Privacy Policy - Gardeners Teddington

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Teddington collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Gardeners Teddington customers in the area, including individuals who request services, receive quotations, make bookings, or communicate with us in connection with gardening and related property maintenance services.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is written to help customers understand what information may be collected, why it is needed, how long it is kept, and what rights are available to data subjects.

1. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, and fulfilling legal or operational obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of information:

Identity details such as name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property access notes, job preferences, service history, and quotation requests.
Billing and payment data such as invoice records and payment confirmations.
Communication records such as messages, call notes, feedback, and complaint details.
Technical information if you interact with any digital systems we use, including limited usage logs necessary for security and administration.

We do not collect more information than is reasonably required to deliver gardening services, manage customer accounts, and maintain accurate business records. Where special category data is not relevant, we will not intentionally seek it or process it.

2. How We Use Personal Data

Personal data is used for legitimate operational purposes related to our services. This includes:

responding to enquiries and quotations;
arranging and delivering gardening services;
managing bookings, scheduling, and customer records;
issuing invoices and processing payments;
handling complaints, follow-up requests, and service updates;
meeting legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or security incidents;
maintaining service quality and internal administration.

We use personal information only for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was collected. Gardeners Teddington does not sell personal data and does not use customer information for unrelated purposes without a lawful basis.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, every use of personal data must have a lawful basis. We rely on the following bases, depending on the situation:

Performance of a Contract

We process data when it is needed to provide a quote, arrange services, complete a job, manage a customer request, or take steps prior to entering into a contract.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements. This may include invoicing records and financial documentation.

Legitimate Interests

We may process information where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include customer communication, record keeping, service improvement, and fraud prevention.

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for specific optional communications or certain non-essential uses, we will ask for it clearly. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting processing already carried out lawfully before withdrawal.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in ordinary service delivery, but may be relevant in exceptional circumstances where they are necessary.

4. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer service records are generally retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and accounting records are retained for the period required by applicable tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be retained where needed to resolve disputes, confirm instructions, or maintain service continuity.
Marketing permissions, where applicable, are kept until you withdraw consent or object.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner. Retention decisions are made in line with minimisation principles and operational necessity.

5. Processors and Data Sharing

We may use trusted third parties to help operate the business and provide services. These third parties act as processors when they handle personal data on our instructions, or as separate controllers where they determine their own purposes.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

IT and cloud storage providers used for record management and administration;
payment processors or accounting platforms used for invoices and transactions;
customer communication tools used to manage messages and scheduling;
professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary;
delivery or subcontracted service partners, where required to complete a request.

All processors are selected with appropriate care and are expected to safeguard data through suitable technical and organisational measures. We only share information that is necessary for the relevant task. Where required, we put contractual safeguards in place to protect personal data and ensure compliant handling.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, a court order, or a lawful request from a public authority. Any disclosure will be limited to what is necessary and proportionate.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, password protection, and data minimisation practices.

Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risk and review our procedures where appropriate. If a personal data breach occurs and it is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in line with legal reporting and notification obligations.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under data protection law. These rights are not absolute in every situation, but we will always assess and respond appropriately.

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

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond within the timeframes required by law, subject to verification and any applicable exemptions. We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request, in order to protect your information.

8. Marketing and Communication Preferences

We only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If you receive optional updates and no longer wish to receive them, you may object or withdraw consent as applicable. Service-related messages, however, may still be sent where they are necessary for appointments, billing, or customer support.

Gardeners Teddington respects communication preferences and aims to ensure that any contact is relevant, proportionate, and not excessive.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are generally directed at adults responsible for property management and garden maintenance. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidentally provided in a lawful and necessary context, and even then only to the extent required for service delivery or safeguarding responsibilities.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, service operations, or data handling practices. Any updates will take effect when published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is used.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Teddington is committed to processing personal data responsibly, transparently, and securely. We collect only the information needed to provide reliable gardening services, we rely on appropriate lawful bases, we retain data only for as long as necessary, and we use trusted processors under suitable safeguards. Customers in the area can expect a careful approach to privacy that supports both service quality and compliance with data protection law.