Privacy Policy - Gardeners Marks Gate

Gardeners Marks Gate is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Marks Gate area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and safeguard personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Gardeners Marks Gate customers in the area, whether you contact us for a quotation, request a service, or engage us for ongoing gardening work.

We only collect and process personal data where it is necessary, lawful, and fair. We aim to be transparent about the information we hold, why we hold it, and the choices and rights you have over your data. This policy sets out the key principles that guide our handling of personal information.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The information we collect is generally limited to what is needed to provide gardening services and manage our business relationship with you.

Types of data we may collect

Identity details such as your name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details including information about your garden, site access, preferred work dates, and service requirements.
Billing and payment information such as invoice records and payment status.
Communication records including messages, enquiries, and notes of calls or correspondence.
Technical data if you contact us electronically, such as basic device or usage information generated by email systems.
Security and safeguarding information where needed for site access, property instructions, or health and safety purposes.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it, or unless a lawful reason applies. If such data is ever needed, we will handle it with additional care and only where permitted by data protection law.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for legitimate business purposes connected to providing gardening services in Marks Gate. These uses are limited and proportionate to the work we carry out.

To respond to enquiries and provide quotes.
To arrange and deliver gardening services.
To manage appointments, access arrangements, and job scheduling.
To issue invoices, receive payments, and maintain financial records.
To communicate about service updates, changes, or follow-up work.
To maintain business records and support customer service.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and health and safety obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or security risks.

We do not sell personal data and we do not use it for unrelated purposes. Where we need to use personal information in a new way, we will ensure that the use is lawful and compatible with the original purpose.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing activity. Depending on the context, Gardeners Marks Gate may rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

Contract - when processing is necessary to provide a quotation, carry out work, or manage a service agreement with you.
Legal obligation - when we must keep records for tax, accounting, insurance, or regulatory purposes.
Legitimate interests - when processing is necessary for the normal running of our business, such as keeping internal records, improving services, or communicating with existing customers, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Consent - in limited cases where we ask for your clear permission, for example for optional communications that are not necessary for service delivery.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we make sure the processing is relevant, limited, and reasonable. We balance our interests against your privacy rights and expectations.

4. Sharing Data and Processors

We may share personal data only where necessary and only with trusted third parties who help us run our services. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and under our instructions.

Examples of processors and service providers

IT and email providers used to store and manage correspondence.
Accounting and invoicing services used for financial administration.
Payment handling services used to process payments securely.
Administrative support tools used to organise jobs, records, and scheduling.
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where necessary.

We require all processors to handle personal data securely, confidentially, and in line with data protection law. They may only use data for the purposes we specify and must not use it for their own unrelated purposes.

In limited cases, we may also disclose information where required by law, regulation, court order, or official request. If a service provider or authority is located outside the UK, we will take appropriate steps to ensure your data is protected to a lawful standard.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held.

Typical retention approach

Enquiry records may be kept for a limited period if no service is booked, to allow follow-up and administrative reference.
Customer and service records are generally retained for the duration of the working relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Invoices and tax records are retained for the period required by financial and tax law.
Communication records may be stored as part of our customer service and business recordkeeping.
Security or access notes are kept only as long as needed for the relevant job or ongoing service arrangements.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, careful record handling, and limiting data access to those who need it for legitimate business purposes.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and to keep information safe. If a personal data breach were to occur and it posed a risk to your rights and freedoms, we would act in line with our legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

You have a number of rights under data protection law. These rights apply subject to certain conditions and exemptions.

Right of access - you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification - you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure - in some circumstances, you may ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction - you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object - you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
Right to data portability - where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may request certain data in a transferable format.
Right to withdraw consent - if we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

Important: some rights may not apply in every situation. For example, we may need to keep certain information for legal or accounting reasons even if you ask for deletion.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you are unhappy with how your information is handled.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are aimed at adult customers and property owners or occupiers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children as part of our normal business activities. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or how we handle personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers in Marks Gate to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Gardeners Marks Gate respects your privacy and handles personal data carefully, lawfully, and only where necessary. We collect only the information needed to deliver gardening services, communicate effectively, manage records, and comply with legal obligations. We use trusted processors, keep data securely, retain it only for justified periods, and support your rights under UK GDPR.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Gardeners Marks Gate customers in area.