Privacy Policy

Last updated: 10 February 2026

Gardners Ground Maintenance ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store and share your personal data when you use our website (gardnersgm.co.uk), book our services, or communicate with us.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Gardners Ground Maintenance is a sole trader gardening and ground maintenance business based in Roche, Cornwall PL26 8HN.

• Data Controller: Gardners Ground Maintenance
• Contact Email: info@gardnersgm.co.uk
• Phone: 01726 432051
• Address: Roche, Cornwall PL26 8HN

2. What Data We Collect

We collect the following personal data:

Information you provide directly:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Property address and postcode
• Booking details (service type, date, time, notes)
• Photos of your garden (if you upload them during booking)
• Payment information (processed securely by Stripe — we do not see or store your card details)
• Communications with us (emails, contact form messages, chatbot conversations)
• Testimonials and reviews you submit
• Newsletter subscription preferences

Information collected automatically:

• Approximate distance from our base (calculated from your postcode for pricing purposes)
• Your browser type and device (standard web server logs)

Information we do NOT collect:

• We do not use tracking cookies or analytics tools (no Google Analytics, no Facebook Pixel)
• We do not collect data about your browsing behaviour across other websites
• We do not store your credit/debit card details — all payments are handled by Stripe

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

Purpose	Legal Basis (UK GDPR)
To provide and manage our gardening services	Performance of a contract
To send booking confirmations, reminders and invoices	Performance of a contract
To process payments via Stripe	Performance of a contract
To send aftercare guides following completed services	Legitimate interest
To send newsletters and seasonal tips (if subscribed)	Consent
To calculate travel distance and pricing	Legitimate interest
To keep financial records for tax purposes	Legal obligation (HMRC)
To respond to enquiries and complaints	Legitimate interest

4. How We Store and Protect Your Data

Your data is stored securely using the following services:

• Google Workspace (Google Sheets, Gmail) — data stored in Google's UK/EU data centres, encrypted at rest and in transit
• Stripe — PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. We never see or store your card details
• Telegram — used for internal business notifications only (booking alerts to us). Your data is not shared in any public channel

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure APIs, and access controls. Only authorised personnel can access your personal data.

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We share data only with:

• Stripe — to process card payments (governed by Stripe's Privacy Policy)
• Google — for data storage and email communication (governed by Google's Privacy Policy)
• Royal Mail / Postcode lookup services — your postcode is sent to look up your address (no other personal data is shared)
• HMRC — financial records as required by UK tax law

We do not share your data with any marketing companies, data brokers, or social media platforms.

6. Emails We Send

As part of our service, we send the following automated emails:

• Booking confirmation — when you book a service
• Appointment reminder — the day before your scheduled visit
• Reschedule notification — if your appointment is changed
• Job completion & aftercare — when your service is complete, with care tips
• Invoice — with payment details and before/after photos
• Payment confirmation — when we receive your payment

These are transactional emails related to your booking and are sent under contractual/legitimate interest basis.

We also send optional marketing emails (newsletter, seasonal tips, promotions) only if you have opted in. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email, or by contacting us.

7. Cookies and Local Storage

Our website is intentionally lightweight on tracking:

• No tracking cookies — we do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any advertising trackers
• No third-party advertising — we do not serve ads
• Local storage — we use your browser's local storage for essential functionality only (chatbot conversation state, admin authentication). This data stays on your device and is not transmitted to us

Third-party services embedded on our site may set their own cookies:

• Google Fonts — for typography
• Font Awesome — for icons
• Stripe — for payment processing (only on the booking page)
• Flatpickr — for the date picker (no tracking)

Please refer to each service's own privacy policy for details on their data practices.

8. How Long We Keep Your Data

Data Type	Retention Period
Booking & service records	Duration of customer relationship + 6 years
Invoices & payment records	6 years (HMRC requirement)
Email communications	Duration of customer relationship + 2 years
Newsletter subscribers	Until you unsubscribe
Job photos	Duration of customer relationship + 1 year
Contact form enquiries	2 years

After these periods, your data will be securely deleted unless there is a legal reason to retain it.

9. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access — request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — ask us to correct any inaccurate data
• Right to erasure — ask us to delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Right to withdraw consent — withdraw consent for marketing emails at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@gardnersgm.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

You can also manage your data through our customer portal.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. If we make significant changes, we will notify active customers by email.

12. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, please contact us first at info@gardnersgm.co.uk so we can resolve the issue.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Phone: 0303 123 1113
• Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

13. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or requests:

• Email: info@gardnersgm.co.uk
• Phone: 01726 432051
• Address: Gardners Ground Maintenance, Roche, Cornwall PL26 8HN