Privacy Policy - Landscaping Gunnersbury

This Privacy Policy explains how Landscaping Gunnersbury collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Landscaping Gunnersbury customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who enquire about our services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to people who interact with Landscaping Gunnersbury in connection with gardening, landscaping, outdoor maintenance, design, installation, and related services. It covers information received directly from customers, through service enquiries, and through communications connected to service delivery, billing, or customer support.

We only collect and use personal data that is relevant and necessary for the purposes described in this policy. We do not collect more information than we need, and we take steps to ensure that any processing is proportionate to the services provided.

2. Personal data we collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

Identity information: name, title, and any relevant business or household details.
Contact information: address, email address, telephone number, and preferred contact details.
Service information: details about the services requested, property access notes, site preferences, and project instructions.
Payment and transaction information: records of invoices, payments received, payment status, and billing history.
Communication records: correspondence by email, telephone notes, messages, and service-related feedback.
Technical and usage information: if you interact with digital tools used for enquiries or administration, we may collect limited technical data such as device type, browser information, and basic usage logs.
Photos and site details: images or notes needed to assess a project, document work, or resolve a service issue.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and a lawful basis applies. If such data is ever required, we will ensure additional safeguards are in place.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To assess site requirements and plan landscaping work.
To deliver services, manage appointments, and complete projects.
To communicate with customers about scheduling, changes, or aftercare.
To issue invoices, record payments, and manage accounts.
To handle complaints, queries, and service-related follow-up.
To keep accurate business records and meet legal obligations.
To improve our services, processes, and customer experience.

We will only use personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably need to use it for another compatible purpose and that use is permitted by law.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Landscaping Gunnersbury relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations, carrying out landscaping work, managing bookings, and handling payment or service administration.

Legal obligation

We may process data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, record-keeping, fraud prevention, or other regulatory duties.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining accurate service records, responding to customer enquiries, improving operations, and protecting our business from misuse or fraud. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and only use the data in ways that are reasonable and expected.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where you have actively agreed to a specific use of your data. When we use consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

5. Sharing data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us operate the business and deliver services. These parties act as processors when they process data on our instructions. They may include:

Accountants, bookkeepers, and invoicing providers.
IT and cloud storage providers that support secure data management.
Communication service providers used for email, messaging, or administration.
Payment processing providers and banking partners.
Specialist subcontractors or trade partners involved in service delivery, where necessary.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, use it only for agreed purposes, and maintain appropriate confidentiality and technical safeguards. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose information where required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Landscaping Gunnersbury, our customers, or others.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it is held.

Customer and service records: retained for the period needed to manage the relationship and service history.
Financial records: retained in line with tax and accounting obligations.
Correspondence and complaint records: retained for a reasonable period to manage queries and protect our legal position.
Project images and site notes: retained only as long as needed for service documentation, quality control, or dispute resolution.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in a way that prevents unauthorised access.

7. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis used for processing.

Right of access: you can ask for confirmation of whether we hold your personal data and request a copy of it.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: in certain cases, you can ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in some circumstances.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing where applicable.
Right to data portability: you can ask for certain data to be provided in a structured, commonly used format where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

8. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, and staff awareness practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work continuously to reduce risks and maintain reasonable safeguards.

9. International transfers

If any processor stores or processes data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so the data remains protected to a standard that is consistent with applicable data protection law. Where required, this may include approved contractual protections or adequacy arrangements.

10. Changes to this 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. The most current version will apply to all customers in the area. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your information is used.

11. Summary of our approach

Landscaping Gunnersbury is committed to using personal data responsibly, securely, and only when needed to provide services, manage business operations, and meet legal obligations. We process data on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent where appropriate. We share data only with trusted processors, retain it for no longer than necessary, and respect your rights under GDPR.

This policy applies to all Landscaping Gunnersbury customers in the area.