Privacy Policy - Gardeners Kensal Green

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Kensal Green collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data for all customers in the Kensal Green area. It applies to every individual who uses our gardening services, requests a quote, books a visit, or otherwise interacts with our business. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner, and to respecting the rights of every customer whose data we process.

1. Who We Are

Gardeners Kensal Green provides gardening and related outdoor services to residential and commercial customers in the area. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as a data controller when we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data. This means we decide what information is needed, why it is used, and how long it is kept, subject to applicable legal requirements.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and title.
Contact data such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service data such as property access details, garden preferences, service instructions, and appointment notes.
Transaction data such as payment records, invoices, and service history.
Communication data such as enquiries, feedback, complaints, and correspondence.
Technical data where relevant, such as basic website or device information used for security and performance purposes.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or unless another lawful basis applies. If you choose to share sensitive information with us, we will only process it where permitted by data protection law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to deliver gardening services effectively and safely. Typical uses include arranging visits, responding to enquiries, preparing quotes, carrying out work at your property, managing billing, and maintaining accurate records. We may also use your data to improve our services, handle complaints, prevent fraud, and comply with legal and accounting duties.

We only use your information for clear and legitimate purposes. If we need to use your data for a new purpose that is incompatible with the original reason, we will ensure a lawful basis exists before doing so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for every use of personal data. Gardeners Kensal Green relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract – when processing is necessary to provide a quote, deliver a booked service, or manage an ongoing customer relationship.
Legitimate interests – when we use data to operate and improve our business, manage customer communications, maintain records, or protect against misuse, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Legal obligation – when we must retain or disclose information to comply with tax, accounting, safety, or regulatory requirements.
Consent – where required, for example for certain optional marketing communications or particular types of data processing.

If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who support the running of our services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide. We only share the minimum data needed and require appropriate safeguards to be in place.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers used to process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers used to prepare financial records and comply with tax obligations.
Scheduling or administrative systems used to manage bookings, reminders, and records.
IT and cloud service providers that help store and protect business data.
Professional advisers such as legal or financial advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose data where required by law, for example to public authorities, courts, or regulators. We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, tax, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason we hold it. For example, service records and invoices may be kept for several years to meet legal obligations and support dispute resolution.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it. If there is a legal reason to keep it longer, such as a claim or investigation, we will retain it only for that extended period.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our handling practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the nature of the information we process.

8. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in line with data protection law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections designed to keep your personal data secure and lawful.

9. Your Rights

Individuals whose personal data we process have a number of rights under UK data protection law. These rights may be subject to legal limitations, but we will always assess each request carefully. Your rights 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 data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data where there is no valid reason for us to keep it.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit processing in certain circumstances.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to request transfer of certain data to you or another provider in a structured format.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing relies on consent.

We also respect your right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

10. Marketing Preferences

If we send you optional marketing communications, they will be based on your consent or our legitimate interests where lawfully permitted. You can opt out of marketing at any time. We will continue to send essential service messages where they are needed to provide your requested service or meet legal obligations.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults responsible for arranging gardening work. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing or service management purposes. If we become aware that information has been collected from a child inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to delete it where required by law.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal duties, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review it periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

13. Scope and Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Kensal Green customers in the area, including anyone receiving gardening services, making enquiries, requesting quotes, or communicating with us in relation to our work. By engaging with our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection law.

14. Our Commitment

We aim to keep personal data accurate, limited, secure, and used only for valid purposes. Our approach is based on transparency, accountability, and respect for the privacy of every customer. If we rely on your information, we do so only because it is necessary to deliver reliable services, meet legal requirements, and maintain fair business practices. Gardeners Kensal Green is committed to handling your personal data responsibly at every stage.