Privacy Policy - Gardeners Walthamstow Village

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Walthamstow Village customers in the area. It explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, protected, and shared when services are requested or delivered. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to individuals who enquire about, purchase, or receive gardening services from Gardeners Walthamstow Village within the local service area. It also applies to people who communicate with us in connection with an existing or prospective booking, including homeowners, tenants, landlords, and authorised representatives.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or providing information to us, you acknowledge that your data may be handled as described in this policy.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal or operational obligations. Depending on the circumstances, the information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as name and title
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address
Property and service information such as garden type, access notes, preferred service times, and requested work
Payment-related information needed to process transactions or issue invoices
Communication records including messages, enquiry details, and service updates
Technical data such as basic device or browser information where relevant to our systems
Feedback and complaints provided after a service

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily or a legal basis applies. If such information is ever supplied, we handle it with additional care and only for a legitimate purpose.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data to deliver services efficiently and to maintain good customer care. Typical uses include:

Responding to enquiries and preparing quotations
Scheduling and delivering gardening services
Managing customer accounts and service records
Processing payments and issuing invoices
Notifying customers about appointments, changes, or follow-up work
Handling complaints, disputes, or service issues
Meeting legal, tax, insurance, and record-keeping obligations
Improving service quality, planning resources, and preventing fraud or misuse

We do not use your personal data for unrelated purposes without first ensuring there is a valid legal basis to do so.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under GDPR. The most common bases we rely on are set out below.

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform an existing contract. This includes providing quotations, arranging visits, carrying out gardening work, and managing billing.

Legitimate interests

We may process information where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include improving operations, maintaining service records, preventing fraud, and managing customer communications.

Legal obligation

Some data must be retained or used to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting requirements, tax records, or responses to lawful requests from public authorities.

Consent

Where consent is required, we will ask for it clearly and separately. You may withdraw consent at any time, and withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before that point.

5. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act as processors or, in some cases, separate controllers. We ensure appropriate contractual and security measures are in place before sharing information.

Examples of processors may include:

Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help with invoicing, financial administration, and tax records
Payment processors that securely handle card or electronic payment transactions
IT and cloud service providers that support data storage, email systems, and business software
Administrative support services that help manage bookings and correspondence
Professional advisers such as insurers, accountants, or legal advisers when necessary

We may also disclose data where required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect our rights, property, staff, or customers.

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, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of data, the purpose of processing, and any legal obligations that apply.

Customer service records are retained for the period needed to manage the relationship and resolve issues
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to support service continuity and complaint handling
Consent records are retained to demonstrate compliance with data protection requirements

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and responsible manner.

7. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality commitments, and limited access to personal records.

Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard the information entrusted to us.

8. International transfers

If any service provider stores or processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections designed to keep your information secure and protected.

9. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be exercised subject to legal limitations and applicable exemptions.

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 data
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 structured, commonly used format
Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Right to withdraw consent — where consent is the legal basis for processing

If you make a request, we may ask for information to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

10. Marketing preferences

Where we send service-related messages, these are usually necessary to fulfil our services and are not marketing. If we ever send optional promotional messages, you may opt out at any time. We will respect your communication preferences and will not send unnecessary marketing communications where you have objected.

11. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults arranging gardening services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is provided by an adult customer as part of service administration and is necessary for legitimate business purposes.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. The updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

13. Contact and complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data is used, you may raise them with us so they can be reviewed and addressed. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

Gardeners Walthamstow Village is committed to using personal information responsibly, securely, and only where there is a clear and lawful reason to do so.