Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Barnes

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Barnes collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects personal data. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Barnes customers in the area, including people who request quotations, book services, receive arboricultural work, or otherwise interact with our business. We are committed to handling personal information 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. Information We Collect

We collect only the information needed to provide our services, manage our relationship with customers, and meet our legal obligations. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include the following categories of personal data:

Identity information such as your name, title, and any business or property ownership details you provide.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information relating to tree surgery work, site visits, quotation requests, instructions, service preferences, and records of jobs completed.
Payment and billing information where needed to issue invoices, process payments, and keep financial records.
Technical information such as basic device, browser, and usage data if you communicate with us electronically.
Communication records including emails, messages, notes from calls, complaint details, and feedback.
Property and access details where necessary for planning, carrying out, or safely completing work on your premises.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, or it is required for a lawful reason. If such data is ever needed, we will ensure an appropriate lawful basis and additional safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, surveys, and tree surgery services.
To arrange appointments, manage bookings, and communicate about ongoing work.
To maintain service records and customer accounts.
To issue invoices, receive payments, and manage accounting.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and requests for information.
To comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, and safety obligations.
To maintain business records and improve service quality.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your data where we have a valid lawful basis to do so. Tree Surgeons Barnes will never use your information in ways that are incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless we have a lawful reason and, where required, your consent.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. The lawful bases we rely on may include:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling quotation requests, arranging services, carrying out work, taking payment, and managing job-related communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process information where required to comply with legal duties, including tax recordkeeping, health and safety obligations, insurance requirements, and other regulatory responsibilities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include maintaining business records, improving services, managing risk, and responding to customer queries.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example if we need permission to use information for a purpose not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We assess each processing activity to ensure that the chosen lawful basis is appropriate and proportionate.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us run our business. These organisations act as processors when they process data on our behalf and according to our instructions. Examples may include:

Accounting and bookkeeping providers used to manage invoices, payments, and financial records.
IT and cloud storage providers used to securely store business data and maintain systems.
Communication service providers used for email, telephone, and messaging functions.
Payment service providers used to process card or electronic payments.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, legal advisers, or consultants where necessary.
Subcontractors or specialist contractors where required to complete a job, provided they are bound by appropriate confidentiality and data protection obligations.

We only disclose the minimum information necessary and require processors to protect personal data through suitable technical and organisational measures. We do not sell personal data. We may also disclose information where required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, and for any additional period required by law or legitimate business needs. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the reason for processing.

Customer and job records are usually kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law, typically in line with accounting obligations.
Communication records may be retained for as long as needed to handle enquiries, disputes, or service history.
Insurance and legal records may be retained for the time needed to manage claims, audits, or compliance matters.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it, anonymise it, or securely archive it so that it is no longer actively used.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate security measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis relied upon:

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 how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
Right to data portability – to request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled improperly. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns directly and promptly.

8. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect it, such as approved contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms. Any transfer will be handled in a way that preserves the protection required by data protection law.

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or business operations. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your information is used.

10. Our Commitment

Tree Surgeons Barnes is committed to respecting your privacy and using personal data responsibly. We aim to collect only what we need, keep it secure, retain it for no longer than necessary, and process it only where we have a lawful basis. Whether you are booking work, requesting a quote, or receiving ongoing arboricultural services, you can expect your information to be treated with care, fairness, and appropriate confidentiality.

By using our services, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal data for customers in the area. If any part of this policy is updated, our continued service relationship will be based on the most current version in force.