Privacy Policy - Gardeners Park Royal

Gardeners Park Royal is committed to protecting personal data and respecting privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected when customers in the Park Royal area use our gardening services. It applies to all Gardeners Park Royal customers in the area, including private households, landlords, property managers, and business clients who engage us for gardening and related outdoor services.

This policy is written to meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It sets out what data we collect, the lawful basis on which we process it, how long we keep it, the processors we may use, and the rights available to individuals. By using our services, making an enquiry, or communicating with us, you acknowledge that your data may be processed as described below.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the delivery, administration, and improvement of our services. The exact information collected depends on the nature of the enquiry, booking, or ongoing customer relationship.

Information provided directly by you

Identity details: name, title, and preferred form of address.
Contact details: address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information: details about the garden, property, access arrangements, and service preferences.
Billing and payment information: invoice details, payment status, and transaction records where relevant.
Communication records: enquiries, feedback, complaints, and service instructions.

Information collected automatically

Technical data: basic device and browser information when you communicate electronically.
Usage records: logs relating to service requests, quotes, correspondence, and internal administration.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary sensitive information. If special category data is ever disclosed to us by accident, we will handle it carefully and only where a lawful condition allows it.

2. How We Use Personal Data

Personal data is used for legitimate business purposes connected with gardening services, customer administration, and legal compliance. Typical uses include:

responding to enquiries and preparing quotes;
managing bookings, visits, and service delivery;
maintaining customer records and service histories;
issuing invoices and recording payments;
handling complaints, disputes, and follow-up actions;
meeting legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
improving our service standards and internal procedures;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access.

We process data only for purposes that are compatible with the original reason it was provided, unless a new lawful basis applies or consent is obtained where required.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must identify a lawful basis before processing personal data. Gardeners Park Royal relies on the following bases, depending on the activity:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract with you. This includes quoting, scheduling, delivering gardening work, and managing customer accounts.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, record keeping, business improvement, responding to customer queries, and maintaining security.

Legal obligation

Some data must be processed to comply with legal duties, such as accounting, tax record keeping, insurance-related requirements, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on consent. If consent is used, it will be given freely, specific, informed, and unambiguous. You may 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 to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

Customer and service records: kept for the duration of the working relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards for support, auditing, and dispute handling.
Financial and accounting records: retained in line with statutory requirements.
Enquiry and correspondence data: kept long enough to manage the enquiry, then reviewed and deleted when no longer needed.
Complaint and incident records: retained for as long as needed to resolve matters and protect our legal position.

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

5. Processors and Data Sharing

We may use third-party service providers, known as processors, to support the operation of our services. These processors act on our instructions and are only permitted to use personal data for the agreed purposes.

Types of processors we may use

IT and cloud service providers: for secure storage, communication, and system administration.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: for invoicing, tax compliance, and financial records.
Payment service providers: for processing transactions and related verification.
Administrative support providers: for scheduling, record management, and operational support.

Where a processor is engaged, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate security measures, confidentiality obligations, and data processing terms are in place.

We may also share data where necessary with professional advisers, insurers, or public authorities, but only when lawful and proportionate. We do not sell personal data.

6. International Transfers

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

7. Security of Personal Data

We use suitable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. Security controls may include access restrictions, password protection, staff confidentiality obligations, and secure storage practices. Although no system is entirely risk-free, we review our measures regularly to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. Your Rights

Individuals whose data we process have rights under data protection law. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis relied upon.

Rights available to you

Right of access: request confirmation of whether we hold your data and obtain a copy.
Right to rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: request deletion of personal data in certain situations.
Right to restriction: ask us to limit processing in specific circumstances.
Right to data portability: request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object: object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has been handled improperly. We encourage individuals to raise concerns with us first so we can address them promptly and fairly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property managers. We do not intentionally collect children’s personal data. If information relating to a child is incidentally provided, it will be processed only where necessary and in accordance with data protection law.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or service arrangements. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Park Royal handles personal data responsibly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and work with trusted processors under appropriate safeguards. We respect the privacy rights of all customers in the Park Royal area and aim to ensure that every personal data matter is handled with care, fairness, and accountability.