Privacy Policy

Gardeners Old Malden Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Old Malden collects, uses, stores and protects personal data for all Gardeners Old Malden customers in the local area. It is intended to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

Who this Privacy Policy applies to

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Old Malden customers in the area, including current, former and prospective customers, and any individuals who contact us to enquire about our gardening and related services.

Types of personal data we collect

We collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and which services you use. The categories of personal data we may collect include the following.

Identity and contact details, such as your name, postal address, service address, and any other contact details you choose to provide to us when you request a quotation or book services.

Service and contract information, such as details of the services you have requested or received, dates and times of visits, notes relevant to the work to be carried out, and records of quotations, agreements and invoices.

Payment and transaction data, such as records of payments made to us and from us in relation to the services we provide. We do not store full payment card details, but we may retain information necessary for accounting and recordkeeping purposes.

Communication records, such as correspondence between you and Gardeners Old Malden, including notes of telephone conversations where relevant to your contract or enquiry, and any feedback or complaints you provide.

Technical and usage data, where applicable, such as basic information generated by your use of any online forms or digital tools we may provide. This may include the time and date of your enquiry and technical logs required for service security and performance.

How and why we use your personal data

We only use your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under data protection law. The main purposes for which we use your personal data are described below.

To provide our services. We use your identity, contact and service information to provide gardening services, arrange appointments, access your property where authorised, and manage our relationship with you. The lawful basis for this processing is that it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

To manage billing and payments. We process payment and transaction data to issue invoices, process payments, manage accounts and comply with our financial and tax obligations. The lawful basis is performance of a contract and compliance with legal obligations.

To communicate with you. We use your contact details and communication records to respond to your enquiries, provide quotations, confirm or rearrange appointments, and handle feedback or complaints. The lawful basis is performance of a contract or taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, and, where relevant, our legitimate interests in running our business and ensuring service quality.

To maintain business records. We keep necessary records relating to services provided, invoices issued, and communications in order to manage our business effectively and to demonstrate performance of our obligations. The lawful basis is our legitimate interests in operating our business and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

To send service related information. We may occasionally contact you with important information directly related to the services you have received or that may be required for safety, legal or contractual reasons. The lawful basis is performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, or our legitimate interests, depending on the circumstances.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we will only do so after carefully assessing that our interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

Data retention and storage

We keep your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as required by law.

Customer records relating to services provided, including invoices and essential correspondence, are typically retained for a period that allows us to respond to queries, manage our accounts and comply with tax and accounting obligations. This period will normally be up to seven years from the end of the relevant financial year, unless a longer retention period is required by law or is necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Enquiry records for prospective customers who do not proceed with our services may be kept for a shorter period where appropriate, after which they will be securely deleted or anonymised.

When personal data is no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete or anonymise it so that you can no longer be identified from it.

Data processors and third party recipients

We may share your personal data with carefully selected third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These processors only process your data in accordance with our instructions and for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.

Examples of processors and third party recipients may include accountancy and bookkeeping service providers who assist us with financial and tax compliance, secure digital storage or cloud service providers that host our records and backups, and software or IT support providers who help us maintain our systems.

We do not sell your personal data and we do not share it with third parties for their independent marketing purposes. Where we are legally required to do so, we may share your data with public authorities, regulators or law enforcement agencies.

Where a third party acts as an independent controller of your personal data, their own privacy policy will explain how they use your data.

International transfers

Where our service providers store or access personal data from outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your rights. This may include using providers in countries deemed to provide an adequate level of protection, or implementing standard contractual clauses or equivalent safeguards recognised under data protection law.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to the personal data we hold about you. These rights apply to all Gardeners Old Malden customers in the area, subject to certain legal limitations and exemptions.

Right of access. You have the right to request confirmation that we process your personal data and to obtain a copy of that data, together with certain additional information.

Right to rectification. You have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data that we hold about you.

Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you have the right to ask us to delete your personal data. This right is not absolute and may be limited where we need to retain data in order to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Right to restriction of processing. You may have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, for example while we verify its accuracy or consider an objection you have raised.

Right to object. You have the right to object to processing that is based on our legitimate interests, on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will stop processing your data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights and freedoms, or where processing is required for legal claims.

Right to data portability. Where our processing is based on your consent or on a contract with you, and the processing is carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format and to transmit it to another controller.

Right to withdraw consent. Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

How to exercise your rights and complaints

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights or have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Gardeners Old Malden uses your personal data, you can contact us using the details made available to you when you engage our services or through our usual communication channels.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority for data protection if you believe that your rights have been infringed. In the United Kingdom, this is the Information Commissioners Office.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, how we process personal data, or changes in the law. Any updated version will apply to all Gardeners Old Malden customers in the area from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.