Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe customers in the area, including prospective customers, existing customers, site visitors, and anyone who enquires about our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to individuals who use, request, or receive services from Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe in the local area. It also applies to people who communicate with us on behalf of a property owner, landlord, tenant, business, or managing agent. If you provide personal data to us, or if your personal data is supplied to us in connection with a service request, this policy explains how that information is handled.

2. Personal data we collect

We collect only the information needed to provide arboricultural and related services, manage enquiries, and meet legal and business obligations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property access details, work requested, site notes, quotes, invoices, and service history.
Communication records such as messages, enquiries, feedback, and complaint details.
Payment information such as billing records and transaction status.
Technical data such as limited website or device information, where collected for security or analytics purposes.
Property and site information relevant to the work being carried out, including photographs, tree condition notes, and risk assessments.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it, or unless another lawful condition applies. If such data is ever processed, it will be handled with additional care and only for a specific, legitimate purpose.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
arrange surveys, appointments, and work schedules;
deliver tree surgery and related services safely and effectively;
issue invoices, process payments, and manage accounts;
maintain records of services and customer preferences;
deal with complaints, queries, or follow-up requests;
meet legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations;
protect our business, customers, staff, and the public from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will only use your personal data where we have a valid reason to do so and where the use is compatible with the original purpose for which the data was collected.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before we process personal data. Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract – when processing is necessary to provide a service, prepare a quote, manage an agreed job, or carry out related steps at your request.
Legal obligation – when we must keep records or share information to comply with tax, accounting, health and safety, or other legal duties.
Legitimate interests – when we use data to operate and improve our business, maintain records, prevent fraud, respond to enquiries, or manage service quality, provided these interests do not override your rights.
Consent – where we ask for permission for a specific purpose, such as certain types of optional communications or where the law requires consent.

Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect any processing that took place before withdrawal.

5. Sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and deliver services. These third parties may act as processors or as independent controllers, depending on the circumstances. Processors only handle personal data on our instructions and must keep it secure and confidential.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

IT and cloud storage providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
payment service providers;
email and communications systems;
professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers;
subcontractors assisting with tree surgery work, where needed for service delivery.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, by a court order, or to public authorities where necessary and lawful. We do not sell personal data.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet legal, contractual, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it is held.

Typical retention considerations include:

Customer and service records – retained while the business relationship is active and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Invoice and tax records – retained for the period required by law and accounting practice.
Health and safety documentation – retained as needed for compliance and liability management.
Enquiry records – retained for a limited period unless they become part of an ongoing customer relationship.

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

7. Security of personal data

We take reasonable 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, staff confidentiality obligations, and careful selection of processors.

Although we work hard to protect personal data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data incident occurs, we will assess the situation and take appropriate action in accordance with our legal duties.

8. Your rights

As a data subject, you have important rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal limits, these rights may 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 data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit the use of 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 certain data in a structured, commonly used format, where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them.

9. Automated decision-making

We do not normally use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes, we will update this policy and explain the relevant safeguards.

10. International transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that the data remains protected to the standard required by law. This may include approved contractual protections or transfers to countries recognised as providing adequate protection.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or technical changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your data is handled.

12. Summary of our approach

Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe only processes personal data where there is a valid legal basis, keeps it no longer than necessary, and shares it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We aim to be transparent, secure, and respectful of your rights at all times. This policy applies to all Tree Surgeons Rotherhithe customers in area and supports our commitment to responsible data protection practices.