Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Hammersmith

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Hammersmith collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Hammersmith customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who enquire about our services. 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.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or interacting with Tree Surgeons Hammersmith, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We encourage you to read this notice carefully to understand your rights and our responsibilities.

1. Information We Collect

Tree Surgeons Hammersmith may collect personal data directly from you, from your use of our services, or from third parties where appropriate. The information we collect depends on the nature of your enquiry, the services you request, and our legal obligations.

Types of data collected

Identity data: your name and, where relevant, business or property details.
Contact data: address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information: details of the work requested, site notes, service history, and related correspondence.
Payment and billing data: invoicing details, payment confirmations, and transaction records.
Technical data: information such as IP address, browser type, and device information when you interact with digital services.
Communication data: records of emails, messages, calls, and any feedback or complaints you provide.
Operational data: site access arrangements, appointment details, risk assessments, and photographs taken for service documentation where necessary.

We only collect personal data that is relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes described in this policy. We do not seek to collect unnecessary information.

2. How We Use Personal Data

Tree Surgeons Hammersmith uses personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
to manage customer accounts and deliver services;
to plan work, schedule visits, and communicate service updates;
to issue invoices, process payments, and keep financial records;
to maintain service quality, handle complaints, and resolve disputes;
to comply with legal, regulatory, and insurance obligations;
to protect the security of our customers, staff, and property;
to improve our services, internal processes, and record keeping.

Where we take photographs or notes during a job, these are used to document the condition of the site, support service delivery, or demonstrate that agreed work has been completed. We will only use personal data for a purpose that is compatible with the reason it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must identify a lawful basis for each processing activity. Tree Surgeons Hammersmith 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, such as providing tree surgery services, preparing a quotation, or managing payment and invoicing.

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 maintaining service records, improving operations, preventing fraud, ensuring site safety, and responding to customer enquiries.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain personal data where required by law, including for tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, and regulatory compliance purposes.

Consent

In some limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to send certain optional communications or to process information in a manner requiring your permission. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example where emergency action is necessary to protect life or serious safety.

4. How We Share Personal Data

Tree Surgeons Hammersmith may share personal data with trusted third parties, known as processors or service providers, when necessary to run our business and deliver services. These parties are required to process data securely and only on our instructions.

Examples of processors and recipients

IT and hosting providers: for data storage, email services, system support, and security.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: for invoicing, financial administration, and tax compliance.
Payment processors: for handling card or online payments securely.
Customer relationship and scheduling systems: for appointment management and service coordination.
Professional advisers: such as legal, insurance, or audit advisers where needed.
Public authorities: where disclosure is required by law or is necessary to protect rights, safety, or security.

We do not sell personal data. If we ever need to share personal information outside the UK or international area, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses, as required by law.

5. Data Retention

Tree Surgeons Hammersmith keeps personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

In general, we may retain:

customer and service records for the duration of the working relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards;
financial and tax records for the period required by law;
communications and complaint records for as long as needed to handle the matter and support legal defence if required;
technical and security logs for limited periods to maintain system integrity and investigate issues.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in line with our retention practices. We aim to keep only what we need, for only as long as we need it.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices.

Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, Tree Surgeons Hammersmith works to reduce risks and respond promptly to any suspected data incident. If a personal data breach occurs and it is required by law, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority and affected individuals.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have important rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
Erase your data in certain circumstances;
Restrict how we process your data in certain cases;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent;
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your rights have been infringed.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will aim to respond within the timeframe required by law.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers, property owners, landlords, tenants, and business contacts. 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 inadvertently collected data from a child without appropriate legal basis, we will take steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Tree Surgeons Hammersmith may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, guidance, services, or internal practices. Any updated version will apply from the date of publication or notification. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we handle personal data.

10. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our data processing activities, or how we handle your personal information, you may request further details through our usual business communication channels. We will respond to privacy-related enquiries in a timely and appropriate manner.

By using Tree Surgeons Hammersmith services in the area, you confirm that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. This policy is designed to support transparency, accountability, and lawful handling of personal data for every customer we serve.