Privacy Policy - Tree Surgeons Twickenham

This Privacy Policy explains how Tree Surgeons Twickenham collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing tree surgery and related services. It applies to all Tree Surgeons Twickenham customers in the area, including homeowners, landlords, tenants, property managers, and business clients who request quotations, book services, or otherwise interact with our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way, in line 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 individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our tree surgery services in Twickenham and surrounding local areas. It covers people who make enquiries, receive quotes, contract for services, make payments, communicate with us, or whose property or land is affected by our work. It also applies to personal data we may receive from third parties where necessary to carry out our services, such as landlords, managing agents, insurers, local authorities, or referral partners.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary and relevant for the provision of our services. Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address.
Service and property information such as site address, access notes, tree location, work instructions, and photographs relevant to the job.
Financial information such as invoice details, payment records, and transaction references.
Communication records such as emails, messages, phone notes, and customer service history.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you submit an enquiry online, where applicable.
Health and safety information where needed to carry out work safely, for example site hazards, access restrictions, or allergy-related notes relevant to a property visit.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and lawful to do so. If such information is provided to us incidentally, we will only use it where a lawful basis and appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to assess site conditions and plan tree surgery work;
to deliver services safely and efficiently;
to manage bookings, invoices, and payments;
to communicate about appointments, changes, or completion of work;
to maintain records for accounting, legal, and insurance purposes;
to handle complaints, disputes, or warranty-related matters;
to improve service quality and customer experience;
to comply with legal, regulatory, and safety obligations.

We do not sell personal data. We only use it in ways that are necessary for our business operations and service delivery.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only where we have a valid lawful basis under UK GDPR. The main lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, scheduling work, carrying out tree surgery services, issuing invoices, and managing payments.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax records, accounting requirements, health and safety duties, or regulatory requirements linked to our services.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This includes responding to customer queries, maintaining business records, preventing fraud, improving services, and managing internal administration. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is proportionate and respectful of your privacy.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for specific optional communications or where consent is the most appropriate basis. When 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 to provide our services or to meet legal and operational requirements. These third parties act either as processors or independent controllers, depending on their role.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud storage providers that securely host our records;
email and communication service providers;
accounting and bookkeeping software providers;
payment processing services;
customer management or scheduling tools;
professional advisers acting on our behalf under confidentiality obligations.

We may also share data with other parties where necessary, such as insurers, surveyors, subcontractors, or legal and regulatory bodies. Where possible, we require processors to follow data protection law, keep information secure, and only use it on our instructions.

We do not permit processors to use your data for their own marketing purposes.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

In general:

quotation and customer enquiry records may be retained for a reasonable period to support follow-up, customer service, and business records;
contract, invoice, and payment records are usually kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws;
health and safety or site-related records may be retained where needed to evidence compliance, manage claims, or support future safety planning;
communication records may be retained for dispute resolution, service history, and operational continuity.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

7. 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 careful selection of service providers. Although no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we aim to use reasonable safeguards that reflect the nature of the data we process.

8. Your rights under data protection law

Under UK GDPR, you have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different circumstances and may be subject to legal exceptions. Your rights include:

Right of access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable law and may need to verify your identity before actioning the request.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

If we use a website or online enquiry form, limited technical information may be collected through cookies or similar technologies. These tools help with site functionality, performance, and understanding how visitors use the service. Where required, we will provide appropriate notices and obtain consent for non-essential cookies. You can manage cookie settings through your browser where applicable.

10. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take appropriate steps to ensure it is protected in accordance with UK data protection law. This may include using approved safeguards such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual protections.

11. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults acting on their own behalf or on behalf of property owners or organisations. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidental and necessary in a service context, in which case it will be handled carefully and only where lawful.

12. 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 revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers in Twickenham and the surrounding area to review this policy periodically.

13. Summary of our approach

Tree Surgeons Twickenham is committed to privacy, transparency, and responsible data handling. We collect only the information needed to provide tree surgery services, rely on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent, and keep data only as long as necessary. We use trusted processors under strict controls and respect your rights to access, correct, restrict, object to, or delete your personal information where applicable.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Tree Surgeons Twickenham customers in the area.