Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Plumstead

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Plumstead collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Plumstead customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who make enquiries about our services. We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Tree Surgeons Plumstead provides tree surgery and related arboricultural services. In the course of delivering our services, we may need to collect and use personal data to manage enquiries, arrange site visits, provide quotations, complete work, and maintain accurate business records. We only process personal data where we have a valid legal basis to do so and only for purposes that are necessary and proportionate.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

Identity data, such as your name or title.
Contact data, such as address, email address, and phone number.
Property and location data, including details needed to assess the work site.
Service-related information, such as your enquiry, instructions, service preferences, and job history.
Payment and billing data, where relevant to invoicing and payment processing.
Communication records, including emails, messages, and notes from phone calls.
Technical data, where you interact with our digital systems, such as basic device or usage information.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. If such information is accidentally provided, we will only process it where necessary and where a lawful basis applies.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

submit an enquiry;
request a quotation or site inspection;
book or receive a service;
communicate with us by phone, email, or message;
provide feedback or make a complaint.

We may also receive information from third parties where necessary, for example from property owners, tenants, managing agents, or subcontractors involved in arranging work. In some cases, we may obtain limited information from publicly available sources to verify property details or ensure safe service delivery.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where the law allows it. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:

Contract – to take steps at your request before entering into a contract and to perform our services once a contract exists.
Legitimate interests – to manage our business, respond to enquiries, improve service quality, maintain records, and prevent fraud or misuse, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Legal obligation – to comply with tax, accounting, health and safety, and other legal requirements.
Consent – where we rely on your permission for specific activities, such as sending certain types of direct marketing. You may withdraw consent at any time.

We will always ensure our use of your data is relevant, limited, and proportionate to the purpose for which it is collected.

5. How We Use Your Information

We may use your personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to assess site access, tree condition, and work requirements;
to deliver tree surgery and related services;
to manage bookings, scheduling, and customer communication;
to issue invoices and process payments;
to keep records of work completed and any follow-up required;
to meet our legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations;
to improve our services and customer experience;
to handle complaints, disputes, or claims.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those described in this policy unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, known as processors, who assist us in operating our business. These processors act only on our instructions and are contractually required to protect your information. They may include:

IT and cloud service providers that store or host business data;
accounting and bookkeeping providers that support invoicing and financial record keeping;
payment service providers that help us receive payments securely;
communication service providers that support email or messaging functions;
subcontractors or specialist contractors where needed to complete a service;
professional advisers, such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors;
public authorities where we are legally required to disclose information.

We do not sell personal data. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it in line with data protection law.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the nature of our relationship with you.

Typical retention periods

Customer enquiries: retained for a reasonable period to manage follow-up and business administration.
Job records and invoices: retained to meet accounting, tax, and contractual obligations.
Correspondence and complaints: retained long enough to handle queries and maintain an accurate record of decisions.
Legal and insurance records: retained where necessary to defend or establish legal claims.

When personal data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and confidentiality obligations. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the information we hold.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these may include the right to:

access the personal data we hold about you;
rectify inaccurate or incomplete data;
erase your data in certain circumstances;
restrict or object to certain types of processing;
data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis;
complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We will respond within the time limits required by law and will do our best to address your request promptly and fairly.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not normally use automated decision-making or profiling in a way that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes, we will update this policy and provide additional information about the logic involved, the significance of the processing, and your available rights.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are directed to property owners, occupiers, and other adults responsible for arranging tree work. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that a child’s data has been provided without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it where required and appropriate.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how we protect your data.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

At Tree Surgeons Plumstead, we aim to handle personal information with care, confidentiality, and respect. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate business purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. Our approach is designed to support safe, reliable service delivery while upholding your privacy rights. This policy applies to all Tree Surgeons Plumstead customers in the area, and by using our services or making an enquiry, you acknowledge that your data will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.