Privacy Policy - Gardeners Creekmouth

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Creekmouth collects, uses, stores, and shares personal data in connection with its services. It applies to all Gardeners Creekmouth customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request, receive, or enquire about gardening services. We are committed to handling personal data in a fair, transparent, and secure way in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to customers, prospective customers, property managers, suppliers, and any other individuals whose personal data Gardeners Creekmouth processes while operating in the local area. By using our services, making an enquiry, or otherwise interacting with us, you acknowledge that your personal information may be processed as described in this policy.

2. Data We Collect

Gardeners Creekmouth only collects data that is necessary for operating and improving our services. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information relating to the gardening work requested, property access arrangements, preferred schedules, and service history.
Billing and payment information required to process invoices, payments, and account records.
Communication records including enquiries, feedback, complaints, and correspondence.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you interact with digital systems used for administration.
Special category data only where it is strictly necessary and lawfully permitted, for example if health-related access arrangements are needed to carry out services safely.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. Where possible, we keep data collection minimal and relevant to the service being provided.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide gardening and related services;
to respond to enquiries and arrange consultations or appointments;
to manage customer accounts and records;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to communicate about bookings, changes, service updates, and follow-up matters;
to meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
to maintain the safety and security of our staff, customers, and operations;
to handle complaints, disputes, or claims;
to improve the quality and efficiency of our services.

We will only use personal data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for a compatible related purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Gardeners Creekmouth processes personal data only where a lawful basis under GDPR applies. Depending on the context, our lawful bases may include:

Contract - where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes arranging services, managing bookings, and providing invoices.
Legal obligation - where we must process data to comply with applicable law, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.
Legitimate interests - where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include service administration, customer service, operational planning, and fraud prevention.
Consent - in limited cases where we ask for your clear permission, for example for certain types of optional communication or where special category data processing requires consent or another specific condition.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we ensure that the processing is proportionate, necessary, and respectful of your privacy rights. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason it is held.

Customer records are typically kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards for administration and dispute resolution.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained for as long as needed to resolve queries, manage service history, and improve customer support.
Access or safety-related information is kept only while it remains relevant to the service and is deleted or anonymised when no longer required.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention procedures. We aim to keep retention periods proportionate and no longer than necessary.

6. Data Processors and Third Parties

Gardeners Creekmouth may use trusted third-party service providers, also known as data processors, to help deliver and manage our services. These processors only handle personal data on our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors may include:

accounting and bookkeeping service providers;
payment processing services;
IT support and data storage providers;
customer administration or scheduling tools;
communication service providers used for business correspondence.

We may also share personal data with independent third parties where required by law, such as tax authorities, regulators, insurers, or legal advisers. Where personal data is shared, we take reasonable steps to ensure that it is protected and only used for the relevant purpose.

We do not sell personal data. Any sharing of information is carried out only when necessary, lawful, and proportionate.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and careful handling of records. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risks and keep personal information protected.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a data subject, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limitations in certain circumstances.

Right of access - you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification - you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure - you can request deletion of your data in certain situations.
Right to restrict processing - you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in some cases.
Right to data portability - you may request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to 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 data protection authority if you believe your data has not been handled lawfully. We encourage you to raise concerns directly so that we can address them promptly and fairly.

9. Children’s Data

Gardeners Creekmouth does not knowingly collect personal data from children for general service purposes. If data relating to a child is incidentally provided, it will be handled carefully and only where necessary for lawful service administration or safety reasons.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or technical changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we handle personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitments

Gardeners Creekmouth is committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what is necessary, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it only as long as required, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. Our approach is designed to support reliable service delivery while respecting the privacy rights of every customer in the area.

This policy is intended to reflect good GDPR practice and to provide clear information about how customer data is handled.