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where you choose to provide optional information or agree to receive specific non-essential communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our services. These third parties may act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We require appropriate safeguards and, where applicable, data processing agreements.

Examples of processors may include:

• IT and cloud service providers that store emails, files, or booking records;
• payment service providers that process card or online payments;
• accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial administration;
• customer management or scheduling tools used to organise appointments;
• professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose information where required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Dulwich Cleaner, our customers, staff, or others.

We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required by law. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

• Booking and customer service records may be kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
• Financial and accounting records are typically kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
• Communication records may be retained for dispute resolution, service improvement, and internal administration.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in a responsible manner. We do not keep data indefinitely without a valid purpose.

7. Security of Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, restricted permissions, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices.

Although we work hard to protect information, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If we become aware of a personal data breach affecting your information, we will act in accordance with applicable legal obligations.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these may 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 information;
• Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
• Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
• 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 format;
• Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent;
• Right to complain – to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been mishandled.

To protect privacy, we may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidental to service delivery and provided by an adult customer or authorised representative. Where this occurs, we will process such data only when necessary and in accordance with this policy.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any updates will take effect when published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is handled.

By using Dulwich Cleaner’s services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. We will always strive to process personal data in a manner that is lawful, fair, transparent, and respectful of your privacy.