Privacy Policy for Gardeners Hackney
This Privacy Policy explains how Gardeners Hackney collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing gardening and related services. It applies to all Gardeners Hackney customers in the area, including prospective customers, active customers, and anyone who contacts us to request information, a quotation, or a service.
We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is written to help customers understand what information we collect, the lawful basis on which we process it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to individuals.
Information We Collect
Gardeners Hackney may collect and process personal data that you provide directly to us and data generated through the delivery of our services. This may include your name, address, property access details, service requirements, billing information, correspondence, and records of appointments, quotes, and completed work. We may also keep notes relating to the condition of a garden or outdoor space where this is relevant to the service requested.
When you contact us, request a quotation, book a visit, or use our services, we may also collect communication records and administrative details needed to manage the relationship. If you make payment, relevant transaction information may be recorded for accounting and legal purposes. We do not collect more information than is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.
How We Use Personal Data
We use personal data to respond to enquiries, prepare quotations, arrange visits, deliver gardening services, manage customer accounts, process payments, maintain service records, and deal with complaints or follow-up requests. We may also use information to improve our services, keep accurate records, and meet legal, tax, and insurance obligations.
Where needed, we may use data to communicate about changes to an appointment, confirm instructions, or request access to a property. We will only use personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless we reasonably consider that another compatible purpose applies and is permitted by law.
Lawful Basis for Processing
Gardeners Hackney processes personal data only where we have a lawful basis under data protection law. In many cases, the lawful basis is contract, because processing is necessary to provide a quotation, manage a booking, or deliver gardening services you have requested. Some processing is carried out on the basis of legitimate interests, such as maintaining business records, improving service quality, preventing fraud, and managing customer communications, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
We also process some data to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements. In limited cases, we may rely on consent, for example where the law requires it for a specific activity. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time, although this will not affect processing already carried out before withdrawal.
Sharing and Processors
We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These may include providers of bookkeeping, accounting, payment processing, information technology support, data storage, and administrative services. Such processors are only permitted to use personal data in accordance with our instructions and for agreed purposes.
We may also disclose personal data where required by law, regulation, court order, or other lawful request from public authorities. If a business transfer or restructuring takes place, relevant customer data may be transferred as part of that process, subject to appropriate safeguards.
We do not sell personal data. Where third-party service providers are used, we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle data securely and in line with applicable data protection requirements.
Data Retention
Gardeners Hackney keeps personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The exact retention period depends on the type of record and the reason it is held. For example, customer and transaction records may need to be kept for several years to meet tax and financial obligations, while routine enquiry records may be kept for a shorter period.
When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We review records periodically to make sure we are not keeping information for longer than necessary.
Security of Personal Data
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the information we hold and the risks associated with processing it. However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and individuals should take care when sharing information with us.
Your Rights
Under data protection law, you may have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights can include the right to be informed, the right of access, the right to rectification, the right to erasure, the right to restrict processing, the right to object to certain types of processing, and the right to data portability in some circumstances.
You may also have the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. In addition, you can ask us to explain how we use your data and request correction of information that is inaccurate or incomplete. Some rights may not apply in every situation, particularly where we must keep information to comply with legal obligations or defend legal claims.
Children’s Data
Gardeners Hackney does not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service request and provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we become aware that personal data has been collected inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.
Contact and Complaints
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or are concerned about how your personal data has been handled, you may contact Gardeners Hackney using the contact details provided through our usual business communication channels. You also have the right to raise a complaint with the UK data protection supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.
