Mill Hill Florist Privacy Policy

Introduction

Mill Hill Florist is dedicated to protecting and respecting the privacy of all customers placing orders from Mill Hill and its surrounding districts. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, retain, and safeguard your personal information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please review this document to understand your rights and our responsibilities as they relate to your personal data.

Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to anyone who uses our services or places orders with Mill Hill Florist in Mill Hill and the surrounding districts. It covers data collected both through our website and via offline communications for the purpose of fulfilling customer orders and providing a quality experience.

What Data We Collect

To effectively process your orders and provide our services, we may collect the following types of personal data:

  • Contact Details: Your name, address, telephone number, and correspondence address.
  • Order Information: Details about products you have ordered, recipient name and delivery address, payment method (note: we do not store card details), and any messages to accompany floral arrangements.
  • Communication Records: Records of communications (such as emails or feedback) related to your order or inquiries.
  • Technical Data: Browser type, IP address, and operating system, which may be collected when you use our website. This helps us improve website performance and security.

Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

We process your personal data under the following lawful bases as defined by the GDPR:

  • Contractual Necessity: When you place an order, we require your personal information to fulfill the contract and deliver your floral arrangements.
  • Legal Obligation: We may process certain data to comply with legally required obligations, including record-keeping for tax and accounting purposes.
  • Legitimate Interests: We may process your information for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services, managing our relationship with you, and safeguarding our operations, provided that your fundamental rights do not override these interests.
  • Consent: In circumstances where we are required to obtain your explicit consent (e.g., marketing communications), we will do so separately, and you can withdraw this consent at any time.

How We Use Your Data

The information we collect is used for the following purposes:

  • Processing and delivering your order, including communicating with you about your purchase.
  • Managing customer service queries, resolving issues, and providing assistance as required.
  • Improving our products and services.
  • Complying with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Preventing fraud and maintaining the security of our operations.
  • With your consent, notifying you of special offers or promotions (which you may opt out of at any time).

Data Retention

We will retain your personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Generally, this means:

  • Order and transaction information is retained for up to 6 years to comply with accounting and tax legislation.
  • Marketing and communication preferences are retained until you opt out or withdraw your consent.
  • Technical data may be stored for security and operational purposes for a maximum of 2 years.

When your data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymized.

Data Processors and Sharing

Mill Hill Florist may use third-party service providers to support essential operations such as payment processing, delivery services, database management, or website hosting. We only engage processors who comply with the GDPR and ensure your data is treated securely and in accordance with this policy. All processors are contractually obligated to protect your data and are not permitted to use it for any purpose other than to provide their contracted service to us.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. Your data will only be shared when necessary for order fulfillment, legal compliance, or in the event of a merger, acquisition, or legal obligation. Where data is transferred outside the UK or European Economic Area, appropriate safeguards will be in place to ensure your rights are protected.

User Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights concerning your personal data held by Mill Hill Florist:

  • Right to Access: Request access to your personal data and receive a copy of the information we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: Have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected.
  • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data where there is no longer a legal basis for retaining it.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: Request a restriction on processing where you object to our use of your data or contest its accuracy.
  • Right to Object: Object to certain processing activities, such as direct marketing.
  • Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and transmit it to another controller where technically possible.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details on our website. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data is being handled unlawfully.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure your personal data is secure, including secure data storage, restricted access, and encryption where applicable. Despite these safeguards, no system is completely infallible, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. However, we will notify you promptly of any significant breach that might compromise your rights and freedoms.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our business practices, or improvements to our service. Any updates will be posted on our website, and where appropriate, we will notify you of any material changes. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.

Contact and Queries

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or how your personal data is processed by Mill Hill Florist, please consult the contact details available on our website. We are committed to promptly addressing your queries or concerns.