Privacy Policy - Gardeners Falconwood

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Falconwood collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data when providing gardening services. It applies to all Gardeners Falconwood customers in the area, including private households, landlords, tenants, and commercial property clients who use our services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, making an enquiry, requesting a quote, or communicating with us in any way, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for delivering our services, managing customer relationships, meeting legal obligations, and improving our operations.

1. Information We Collect

Gardeners Falconwood collects personal data directly from customers and, in some cases, from authorised third parties. The information we collect may include:

Identity details such as name and title
Contact details such as postal address, email address, and telephone number
Property information related to the location and nature of the gardening work requested
Service records such as quotes, bookings, job notes, preferences, and completed work history
Billing and payment information where required for invoicing and payment processing
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaint correspondence
Technical data such as limited website or device information if you interact with digital systems used by our business

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and explicitly provided by you for a specific reason. If such information is ever shared with us, we will process it only where permitted by law and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for clear and legitimate purposes connected to our services. These purposes may include:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations
Arranging and delivering gardening services
Managing appointments, access arrangements, and site-specific instructions
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining financial records
Communicating service updates, amendments, or important notices
Handling complaints, disputes, or customer feedback
Maintaining internal records and service quality standards
Meeting tax, accounting, insurance, and legal obligations
Protecting our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity

We do not sell personal data. We also do not use customer information for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was originally collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, every use of personal information must have a lawful basis. Gardeners Falconwood relies on the following lawful bases depending on the context:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes, scheduling work, carrying out services, and invoicing.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, health and safety, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may use personal data for our legitimate business interests where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining service records, preventing fraud, improving efficiency, and ensuring quality control. When relying on this basis, we consider the impact on your privacy and only process data that is proportionate and necessary.

Consent

In limited situations, we may ask for your consent, for example if we need permission to use certain optional information. Where consent is used as the lawful basis, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect any processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who assist in the operation of our business. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service provided. We only share the minimum information required and require appropriate contractual protections where processing is involved.

Processors and other recipients may include:

Payment service providers for secure handling of transactions
Accounting and bookkeeping providers to support invoicing and financial administration
IT and data storage providers that host systems, records, or communication tools
Scheduling or customer management systems used to organise services
Professional advisers such as insurers, lawyers, or accountants where necessary
Public authorities or regulators where disclosure is required by law

All processors are required to process personal data only on our instructions, protect it appropriately, and use it solely for the agreed purpose. We do not allow third parties to use customer data for their own unrelated purposes unless they are acting as independent controllers under a separate lawful basis.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for processing.

In general:

Customer enquiry records may be kept for a limited period if no service is booked
Service and account records may be retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a period afterwards
Financial and tax-related records are retained in line with legal and accounting requirements
Complaint and dispute records may be retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and manage risk

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in a way that prevents unnecessary access. We review retained information periodically to ensure it is not kept longer than needed.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, and limiting access to only those people who need it for legitimate business purposes.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard the information entrusted to us and to maintain the confidentiality of customer records. If a personal data breach occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will respond in line with legal requirements.

7. Your Data Protection Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under UK GDPR in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions, but we will always consider your request carefully.

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 information
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Right to data portability – you can request transfer of certain data in a structured format where applicable
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage customers to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults responsible for managing properties and gardening arrangements. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children as part of our ordinary business activities. If we become aware that such data has been collected unintentionally, we will take appropriate steps to delete it unless we are legally required to retain it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is used.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Falconwood is committed to protecting the privacy of every customer in the area we serve. We collect only the information we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it only for as long as necessary, and share it responsibly with trusted processors when required. Our approach is based on transparency, security, and respect for your rights. If you choose our services, you can expect your personal data to be handled with care and in accordance with data protection law.