Privacy Policy - Landscaping Norbiton

This Privacy Policy explains how Landscaping Norbiton collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Landscaping Norbiton customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who interact with us regarding quotes, bookings, maintenance work, and related landscaping services.

We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy describes the categories of data we collect, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep data, who processes data on our behalf, and the rights individuals have in relation to their personal information.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is reasonably necessary to provide our services, manage our customer relationships, and meet legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Property details relevant to the requested landscaping or maintenance work, including access instructions and site preferences.
Service information such as quotes requested, services booked, service history, and customer communications.
Payment and billing information where necessary for invoicing and account administration.
Technical data such as basic device or usage information if you interact with us electronically.
Special categories of personal data only where you choose to provide it or where it is required for a specific request and we have an appropriate legal basis.

We generally collect personal data directly from you. In some cases, we may receive information from third parties where this is necessary for the provision of services, such as property managers, estate representatives, or payment providers. We may also create internal records based on the services carried out at a property, including job notes, timing, and service outcomes.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, arrange visits, and deliver landscaping services.
To communicate with you about bookings, schedules, service updates, and customer support.
To manage invoicing, payments, and account records.
To keep service and safety records for operational purposes.
To improve our services, customer experience, and internal processes.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements.
To protect our business, customers, staff, and property from misuse, fraud, or security incidents.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to use it for another compatible purpose. We do not sell personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Landscaping Norbiton relies on the following lawful bases depending on the situation:

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide a quotation, carry out agreed landscaping work, manage appointments, issue invoices, or otherwise perform our obligations to you.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights. This includes maintaining records, handling customer enquiries, improving services, preventing misuse, and managing business administration. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and limit the processing accordingly.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain personal data to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example if you choose to receive certain non-essential communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are rarely used by us, but may apply in exceptional circumstances if needed to protect someone’s safety or where required by law.

4. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the purpose of processing.

In general, we may keep:

Customer and service records for the duration of the customer relationship and a reasonable period afterward for administration and dispute handling.
Financial and tax records for the period required by law.
Communication records for as long as needed to manage queries, service follow-up, and evidence of instructions or agreements.
Technical and security logs for a limited period necessary for monitoring and protection.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. In some cases, data may be retained in backup systems for a short period before being overwritten according to our routine retention schedule.

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with carefully selected third-party service providers who act as data processors on our behalf. These processors are only allowed to process data under our instructions and must protect it appropriately. They may include:

IT and hosting providers that support secure data storage, email, and system administration.
Accounting and invoicing providers that help with financial administration and record keeping.
Payment service providers that process payments securely.
Scheduling, customer management, or workflow providers used to organise appointments and service records.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where needed.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, by a court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Landscaping Norbiton, our customers, or others. If we engage any processor, we require appropriate contractual safeguards, confidentiality obligations, and security measures in line with data protection law.

6. Data Sharing and Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data we process and the risks involved.

Access to personal data is limited to individuals who need it for legitimate business purposes. We require relevant staff and contractors to maintain confidentiality and handle data responsibly. Although no system can be completely secure, we regularly review our practices to help safeguard personal information.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these may include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data where there is a lawful basis to do so.
Right to restriction – to request that we limit how we use your data 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 we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been handled. We encourage individuals to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and property-related customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to a service request and strictly necessary. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Landscaping Norbiton is committed to processing personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way. We collect only the information we need, use it for clearly defined purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and work with processors who provide appropriate safeguards. We respect the rights of our customers and aim to uphold high standards of privacy and data protection in every aspect of our work.