Gardeners Crook Log Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Crook Log collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data relating to our customers and prospective customers. It applies to all Gardeners Crook Log customers and service users in our operating area, whether you contact us online, by post, or in person. We are committed to complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and all applicable data protection laws.

Who we are and scope of this policy

Gardeners Crook Log provides gardening and related services to customers in the local area. This Privacy Policy covers all personal data that we process in relation to enquiries, quotations, bookings, service delivery, payments, and customer relationship management for Gardeners Crook Log customers in our area.

By engaging with us, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy. We may update it from time to time and will apply any changes from the date they are published.

Personal data we collect

We collect only the personal data that is relevant and necessary for us to provide our gardening services and manage our relationship with you. This may include:

Identification and contact details such as your name, postal address, service address, and general contact preferences.

Communication information such as records of enquiries, quotations, booking details, and any correspondence relating to the services we provide.

Service information such as details about your garden or outdoor space, access instructions, and any notes required to plan and carry out the work safely and effectively.

Transaction and billing information such as details of the services you have purchased, payment method used, and payment history. We do not store full payment card details if electronic payments are processed through a secure third party.

Website, enquiry, or usage information where applicable, such as information you submit via contact forms and general technical information automatically provided by your browser, for example your IP address and basic device information. Any such data is used for security, service improvement, and administration.

We do not deliberately collect special category data such as health information, except where you choose to share something directly with us and it is strictly necessary for safe service delivery, for example mobility information that may affect access to the garden.

How we use your personal data and lawful bases

We process your personal data only when we have a lawful basis under data protection law. The main purposes for which we use your data and the corresponding lawful bases are:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations. We process identification, contact, and service information to respond to your requests and prepare quotations. The lawful basis is taking steps at your request prior to entering into a contract.

To provide gardening services and manage our contract with you. We use your contact details, service information, and transaction information to schedule and carry out work, communicate about the services, handle changes, and manage billing. The lawful basis is performance of a contract.

To manage our business relationship and customer service. We may use your data to follow up on work completed, manage complaints, and keep accurate records of services provided. The lawful bases are performance of a contract and our legitimate interests in managing and improving our services.

To send essential service notices. We may send you messages relating to service changes, safety information, access updates, or important notices concerning your booking. The lawful basis is performance of a contract and our legitimate interests.

For marketing of our services. We may provide information about similar services that may be of interest to you. Where required by law, we will only send such marketing communications with your consent, which you can withdraw at any time. Where consent is not required, the lawful basis is our legitimate interests in promoting our services.

For administration, security, and legal compliance. We may use your data for record keeping, to protect against fraud, to resolve disputes, and to comply with legal obligations such as tax and accounting rules. The lawful bases are compliance with legal obligations and our legitimate interests in protecting our business.

Data sharing and processors

We treat your personal data as confidential and will not sell it to third parties. We may share it only when this is necessary for the purposes described in this policy, or when we are legally required to do so.

We may use carefully selected third party service providers who act as data processors on our behalf. These may include:

IT and cloud service providers who host or support our business systems and store data securely.

Payment processors or financial services providers who process payments for the services you purchase from us.

Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where this is required for business and compliance purposes.

These processors are only permitted to process your personal data in accordance with our instructions and for the purposes we specify, and they are required to implement appropriate security measures.

We may also need to share information with public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement agencies if required by law or to protect our rights, our customers, or others.

Data retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, or for as long as is required by law. We apply the following general criteria:

Enquiry data that does not lead to a quotation or contract is usually retained for a limited period to respond to your enquiry and for routine business analysis, after which it is deleted or anonymised.

Customer and contract records, including basic contact details, service history, and billing information, are typically retained for a number of years after the last service date to manage our relationship, deal with any queries or disputes, and comply with accounting and tax rules.

Where we rely on your consent for marketing communications, we will keep your contact details for this purpose until you withdraw your consent or opt out, at which point we will cease marketing to you and either delete or suppress your details for marketing purposes.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete it or anonymise it so that it can no longer be linked to you.

Security of your personal data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include limiting access to personal data to personnel and processors who need it for legitimate business purposes, using suitable security tools and processes, and training staff on their data protection responsibilities.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply to all Gardeners Crook Log customers in our area, subject to certain legal limitations and exemptions. Your rights include:

The right of access: you can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of the data we hold about you.

The right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data that we hold about you.

The right to erasure: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected and we have no legal requirement to keep it.

The right to restrict processing: you can ask us to restrict how we use your data in certain situations, for example while we are considering a request to rectify or erase it.

The right to object: you can object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests as our lawful basis. You always have the right to object to direct marketing and we will respect this immediately.

The right to data portability: where the processing is based on consent or on a contract and carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a commonly used, machine readable format and to request that we transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.

Where we rely on your consent as the lawful basis for processing, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

How to exercise your rights and complaints

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights or have questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us using the usual contact methods that you use to communicate with Gardeners Crook Log for services and enquiries. We may need to verify your identity before we respond to your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data. We would encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve any issues.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, how we process personal data, or changes in the law. Any updated version will apply from the time it is made available. We recommend that you review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.