Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Dulwich

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Dulwich collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data when providing tree surgery and related services. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Dulwich customers in the area, including individuals and property owners who enquire about, book, or receive our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to personal data collected from all Tree Surgeons Dulwich customers in area, including current, former, and prospective customers, as well as people who submit enquiries, request quotations, or communicate with us about tree work, maintenance, inspections, stump removal, pruning, felling, emergency call-outs, or related services.

By engaging with Tree Surgeons Dulwich, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy.

2. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for our business activities. Depending on the service requested, we may collect:

Identity information such as your name or the name of your organisation
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number
Property and service information such as site address, access details, work instructions, and property characteristics
Enquiry details such as the nature of the request, preferred dates, and service history
Payment information such as billing details, payment status, and transaction records
Communication records including emails, phone notes, and messages related to services or complaints
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address or browser information, where applicable

We generally do not seek to collect special category data unless it is required for a specific lawful reason. If such data is ever provided to us incidentally, we will handle it with additional care and in line with applicable law.

3. How we use your data

Tree Surgeons Dulwich uses personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations
To assess work requirements and plan services safely
To carry out tree surgery, maintenance, and related services
To manage bookings, invoicing, and payments
To maintain customer records and service history
To deal with complaints, claims, or service issues
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
To improve our services, processes, and customer experience

We only use personal data where we have a valid legal reason to do so.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must identify a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, arranging services, completing work, and handling payment.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain personal data where required to comply with legal duties, such as accounting records, tax requirements, health and safety obligations, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights do not override those interests. This may include maintaining records, managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, and improving our services.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you have actively agreed to a specific form of communication or optional use of data. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us deliver our services. These organisations act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We only share data where necessary and take steps to ensure it is protected.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers that store and secure business records
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help with invoicing and financial administration
Payment service providers that process transactions securely
Communication service providers that support email, telephone, or messaging systems
Contracted specialists or subcontractors who assist with service delivery where required

Where data is shared, we expect processors to act only on our instructions, use appropriate safeguards, and keep data confidential. We do not sell personal data.

6. Retention of personal data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the data and the service provided.

Customer and service records are usually kept for a reasonable period after the work is completed to deal with follow-up queries, warranty matters, or disputes
Financial and accounting records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting law
Communication records may be retained for a limited time to support customer service and record-keeping

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it where appropriate. We review retention regularly to ensure data is not kept for longer than necessary.

7. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and careful management of third-party systems.

Although we work hard to safeguard data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a personal data incident occurs that is likely to present a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will act in accordance with applicable law.

8. Your rights

As a data subject, you have important rights under GDPR. Subject to legal limitations, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
Erase your data in certain circumstances
Restrict how we use your data in certain situations
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Port your data, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your data is handled. We encourage you to contact us first so we can address any issues promptly and fairly.

9. Automated decision-making

Tree Surgeons Dulwich does not generally use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and provide appropriate information about the logic involved and the consequences for you.

10. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults and property-related customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in a specific context. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, we will take steps to remove it where required.

11. Updates to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal duties, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the time it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

12. Summary of our approach

Tree Surgeons Dulwich is committed to processing personal data responsibly, securely, and only for legitimate purposes. We collect only the information needed to provide our services, rely on clear lawful bases, share data only with appropriate processors, and retain records for no longer than necessary.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Tree Surgeons Dulwich customers in area and is designed to meet GDPR standards for transparency, fairness, and accountability.