Privacy Policy - Gardeners Peckham

Effective for all Gardeners Peckham customers in the area. This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Peckham collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing gardening services to residents, landlords, businesses, and other customers in Peckham and the surrounding area. It also explains the legal grounds for processing, how long data is kept, the categories of processors who may handle data on our behalf, and the rights available to individuals under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to all Gardeners Peckham customers in area, including prospective customers, active customers, and former customers whose data we retain for legal, administrative, or operational reasons. It covers information collected when you request a quote, make an enquiry, book a service, receive garden maintenance, or otherwise interact with us in connection with our services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a fair, lawful, and transparent manner. We only collect what is necessary for legitimate business purposes, and we take reasonable steps to ensure data is accurate, secure, and kept only for as long as required.

2. Data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity data such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as the type of gardening work requested, property access notes, service preferences, and appointment history.
Billing and transaction data such as invoice details, payment status, and records of services supplied.
Communication data such as messages, call notes, complaint records, and feedback.
Technical data limited to basic records generated when you contact us electronically, such as date, time, and sender information.
Site and safety information where needed to carry out work safely, such as instructions relating to pets, gates, alarms, or hazardous conditions.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it, for example where a health-related access note is needed to arrange safe service delivery. In such cases, we apply extra care and only use that information for the specific purpose for which it was supplied.

3. How we use your personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
to arrange and deliver gardening services;
to manage customer accounts and appointments;
to process payments and issue invoices;
to maintain service records and improve operational quality;
to handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
to protect our business, staff, customers, and property;
to keep a record of consent where required.

We only use your data in ways that are compatible with the original purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to use it for another legitimate purpose.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases when processing personal data:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes, scheduling services, carrying out work, and handling payments.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, and regulatory requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relationships, improving service delivery, preventing fraud, protecting property, and maintaining internal records. We ensure that any such processing is proportionate and limited to what is needed.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, particularly where you voluntarily provide information that is not required for the service or where consent is needed for a specific optional use. You can withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data sharing and processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with carefully selected third parties that act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. These parties are only involved where necessary and are expected to handle data securely and lawfully.

Typical processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers used to store records, manage communications, or support administrative systems;
payment service providers that handle card or electronic payments;
accounting or bookkeeping providers supporting financial administration;
customer management or scheduling systems used to organise service delivery;
professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary;
subcontractors or operational partners assisting with service delivery, where applicable and under appropriate instructions.

All processors are expected to use data only on our instructions, to maintain appropriate security, and to delete or return data when it is no longer required. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place.

6. Retention of personal data

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 depend on the type of information and the nature of the relationship with the customer.

Quotation and enquiry records are generally kept for a limited period to manage follow-up, disputes, and service planning.
Customer service records are retained for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Invoice, payment, and tax records are retained for the period required by financial and tax laws.
Complaint and dispute records may be kept longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in line with our retention procedures. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

7. Your rights

Individuals whose personal data we process have rights under data protection law. Subject to applicable exemptions, these may include:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten;
The right to restrict processing where certain conditions apply;
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing where applicable;
The right to data portability for information processed by automated means and provided under consent or contract;
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
The right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your rights have been infringed.

Requests relating to these rights should be made in writing and may require verification of identity before we respond. We aim to deal with requests promptly and within the time limits set by law.

8. Security of your data

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and limited access to records on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risks and respond appropriately to any suspected incident.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any revised version will continue to apply to all Gardeners Peckham customers in the area from the date it is issued. Where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to highlight them in an appropriate way.

By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. We are dedicated to treating your data with care, restraint, and respect, and to maintaining a privacy standard that supports trust in every service we provide.