Privacy Policy - Gardeners Shooters Hill

Gardeners Shooters Hill is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Shooters Hill area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, store, and protect personal information when we provide gardening and related outdoor services. It applies to all Gardeners Shooters Hill customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services.

We handle personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We aim to be transparent, fair, and secure in the way we process information. This policy sets out the types of data we collect, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep information, the processors we may use, and the rights available to you.

1. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage customer relationships, and comply with legal obligations. Depending on your interaction with Gardeners Shooters Hill, we may collect the following:

Identity details such as your name, and where relevant the name of a business or property owner.
Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address.
Service details including the type of gardening work requested, job notes, access instructions, and preferred service dates.
Payment information such as billing records, payment status, and transaction references. We do not store full card details where secure payment providers are used.
Communication records including emails, messages, complaint notes, and service feedback.
Property information such as garden size, layout, access considerations, and service history where needed to plan and deliver work safely.
Technical data if you interact with digital systems, such as basic device or usage information generated by service tools or enquiry forms.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or it is required for a legal reason. If such data is ever processed, we will do so only where a lawful condition under data protection law applies.

2. How We Use Your Data

Gardeners Shooters Hill uses personal data for legitimate service-related purposes. These include:

responding to enquiries and preparing quotations;
booking, delivering, and managing gardening services;
keeping service records and maintaining continuity across visits;
handling invoices, payments, refunds, and account administration;
communicating changes to appointments or service arrangements;
dealing with complaints, queries, or service issues;
meeting tax, accounting, insurance, and legal responsibilities;
improving service quality, planning, and customer experience;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We only use personal data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably determine that another compatible purpose is appropriate and lawful.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when we have a valid lawful basis under UK GDPR. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases may include:

Contract

Contractual necessity applies when processing is needed to provide a quote, carry out gardening work, manage a booking, or take steps before entering into a contract. Without this information, we may be unable to supply the requested services.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal duties, including accounting, tax recordkeeping, business compliance, and other statutory requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process certain data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service record management, customer support, fraud prevention, and business administration.

Consent

Where required by law, we rely on consent. For example, if we ever ask to send optional marketing communications, we will only do so if you have clearly agreed. You can withdraw consent at any time.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These organisations act as processors when they handle data on our instructions and under appropriate safeguards.

Processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers that store records or support digital administration;
payment processors that manage secure transactions;
accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial recordkeeping;
communication service providers that help deliver emails, messages, or appointment reminders;
professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or tax advisers where necessary;
subcontractors or workers involved in delivering services, but only to the extent required to complete the work.

We require processors to protect your data, use it only for specified purposes, and apply suitable technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data. We do not allow processors to use your information for their own unrelated purposes.

In limited cases, we may also disclose data where required by law, to prevent harm, to protect our rights, or to assist with lawful requests from authorities.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held.

Customer and service records are usually retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained in line with legal and accounting requirements.
Communication records may be kept for as long as needed to resolve queries, maintain service history, or defend legal claims.
Marketing records are kept until you withdraw consent or opt out, where applicable.

When information is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

6. Security Measures

We take the security of personal data seriously and use appropriate safeguards to protect it from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of handling practices.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to ensure that data is handled responsibly and that risks are reduced to an appropriate level. If a data breach occurs that presents a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in accordance with legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

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 ask us to delete data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how your data is used in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data has been mishandled. Exercising your rights will not usually affect the services you receive, although some requests may limit what we can provide if data is required for operational or legal reasons.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are generally directed to adults who arrange gardening work for homes or properties. We do not knowingly collect data from children except where it is unavoidable in the course of providing services 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 legal, operational, or service changes. Any revised version will continue to apply to all Gardeners Shooters Hill customers in the area from the date it takes effect. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how your personal data is used.

By using Gardeners Shooters Hill services, you acknowledge that your personal data will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.