Privacy Policy - Gardeners Crossness

Gardeners Crossness is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Crossness area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide gardening and related services. It applies to all Gardeners Crossness customers in the area, including residential and commercial clients who engage us for garden maintenance, landscaping, planting, seasonal work, or other gardening services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, Gardeners Crossness acts as the data controller for the personal data we collect and process in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is used. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to process personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the services we provide. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name and title
Contact details such as address and email address
Service details such as the type of gardening work requested, preferred timings, and property access notes
Billing and payment information where needed to process invoices and payments
Communications such as messages, feedback, and service-related correspondence
Technical information if you interact with our digital systems, including limited device or usage data where relevant

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and a lawful basis applies. We also ask that you do not share unnecessary sensitive information with us.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for clear and specific purposes connected to our gardening services. These purposes include:

Providing quotes, arranging visits, and delivering services
Managing bookings, schedules, and property access
Communicating with you about your services or inquiries
Issuing invoices, receiving payments, and keeping financial records
Handling complaints, service issues, or requests for changes
Maintaining business records and meeting legal obligations
Improving our operations, service quality, and customer experience

We will only use your data in ways that are compatible with the purposes for which it was collected. If we need to use your information for a new purpose, we will ensure there is a lawful basis for doing so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when the law allows us to. Depending on the activity, our lawful basis may include:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging garden maintenance, landscaping, or other services you have requested.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relationships, responding to service queries, maintaining security, and improving our services.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for optional communications or specific types of data use. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Gardeners Crossness ensures that every processing activity has a valid legal basis and is carried out with care and proportionality.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and deliver services. These third parties act as processors on our behalf, meaning they only process data according to our instructions and must keep it secure.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processors used to handle card or electronic payments
Accounting service providers used for invoicing and financial record management
IT and data storage providers used for secure record keeping and system support
Communication providers used for sending service-related messages

We may also disclose data where required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or others. We do not sell your personal data.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections designed to keep your information secure and legally protected.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, and no longer than required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of record and the reason it is held.

Customer service records are usually retained for the period needed to manage the service relationship and resolve any issues
Financial and tax records are retained for the duration required by law and relevant accounting rules
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to maintain service history and evidence of instructions

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

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, and careful handling of records. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to protect your information in a manner that is proportionate to the nature of the data we hold.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights over your personal data. These rights may be limited in some situations, but we will always assess and respond appropriately. Your rights include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain situations
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Right to data portability – to request transfer of data you provided to us, where applicable
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 about how your data is handled. We encourage customers to contact us first so we can address the matter promptly and fairly. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults arranging gardening work for homes or premises. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and there is a lawful basis for doing so. If we become aware that we have collected data without appropriate legal grounds, we will take steps to delete it.

11. 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 handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

12. Our Commitment

We believe privacy should be handled with clarity, respect, and accountability. Gardeners Crossness processes personal data only where necessary, uses it responsibly, and ensures that customers in the Crossness area are treated fairly and in accordance with data protection law. If you use our services, you can be assured that your personal information will be handled with care and kept only for as long as it is genuinely needed.

Last updated: 2026