Privacy Policy - Marylebone Cleaners

This Privacy Policy explains how Marylebone Cleaners collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Marylebone Cleaners customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who interacts with our services in connection with cleaning bookings, quotations, or customer support.

We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We aim to process personal data lawfully, fairly, transparently, and securely, and only for clear and legitimate purposes.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity data such as your name and title.
Contact data such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Booking and service data such as appointment details, service preferences, instructions, access information, and records of completed work.
Payment data such as payment status, billing information, and transaction records. We do not store card details unless explicitly required by a secure payment provider.
Communication data such as messages, complaints, feedback, and correspondence with us.
Technical and usage data where applicable, such as basic website or device information, to help maintain service functionality and security.

We generally collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, or use our services. In some cases, we may receive your information from a third party, for example where a landlord, property manager, family member, or business customer arranges services on your behalf.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data only where permitted by law and for the following purposes:

To provide cleaning services and manage bookings.
To respond to enquiries and customer requests.
To prepare quotes, issue invoices, and manage payments.
To record service preferences and ensure quality control.
To communicate about appointments, changes, cancellations, or service issues.
To resolve complaints and handle disputes.
To maintain records for legal, accounting, and operational purposes.
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security risks.

We only collect data that is relevant and necessary for the stated purpose. We do not use personal data in ways that are incompatible with the original reason for collection unless we have a valid legal basis to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Marylebone Cleaners relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract: We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as managing a cleaning booking or processing payment.
Legitimate interests: We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests. This may include service administration, customer support, record keeping, and protecting against misuse or fraud.
Legal obligation: We may process and retain some data where required to comply with legal, tax, accounting, or regulatory obligations.
Consent: In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for optional communications or certain non-essential processing. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We will always ensure that our use of personal data is justified, proportionate, and transparent.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or, in some cases, separate controllers. These parties only receive the information necessary to perform their role and are required to protect it appropriately.

Processors may include:

Payment service providers who help process transactions securely.
Booking, scheduling, or administration software providers used to manage customer records and appointments.
IT and cloud storage providers who support secure data storage and system maintenance.
Accountants or professional advisers who assist with legal, tax, or financial obligations.
Communication service providers who support email, telephone, or messaging functions.

We may also disclose data if required by law, court order, or lawful request from a public authority. We do not sell personal data.

Where a third party processes data on our behalf, we require appropriate contractual safeguards, confidentiality commitments, and security measures. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable protection is in place in accordance with applicable data protection law.

5. Data Retention

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

Booking and customer service records are usually kept for a reasonable period to manage ongoing customer relationships, service history, and disputes.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by accounting and tax laws.
Complaint or legal records may be kept longer where needed to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and careful handling of customer records.

Although we take reasonable steps to safeguard data, no system is completely secure. If a personal data incident occurs, we will assess the risk and take steps in line with our legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing in certain situations.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Rights relating to automated decision-making, where applicable.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. If you make a request, we may need to verify your identity before responding.

8. Marketing and Preferences

We will only send marketing communications where we are legally permitted to do so. Where consent is required, you may opt in or opt out as applicable. You can also object to direct marketing at any time. If you tell us that you do not want marketing communications, we will respect your preference.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidental to a service arrangement made by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. If we become aware that we have collected children’s data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it or obtain the necessary authority.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our services. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we use personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Marylebone Cleaners is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal data. We only collect the information needed to deliver our services, we process it on a lawful basis, we keep it only as long as necessary, and we share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We also recognise and support your rights under data protection law.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Marylebone Cleaners customers in the area.