Privacy Policy | London Water Services

1. Introduction

London Water Services ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you:

Visit our website at londonwaterservices.co.uk
Contact us for information or quotes
Engage our services
Interact with us in any other way

By using our website or services, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

London Water Services connects property owners and businesses with qualified water treatment specialists. When you submit an enquiry, we share your information with our service partners who will assess your needs and provide quotes.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We may collect the following personal information when you contact us or engage our services:

Contact Information:

Full name
Email address
Phone number(s)
Mailing address
Property or premises address (if different from mailing address)

Property and Service Information:

Property type and characteristics (residential, commercial, or industrial)
Details of your water treatment requirements or concerns
Current water system details (if provided)
Photos or documentation relating to your water system (if provided)

Communication Records:

Records of phone calls, emails, and other correspondence
Customer feedback and survey responses
Complaints and their resolution

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect technical and usage data.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

Service partners (who may share information about the status of your assessment or treatment work with your knowledge and consent)
Insurance companies (if you make a claim related to our services)
Property managers or managing agents (with your consent)
Other contractors or engineers working on your property (with your consent)
Publicly available sources

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information through:

Website contact forms and callback request forms
Email correspondence
Phone calls
Site visits and property inspections
Written quotes and service agreements
Customer surveys and feedback forms
Social media interactions

We will only collect personal information by lawful and fair means, and only where reasonably necessary for our business functions.

4. Why We Collect Personal Information

4.1 Service Delivery

To coordinate quotes and assessments by sharing your enquiry with qualified water treatment service partners
To schedule and perform site visits and inspections
To communicate with you about our services
To process payments and manage accounts

4.2 Business Operations

To maintain records of our business transactions
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
To manage warranties and guarantee claims
To handle complaints and disputes
To improve our services and customer experience

4.3 Marketing and Communication

To send you information about our services (with your consent)
To respond to your enquiries and requests
To provide customer support
To send service-related updates and notifications

4.4 Legal and Safety

To comply with legal requirements and court orders
To protect our legal rights and interests
To prevent fraud or other illegal activities

5. How We Work with Service Partners

London Water Services operates as a referral and coordination service. When you submit an enquiry through our website or contact us directly, we share your enquiry details with qualified water treatment specialists who will:

Assess your water treatment requirements
Provide quotes for the required work
Perform treatment services if you accept their quote

What information is shared:

Your name and contact details
Property or premises address and details of your requirements
Photos or documentation you provide
Any other information necessary for accurate assessment

Service partner requirements:

We work with a carefully selected network of water treatment specialists. All service partners must:

Comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
Maintain appropriate security measures for customer data
Use your information only for assessment and quoting purposes
Provide proof of relevant qualifications, certifications, and insurance

Please note that once you engage directly with a service partner, their own Terms and Conditions and privacy policies will govern that relationship. We recommend reviewing the relevant service partner's policies before proceeding with any work.

By submitting an enquiry, you consent to us sharing your information with our service partners for these purposes.

6. How We Use and Disclose Personal Information

6.1 Internal Use

Your personal information is used by our staff who need access to coordinate services and manage your enquiry. When we refer your enquiry to our service partners, your information is shared with independent specialists who are not our employees.

6.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We may disclose your personal information to trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:

Professional Services:

Accountants and auditors
Legal advisors
Insurance providers and brokers
Technical consultants and engineers

Business Services:

Payment processors and financial institutions
IT service providers and web hosting companies
Marketing and advertising platforms
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
Email and communication services

All third-party service providers are required to protect your personal information and may only use it for the specific purposes for which we provide it.

6.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required by law, including in response to court orders, to government agencies or regulators, or to law enforcement agencies investigating potential crimes.

6.4 Business Transfers

If we sell, merge, or transfer any part of our business, your personal information may be transferred to the purchaser or successor entity, subject to privacy protections.

6.5 With Your Consent

We may disclose your personal information for other purposes with your express consent.

7. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases for processing your personal information:

Consent: where you have given clear consent for us to process your data for a specific purpose (such as marketing communications)
Contract: where processing is necessary to fulfil a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract
Legitimate Interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights and interests
Legal Obligation: where we are required to process your data to comply with the law

8. Overseas Disclosure

Some of our third-party service providers may store or process data outside the UK, including in the United States (cloud storage and CRM systems) and the European Economic Area (email and communication services). Where we transfer personal information outside the UK, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

9. Data Security

9.1 Security Measures

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:

Secure servers and encrypted data transmission (SSL/TLS)
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
Regular security updates and patches
Secure password policies and regular data backups
Staff training on privacy and data protection
Confidentiality agreements with employees and contractors
Access controls and user authentication
Regular review of security practices

9.2 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected:

Service records: minimum 6 years (in line with UK limitation periods)
Financial records: minimum 6 years (for HMRC requirements)
Marketing communications: until you unsubscribe or request removal
Website analytics: typically 26 months

After the retention period expires, we will securely destroy or anonymise your personal information.

9.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, and will notify you directly where the risk is high.

10. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right of Access: you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you (a Subject Access Request). We will respond within one month at no charge.
Right to Rectification: if you believe any information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request correction.
Right to Erasure: you may request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
Right to Restrict Processing: you may request that we restrict how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to Object: you have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making: you have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affect you.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 14.

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. Types of cookies we use:

Essential Cookies: required for website functionality and cannot be disabled.
Performance Cookies: collect anonymous information about how visitors use our website to help us improve it.
Functionality Cookies: remember your preferences and settings to provide enhanced features.
Advertising Cookies: used to deliver relevant advertisements and track campaign effectiveness.

In accordance with UK GDPR and PECR, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can withdraw your consent or manage cookie preferences at any time.

We use Google Analytics to analyse website traffic and user behaviour. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

12. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a child, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated Privacy Policy on our website. Your continued use of our services after changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Us

14.1 Privacy Enquiries

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

London Water Services
Website: londonwaterservices.co.uk
Office Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8am - 6pm GMT

14.2 Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have breached UK GDPR or this Privacy Policy, you may lodge a complaint:

Step 1: Contact us in writing with details of your complaint.
Step 2: We will acknowledge receipt within 2 business days.
Step 3: We will investigate and respond within 30 days.
Step 4: If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

14.3 Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

If we cannot resolve your privacy complaint to your satisfaction, you may contact:

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

15. Definitions

Personal Data: any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
Special Category Data: sensitive personal data including health information, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, criminal records, biometric or genetic data.
UK GDPR: the UK General Data Protection Regulation, which retains the EU GDPR in UK law following Brexit, as amended by the Data Protection Act 2018.
Data Controller: London Water Services, which determines the purposes and means of processing your personal data.
Data Processor: a third party that processes personal data on our behalf.

16. Consent

By using our website or engaging our services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

If you provide personal information about another person (such as a family member, tenant, or employee), you must ensure you have their consent to do so and have made them aware of this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy is designed to be transparent about our privacy practices. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.