Privacy Policy - Gardeners Biggin Hill

Gardeners Biggin Hill is committed to protecting personal data and respecting privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, shared, stored, and protected when customers use our gardening services. It applies to all Gardeners Biggin Hill customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quotation, books a service, or communicates with us about ongoing or future work.

We process personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This means we collect only what is needed, use it fairly and lawfully, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as necessary.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

Identity data: name, title, and any details needed to identify a customer or property holder.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and preferred method of communication.
Service information: details about requested gardening work, property access notes, service preferences, and job instructions.
Payment data: billing details, payment status, and transaction records. We do not store card details unless this is expressly required and securely managed by a payment provider.
Technical data: limited information such as IP address or device data when customers interact with digital services or submit online forms, where applicable.
Communication data: records of emails, messages, calls, and notes relating to enquiries, quotes, complaints, or service updates.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary, for example when a landlord, managing agent, family member, or neighbour provides details to arrange gardening services on someone’s behalf. Where this happens, we expect the person sharing the information to do so lawfully and appropriately.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to carry out our gardening services and manage customer relationships. Typical uses include:

providing quotes and assessing service needs;
booking, delivering, and managing gardening work;
contacting customers about appointments, changes, or follow-up matters;
handling invoices, payments, and account administration;
recording service history and customer preferences;
responding to queries, complaints, or requests;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We do not use personal data for unrelated purposes without a valid legal basis. If we ever need to use information for a new purpose, we will ensure that this is compatible with the original reason for collection or seek consent where required.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the situation, the lawful basis may include:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide requested services, prepare quotations, schedule work, or manage payments and service administration.

Legal Obligation

We may need to process and retain certain records to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, or other legal duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override individual rights and freedoms. This may include improving service delivery, maintaining accurate records, handling customer communications, and protecting our business from fraud or misuse.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on consent, for example where it is required for certain marketing activities or optional communications. When consent is used, it can be withdrawn at any time.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These recipients act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We only share information when necessary and appropriate safeguards are in place.

Examples of processors may include:

accounting and bookkeeping providers;
payment service providers;
IT, hosting, and software support services;
communication and scheduling platforms;
professional advisers such as insurers, solicitors, or auditors where needed.

Where processors are used, they are required to act only on our instructions, keep data secure, and comply with data protection obligations. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, law enforcement request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Gardeners Biggin Hill, our customers, or others.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and for any additional period required by law or legitimate business needs.

Customer and service records: retained for the period needed to manage the relationship and resolve any follow-up matters.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by applicable law, including accounting obligations.
Communication records: kept for a reasonable time to assist with service administration, dispute handling, or proof of instructions.
Job notes and property details: retained only as long as they remain relevant to ongoing or repeat services.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of safely. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the context of the service provided.

6. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and careful handling of paper and electronic records.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and protect customer information. If a personal data breach occurs, we will respond in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and legal basis for processing, individuals may have the following rights under data protection law:

Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data held about you.
Right to rectification: to ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of personal data in certain situations.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit how data is used in certain circumstances.
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 consent is the basis for processing, it may be withdrawn at any time.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. If a request is made, we may need to verify identity before responding. We aim to handle requests within the legal time limits.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property-related arrangements. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in a specific service context. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, we will take steps to delete or correct it as required.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is processed using systems or service providers outside the UK, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place so that information remains protected in accordance with data protection law. Any such transfer will be managed carefully and only where necessary.

10. 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 processing practices. The updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. Customers are encouraged to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Biggin Hill handles personal data responsibly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information needed to provide gardening services, keep it secure, share it only where necessary, and retain it for a limited time. Customers in the area can exercise their rights and expect their information to be treated with care and respect.