Privacy Policy - Gardeners Keston

Gardeners Keston is committed to protecting personal data and respecting privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected when services are provided to customers in the Keston area. It applies to all Gardeners Keston customers in area, including individuals who request quotations, book services, receive garden maintenance, or communicate with the business in any way.

This policy is designed to be clear, fair, and consistent with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. It sets out what data is collected, why it is needed, the lawful basis for processing, how long data is kept, which processors may handle information, and the rights available to users.

1. Personal Data We Collect

Gardeners Keston may collect and process the following categories of personal data, depending on the type of service requested or provided:

Identity details: name, title, and any preferred form of address.
Contact details: postal address, email address, telephone number, and other communication details provided by the customer.
Service information: property access notes, gardening preferences, appointment details, service history, quotations, and instructions relating to the work requested.
Payment-related data: limited billing information necessary to issue invoices, record payments, or manage accounts.
Correspondence: messages, feedback, complaints, and records of conversations relating to services.
Technical data: limited information such as device or browser data if it is collected through digital communication tools.
Site or property details: information relevant to providing a gardening service safely and effectively, such as access requirements, garden layout notes, or seasonal maintenance preferences.

Gardeners Keston only collects data that is necessary, relevant, and proportionate for providing professional garden services and managing customer relationships.

2. How Personal Data Is Collected

Data may be collected directly from customers when they make enquiries, request estimates, book services, or provide instructions. It may also be collected during the course of delivering services, such as when appointments are scheduled, invoices are prepared, or follow-up communication takes place.

In some cases, information may be provided by a third party acting on a customer’s behalf, such as a family member, landlord, property manager, or authorised representative. Where this happens, Gardeners Keston will only process the information where it is lawful and necessary for the service relationship.

Information may also be generated internally through record-keeping, customer support, and service management. Gardeners Keston does not seek unnecessary personal data and does not collect special category data unless there is a clear legal reason to do so and the customer has been informed.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Gardeners Keston processes personal data only where there is a valid lawful basis under data protection law. The main lawful bases used are:

Contract

Processing is necessary to take steps at a customer’s request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract for gardening services. This includes handling contact information, service instructions, appointment scheduling, invoicing, and service delivery.

Legitimate Interests

Processing may be carried out where it is necessary for the legitimate interests of Gardeners Keston, provided these interests are not overridden by the customer’s rights and freedoms. This may include maintaining records, preventing fraud, improving service quality, managing enquiries, and keeping a business audit trail.

Legal Obligation

Some information must be processed to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, or regulatory requirements.

Consent

Where consent is used, it will be requested clearly and freely. Customers may withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Gardeners Keston does not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more appropriate, particularly for routine service administration and essential record-keeping.

4. How Data Is Used

Personal data may be used for the following purposes:

providing quotations and carrying out agreed gardening services;
contacting customers about appointments, access arrangements, and service updates;
issuing invoices and managing payments;
maintaining business records and service histories;
responding to questions, feedback, and complaints;
meeting legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
protecting the security of the business, staff, and customers;
improving customer service and operational efficiency.

Gardeners Keston uses information only in ways that are compatible with the original purpose of collection, unless a new lawful basis applies.

5. Data Retention

Gardeners Keston keeps personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason it is held.

In general:

Customer service records are kept for the period needed to manage the relationship and handle any follow-up queries.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Correspondence and complaint records may be retained for a reasonable period to evidence service decisions and resolve disputes.
Working notes and operational information are deleted or anonymised when no longer required.

When data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, destroyed, or anonymised in line with retention practices. Gardeners Keston reviews retention regularly to ensure information is not kept for longer than necessary.

6. Processors and Third Parties

Gardeners Keston may use trusted third-party processors to help deliver services and manage business operations. These processors act on instructions and are required to handle data securely and lawfully. Examples may include:

accounting or bookkeeping providers;
payment processing services;
IT support or cloud storage providers;
email, scheduling, or communication tools;
professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or tax advisers where necessary;
service contractors or operational partners who need limited information to perform a task.

Where processors are used, Gardeners Keston takes reasonable steps to ensure that contracts, safeguards, and security measures are in place. Personal data is not sold to third parties.

Data may only be shared with other parties when necessary for service delivery, legal compliance, dispute resolution, or the protection of legitimate business interests. Any such sharing is limited to what is necessary and proportionate.

7. Data Security

Gardeners Keston applies appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, or disclosure. Measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff awareness, and careful handling of records.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, reasonable precautions are used to reduce risks and protect customer information. Any suspected data breach will be assessed and addressed in accordance with applicable law.

8. User Rights

Customers in the Keston area have rights under data protection law in relation to their personal information. These rights may include:

Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data held about them.
Right to rectification: to ask for inaccurate or incomplete data to be corrected.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing: to limit how data is used in specific situations.
Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing where applicable.
Right to data portability: to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where legally applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing relies on consent.

Requests relating to data rights will be handled in accordance with legal obligations and verified where necessary to protect privacy. Some rights may not apply in every situation, particularly where Gardeners Keston must keep data for legal compliance or legitimate record-keeping purposes.

9. Children’s Data

Gardeners Keston does not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing or service purposes. If information relating to a child is incidentally provided, it will only be processed where necessary and lawful, and with appropriate care.

10. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, Gardeners Keston will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that such transfers comply with data protection law. Any international transfer will be limited to what is necessary for the relevant business purpose.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or service arrangements. The most current version will apply to the processing of personal data. Customers are encouraged to review it periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

12. Summary of Key Principles

Gardeners Keston processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Only data needed for genuine business and service purposes is collected. It is kept secure, retained only for necessary periods, shared only with trusted processors where appropriate, and used in line with the rights of customers.

In all cases, Gardeners Keston aims to respect privacy, minimise data use, and maintain trust with every customer in the area.