Rubbish Clearance Kingston upon Thames Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Rubbish Clearance Kingston upon Thames collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data relating to our customers and prospective customers within the Kingston upon Thames area. We are committed to complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and to handling your personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner.

Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all customers, prospective customers, and website users of Rubbish Clearance Kingston upon Thames located in and around the Kingston upon Thames area. It covers personal data collected when you contact us, request a quote, book a service, communicate with our team, or otherwise interact with our business online, by phone, or in person.

Data Controller

The data controller is Rubbish Clearance Kingston upon Thames. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the details provided on our main contact channels.

Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identification and contact details, such as your name, address, email address, telephone number, and, where relevant, business name and job title. Service and location details, including property address, access information, descriptions of waste to be collected, preferred dates and times, and any additional instructions you provide. Communication records, such as emails, call notes, text messages, and other correspondence with our customer service team. Transaction and billing information, including records of services provided, invoices, payment status, and limited payment details necessary to confirm a transaction. We do not store full card details; these are processed by our payment service providers. Technical and usage data, such as information about how you use our website or contact forms, including device information, browser type, approximate location, and interaction logs, collected through server logs and similar technologies.

How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data from you directly when you contact us by telephone, email, online form, or in person to request a quote or book a service. We also collect data when you engage with our website or respond to our marketing or service messages. In some instances, we may receive your details from third parties where you have given them permission to share your data with service providers like us, for example comparison platforms or referral partners.

Lawful Bases for Processing

We only process your personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so under GDPR. The main lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract. We process personal data to enter into and perform contracts with you. This includes arranging waste collection services, managing bookings, processing payments, and communicating with you about your service. Legal obligation. We process certain data to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including tax, accounting, and waste disposal regulations, and to maintain accurate records of our activities. Legitimate interests. We process personal data for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights. This includes improving our services, managing our relationship with you, responding to enquiries, and ensuring the security of our systems. Consent. In limited circumstances, we rely on your explicit consent, for example when sending certain types of marketing communications where consent is required. You can withdraw consent at any time using the contact details we provide.

How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and manage our rubbish clearance and related services, including quoting, booking, scheduling, and carrying out collections. To communicate with you regarding enquiries, bookings, changes to services, and customer support. To process payments, issue invoices, and manage accounts, credit, and refunds. To comply with our legal and regulatory duties, including record keeping and cooperating with authorities where required. To improve our services, website, and customer experience by analysing how customers use our services and providing feedback. To send you service-related messages and, where permitted, carefully selected marketing communications about our services and offers.

Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with third parties who act as data processors on our behalf, only where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. These include:

IT and hosting providers that store or manage our business systems and data securely. Payment service providers that process card or online payments on our behalf. Customer management and communication platforms that help us manage bookings, enquiries, and service notifications. Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary for our business operations and compliance. Waste management partners or subcontractors, where required to fulfil a service you have requested, and only to the extent needed for that service.

All processors are required to act only on our instructions, keep your data secure, and comply with data protection law. We may also share data with authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where required by law or to protect our rights or the rights of others.

Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. In general:

Customer and service records are usually kept for up to six years after the end of our relationship or the completion of services, in line with legal and tax obligations. Communication records are kept for a period that allows us to manage enquiries, disputes, and customer support effectively, typically up to six years. Technical and usage data may be retained for shorter periods, as necessary for security, analytics, or troubleshooting.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

International Transfers

Where any of our service providers transfer or store personal data outside the United Kingdom, we take steps to ensure that your data is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws. This may include using countries deemed to provide an adequate level of protection or implementing standard contractual clauses or equivalent safeguards.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under GDPR, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions, these include:

Right of access. You can request confirmation that we process your personal data and obtain a copy of that data. Right to rectification. You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data. Right to erasure. You can request the deletion of your personal data where there is no longer a lawful basis for us to process it. Right to restrict processing. You can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances. Right to data portability. You can request that we provide your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format or transfer it to another organisation where technically feasible. Right to object. You can object to processing based on our legitimate interests and to direct marketing at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using our usual contact details. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond to all valid requests within one month.

Marketing Preferences

We may send you information about services that are similar to those you have already purchased or enquired about, using our legitimate interests or your consent as appropriate. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the instructions in our messages or by contacting us directly. Opting out of marketing does not affect service-related communications necessary for your bookings.

Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and regular review of our security practices. While we work to protect your personal data, no transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Complaints and Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your personal data, or if you wish to make a complaint, please contact us using our standard customer contact details. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioners Office, which oversees data protection compliance in the United Kingdom.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updates will be made available using our usual communication channels, and the revised version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.