Waste Collection Hackney Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Waste Collection Hackney collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data relating to customers using our services in the Hackney area. It also sets out your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and related data protection laws. This policy applies to all Waste Collection Hackney customers in the area who make enquiries, book services, or otherwise interact with us.

Who we are and scope of this policy

Waste Collection Hackney is responsible for determining how and why your personal data is processed and is therefore the data controller for the purposes of data protection law. This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data we process about individual customers and contacts in relation to our waste collection and related services in Hackney, whether you contact us online, by telephone, in writing, or in person.

Types of personal data we collect

We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us and the services you use. This may include:

Identification and contact details, such as your name, address, email address, telephone number, and any other contact information you provide when you request our services or contact us.

Service and account information, such as property type and access instructions, service history, service preferences, service-related communications, booking details, and records of any complaints or queries you raise with us.

Payment and transaction data, such as details of payments made for our services, payment method, billing address, and basic transaction records. We do not store full payment card numbers beyond what is necessary for processing a particular transaction.

Technical and usage data, such as data generated when you visit our online channels, including device information, browser type, and information about how you interact with our pages, where applicable.

Communication data, such as emails, telephone call notes, messages, or other records of your interactions with our customer service team or other staff members.

How we collect your personal data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you contact us to request information or a service, set up or manage an account, make a payment, submit a complaint or enquiry, or otherwise communicate with us. We may also collect data automatically through your use of our online channels where applicable. In limited cases, we may receive personal data from third parties, such as local authorities and service partners, where this is necessary to provide our services or to resolve a query or complaint.

Lawful bases for processing your data

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the specific activity, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

Performance of a contract: We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, for example to provide waste collection services, manage your bookings, process payments, and respond to service requests.

Legal obligations: We process personal data where this is required to comply with our legal duties, including record-keeping, financial reporting, health and safety obligations, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate interests: We process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided that these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. These interests include running and improving our services, managing customer relationships, handling queries and complaints, preventing fraud or misuse, and ensuring the security of our systems and staff.

Consent: In some cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain types of optional communications. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time by contacting us using the details provided in this policy.

How we use your personal data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and manage waste collection and related services, including scheduling collections, managing access instructions, resolving issues and maintaining service logs.

To manage customer relationships, including handling enquiries and complaints, providing customer support, and keeping accurate and up-to-date records of our interactions with you.

To process payments, issue invoices, handle refunds, and maintain appropriate financial records associated with your use of our services.

To monitor and improve our services, including analysing service usage and feedback, ensuring our operations run efficiently, and making improvements to how we communicate with customers.

To ensure security and prevent misuse, including protecting our staff, systems, and customers from fraud or other unlawful activity, and ensuring our services are used appropriately.

To comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including responding to requests from regulatory bodies and law enforcement where required by law.

Sharing your personal data with processors and other recipients

We may share your personal data with selected third parties to support the delivery and management of our services. These third parties act as data processors on our behalf or as separate data controllers where appropriate. Categories of recipients may include:

Service providers and contractors who assist us with core operational tasks, such as waste removal, vehicle routing, site management, and related logistical support.

Payment and billing processors who support the secure processing of payments, invoicing, and related financial transactions.

IT and system providers who supply, maintain, or host our customer management systems, communication tools, and other technology services we use in our operations.

Professional advisers, such as legal or accountancy firms, where necessary to obtain professional advice or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Public authorities and regulators, where we are under a legal obligation to share information or where it is necessary for the prevention or detection of crime, or to protect the safety of individuals.

We require data processors who handle personal data on our behalf to use it only in accordance with our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws.

International transfers of personal data

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses, to protect your data and ensure that it is treated in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

Data retention and how long we keep your information

We retain personal data only for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services to you, to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements, and to resolve disputes. The exact retention period will depend on the nature of the data and our legal obligations.

In general, customer and service records are retained for a period that allows us to respond to any queries or complaints and to comply with statutory limitation periods. Payment and transaction records are held for the length of time required by tax and financial regulations. When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

Your data protection rights

You have a number of rights in relation to the personal data we hold about you. These rights may be subject to certain conditions and legal exceptions. Subject to those, you may have the right to:

Access your personal data and obtain a copy of the information we hold about you, together with certain details about how and why we process it.

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data that we hold about you, so that it is accurate and up to date.

Request erasure of your personal data where there is no good reason for us to continue processing it, for example where it is no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which it was collected.

Object to processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests and you feel that your particular situation gives rise to an objection. We will consider your request and stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue.

Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances, for example if you contest the accuracy of the data or object to our use of it, while we consider your request.

Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party in a commonly used, machine-readable format, where the processing is based on consent or on a contract and is carried out by automated means.

Withdraw consent where we rely on consent to process your data. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before it was withdrawn.

Exercising your rights and contacting us

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, or if you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the contact details provided on our customer communications or on our main service information materials. To help us respond efficiently, please provide enough information to identify yourself and the data to which your request relates.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you believe that your data has been handled in a way that does not comply with data protection law. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve any issues with you directly.

Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, how we process personal data, or changes in legal requirements. Any updates will apply to all Waste Collection Hackney customers in the area from the date the revised policy is published or otherwise made available. We recommend that you review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.