Privacy Policy - Gardeners Stoke Newington

Gardeners Stoke Newington is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide gardening services to customers in Stoke Newington and the surrounding area. It also explains the rights available to individuals under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all Gardeners Stoke Newington customers in the area, including prospective customers who request information, existing customers who use our services, and individuals who communicate with us in relation to our gardening work. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide and manage our gardening services. The type of information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the type of gardening work requested, property access notes, service preferences, and scheduling information.
Billing and payment details where needed for invoicing, payment processing, and record keeping.
Communication records including messages, quotes, complaints, feedback, and service-related correspondence.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you contact us online, including time of request and general usage logs.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and provided by you, for example if you tell us about access needs or other information that affects how we safely deliver a service.

We do not intentionally collect more data than needed. We also do not collect sensitive personal information unless there is a legitimate and specific reason to do so and appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to operate our services effectively and lawfully. Typical uses include:

responding to enquiries and providing quotes;
arranging visits, bookings, and service schedules;
carrying out gardening work and related customer service;
issuing invoices and managing payments;
keeping records of completed jobs, preferences, and service history;
handling complaints, disputes, and follow-up requests;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
improving our services, planning workloads, and maintaining quality;
protecting our staff, customers, property, and business operations.

We only use personal data in ways that are relevant, fair, and proportionate to the service being delivered.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Gardeners Stoke Newington relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes arranging services, confirming bookings, and delivering gardening work.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is in our legitimate interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include managing our business, keeping service records, responding to enquiries, maintaining customer relationships, and improving operations. When relying on legitimate interests, we carefully assess the impact on your privacy.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, insurance, safeguarding, and record-keeping obligations.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly where optional communications or certain types of information are involved. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We do not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more appropriate. We aim to ensure that all processing is necessary, lawful, and transparent.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to provide services or manage our business. These third parties act either as independent data controllers or as processors acting on our instructions.

Processors may include:

payment providers that process transactions;
accountants or bookkeeping services used for financial administration;
IT, email, cloud storage, and software providers;
customer management and scheduling tools;
professional advisers or service support providers when needed.

We require processors to handle data securely, use it only for the agreed purpose, and comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or official request, or where disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Gardeners Stoke Newington, our customers, staff, or others.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including to provide services, resolve disputes, comply with legal duties, and maintain business records.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing. In general:

customer enquiry records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up and service continuity;
service and invoice records may be retained for tax and accounting purposes;
communication records may be kept where needed for business evidence, complaints, or quality control;
data that is no longer needed will be deleted, anonymised, or securely destroyed.

Where possible, we review personal data periodically to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary. Retention is based on necessity and legal compliance, not convenience.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited access permissions, and careful handling of customer records.

Although we take reasonable steps to safeguard data, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a data incident occurs, we will act promptly in line with applicable legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis used for processing:

Right of access – you can ask whether we hold personal data about you and request a copy.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – in some cases, you may ask us to delete personal data.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing where applicable.
Right to data portability – where applicable, you may request data in a portable format.
Right to withdraw consent – if processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve any issue fairly and promptly.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use a website or digital service to communicate with customers, limited cookies or similar technologies may be used to improve functionality, measure performance, or support basic operation. Where required by law, appropriate notice and choices will be provided. Any such use will be limited and proportionate.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property holders or authorised representatives. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a specific service arrangement and lawful basis exists. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate action.

10. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it in line with applicable data protection law. This may include using approved contractual protections or working with providers that meet recognized standards.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Stoke Newington respects the privacy of every customer in the area and handles personal data with care. We collect only the information needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, share it only with trusted processors when necessary, and keep it only for as long as required. We also support your rights and aim to provide a transparent and responsible service at all times.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Stoke Newington customers in the area.