Privacy Policy - Gardeners Raynes Park

Gardeners Raynes Park is committed to protecting personal data and respecting privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and safeguard information relating to our customers, potential customers, and website or service users. It applies to all Gardeners Raynes Park customers in the area, including anyone who enquires about, books, receives, or pays for our gardening services.

This policy is written in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It is designed to be clear and transparent about what happens to personal information when you use our services. By engaging with us, you can expect your data to be handled fairly, lawfully, and securely.

1. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for running our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name.
Contact information such as your address, phone number, and email address.
Service information such as the type of gardening work requested, property details relevant to the job, preferences, and instructions.
Payment and billing information such as transaction records and invoice details.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, or complaint records.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, including basic device or usage information where applicable.

We do not seek to collect sensitive personal data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it for a specific purpose, such as access instructions or health-related information needed to carry out a service safely. If we do receive special category data, we will apply additional safeguards.

2. How we use personal data

We use personal information to deliver and improve our services. Typical uses include:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
Scheduling and delivering gardening services.
Managing customer accounts and work orders.
Processing payments and issuing invoices.
Handling complaints, disputes, and service follow-up.
Maintaining internal records and service history.
Meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
Sending important service-related updates where necessary.

We will never use your data in a way that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected. Where we need to use data for a new purpose, we will ensure that a lawful basis exists and, where required, seek your consent.

3. Lawful basis for processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Gardeners Raynes Park relies on the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging visits, carrying out gardening work, processing payments, and managing service-related communication.

Legal obligation

Some data must be retained or processed to comply with legal and regulatory duties, such as tax records, accounting requirements, or insurance obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, record-keeping, fraud prevention, and improving the quality of our services.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to communicate certain optional updates or to use information that is not necessary for the service itself. You can withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected and to meet legal requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer and service records are kept for as long as needed to manage the relationship and resolve any later queries.
Financial and accounting records are retained for the period required by law and standard business practice.
Communication records are kept for a reasonable period to support service quality and dispute handling.
Inactive or unnecessary records are deleted or securely anonymised when they are no longer required.

When data is no longer needed, we will ensure it is disposed of securely. Retention is reviewed regularly so that information is not kept longer than necessary.

5. Processors and data sharing

We may use trusted third-party service providers, known as processors, to help us operate efficiently and safely. These processors only act on our instructions and must protect your information appropriately.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers for secure transaction handling.
Accounting or bookkeeping systems for financial record management.
IT and cloud storage providers for secure data hosting and back-up.
Communication tools used to send or manage service messages.
Waste disposal or specialist subcontractors where needed for specific gardening tasks.

We do not sell personal data. We only share information where it is necessary for service delivery, legal compliance, or legitimate business operations. If data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, appropriate safeguards will be used to protect it.

6. Data security

We take security seriously and use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, and staff awareness practices.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risk and will respond appropriately to any suspected data breach. Where required by law, we will notify the relevant authority and affected individuals.

7. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these 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 data portability – to receive certain data in a machine-readable format where applicable.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has not been handled properly. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s data

Our services are aimed at adult customers and property users. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is unavoidable in the course of a service request and only where appropriate safeguards are in place.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or how we process data. Any updated version will apply from the date of publication. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

10. Our commitment

Gardeners Raynes Park values trust, privacy, and transparency. We aim to process personal data in a way that is fair, lawful, and proportionate. Whether we are arranging routine maintenance, seasonal gardening, or one-off work, we will treat customer information with care and respect.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Raynes Park customers in the area and forms part of our commitment to responsible data protection practices.