Privacy Policy - Gardeners Belmont

Gardeners Belmont is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Belmont area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide gardening and related services. It also explains the rights available to individuals under data protection law. This policy applies to all Gardeners Belmont customers in the area, including anyone who enquires about, books, receives, or manages our services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Gardeners Belmont acts as the data controller for personal information collected in connection with our services. This means we determine the purposes and methods of processing personal data. We are responsible for ensuring that personal information is handled lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

We operate on the principle of privacy by design, meaning that we aim to collect only the data we need, use it only for clear purposes, and keep it only for as long as necessary. We also take reasonable technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on the service requested, the method of communication, and the nature of the work provided. The information we collect may include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and preferred name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property details, garden preferences, requested work, appointment notes, and service history.
Billing and payment information such as invoicing records, payment status, and transaction references.
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence related to our services.
Technical information where relevant, such as device or browser data collected through basic website or email interactions.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data, such as health information, religious beliefs, or biometric data, unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it. If you do provide such information, we will only process it where permitted by law and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make an enquiry, confirm a booking, or communicate with us about a service. We may also receive information from third parties where this is necessary to carry out our work, such as a property manager, landlord, tenant, or payment service provider.

In some cases, personal information may be created during the course of providing a service, for example when we record site access details, schedule appointments, or note completed work. We may also use information from your previous interactions with us to improve continuity and efficiency of service.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a valid lawful basis under applicable data protection law. Depending on the context, our lawful bases may include:

Contract – processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as providing gardening services, preparing quotations, or managing bookings.
Legal obligation – processing is necessary to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including accounting, tax, or record-keeping duties.
Legitimate interests – processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This may include service administration, customer support, fraud prevention, and maintaining internal records.
Consent – where required, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain types of marketing communications or optional data processing. You may withdraw consent at any time where it is the legal basis used.

We assess each processing activity carefully to ensure the chosen lawful basis is appropriate. We do not use personal data in ways that are incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected.

5. How We Use Personal Data

Gardeners Belmont uses personal data for a limited set of legitimate business purposes, including:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
arranging and delivering gardening services;
managing schedules, access, and service notes;
issuing invoices and processing payments;
handling customer care, complaints, and follow-up communication;
maintaining records for accounting, tax, and compliance purposes;
improving the quality, reliability, and efficiency of our services;
protecting our business, staff, and customers from misuse or fraud.

We aim to ensure that all use of personal data is proportionate and relevant. We will not retain or use data for purposes that are unnecessary or excessive in relation to our services.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary for service delivery, legal compliance, or legitimate business operations. Such parties may act as data processors or independent controllers depending on the circumstances.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers that support secure storage, email, and communications systems;
Accounting and bookkeeping services that help process invoices, payments, and financial records;
Payment service providers that handle transactions securely;
Customer management or scheduling tools used to organise appointments and service records;
Professional advisers such as legal or tax advisers where required for compliance;
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or to protect rights, property, or safety.

Where we use processors, we require them to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection obligations. We do not sell personal data.

7. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other legal mechanisms permitted by data protection law. We only transfer data where necessary and where suitable protections are available.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, tax, and operational requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason it is held.

For example:

quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a limited period to manage follow-up and customer service;
service records may be retained while a customer relationship is active and for a reasonable time afterward;
invoicing and financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaints or dispute records may be kept for as long as necessary to resolve the matter and protect our legal position.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. Retention is reviewed regularly to ensure we do not keep information longer than necessary.

9. Data Security

We take security seriously and use appropriate measures to protect personal data. These may include restricted access, password protection, secure devices, staff awareness, and careful management of records and communications. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we aim to use safeguards that are appropriate to the nature and sensitivity of the data processed.

If a personal data breach occurs and it is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will take steps in accordance with legal requirements, which may include notifying the relevant authority and affected individuals where necessary.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your location and the legal basis for processing, you may have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These can include:

Right of access – to obtain confirmation of whether we process your personal data and receive a copy of it.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for 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 may withdraw it at any time.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

11. Marketing Preferences

If we send marketing communications, we will do so only where permitted by law. You may opt out of marketing at any time. Choosing not to receive marketing will not affect your ability to receive core gardening services. We respect your preferences and will act on them promptly.

12. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and property-related service arrangements. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally provided in a service context and only where necessary. If we become aware that data has been collected unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete or otherwise protect it.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or operational practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their data is handled.

14. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Belmont is committed to using personal data responsibly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information necessary to provide and manage our gardening services, rely on appropriate lawful bases, share data only with trusted processors when needed, and retain information only for as long as required. All customers in the Belmont area can expect their personal data to be treated with care, respect, and in accordance with applicable privacy law.

This policy is intended to support clear, lawful, and fair handling of personal information for every Gardeners Belmont customer in the area.