Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Queenspark

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Queenspark collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Queenspark customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, book services, receive tree surgery works, or otherwise interact with our business. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance 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 customers, prospective customers, property owners, tenants, landlords, business clients, and any other individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our tree surgery services in Queenspark and the surrounding area. It also applies to personal data collected through phone calls, emails, messages, written forms, site visits, surveys, and administrative records.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as name and title.
Contact data such as postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as details of the work requested, property access requirements, site notes, and job history.
Billing and payment data such as invoice records, payment status, and transaction information.
Technical data such as basic information collected when you interact with our digital systems, where applicable.
Communication data such as messages, complaints, feedback, and correspondence records.
Site-related data such as photographs of trees, land, or completed work, where needed for quotations, safety assessments, or record-keeping.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you have provided it, or we are required to process it for a specific legal reason. If such information is ever shared with us, we will only handle it where permitted by law and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data to operate our services efficiently and responsibly. Our purposes include:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
booking and delivering tree surgery services;
carrying out site assessments and planning works safely;
issuing invoices and processing payments;
keeping service records and customer history;
managing complaints, disputes, and aftercare;
meeting tax, insurance, accounting, and regulatory requirements;
protecting our staff, customers, and property;
improving our services and internal operations.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless we reasonably believe we need to use it for a compatible purpose or we are legally required to do otherwise.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the situation, Tree Surgeons Queenspark relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, arranging services, carrying out tree work, and managing payment or invoicing matters.

Legal obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as maintaining accounting records, meeting tax obligations, or keeping information required for health and safety compliance.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include responding to customer enquiries, maintaining records, preventing fraud, improving services, and managing business administration. We always consider whether our interests are proportionate and whether processing is necessary.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where we need to use optional information or send certain types of marketing communication. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary for our operations. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, separate controllers. We only share the minimum data needed and require appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers who store or support our records and systems;
accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration;
payment service providers who handle transactions;
customer management or scheduling tools used to organise service delivery;
professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors when needed;
subcontractors who support delivery of work under our instruction.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or lawful request from a regulatory or public authority. We do not sell personal data.

6. International transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised mechanisms designed to protect personal data.

7. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, tax, insurance, and operational needs. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason we hold it.

Enquiry records may be kept for a limited period if no service is booked.
Customer and job records may be retained while services are active and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and invoicing records are kept for the period required by law.
Safety, compliance, and dispute-related records may be retained longer where necessary.

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

8. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and regular review of business processes. While no system is entirely risk-free, we work to maintain a reasonable and proportionate level of security.

9. Your rights under data protection law

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these 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 information.
Right to erasure – to ask us to delete personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
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.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns directly so we can try to resolve them quickly and fairly.

10. Children’s data

Our services are generally aimed at adults and property-related customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in a specific situation. If we become aware that we have collected child-related data without an appropriate legal basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we handle personal data.

12. Summary

Tree Surgeons Queenspark processes personal data to provide tree surgery services, manage administration, meet legal duties, and support customer care. We use lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and sometimes consent. We share data only with trusted processors when necessary, retain it for appropriate periods, and respect your data protection rights. This policy applies to all Tree Surgeons Queenspark customers in the area.