How I look after your details

This notice explains what personal information I collect when you get in touch or book work, why I need it, who sees it, how long I keep it and your rights. I’m responsible for your information under UK data protection law.

Who I am

Martin Truman, trading as Hero Gardens, Sidmouth, Devon (postal address on request). Phone or WhatsApp 07346 816636; email martin@herogardens.co.uk.

What I collect

Contact details: your name, address, phone number and email address.
About your garden and the job: what you’d like done, photos and videos of the garden, Survey notes (access, parking, pets, hazards, plants to keep, where buried cables and pipes run), your quote, dates and visit records.
Payments: invoices and the payments you make by bank transfer. I never take or keep card details.
Messages: WhatsApp messages, texts, emails and calls about your job.
Your choices: whether you’ve agreed to photo use and progress photos, and any review or feedback you give me.
From this website: what you type into the enquiry form and any photos you upload with it.

Why I use it

To quote, book and do the work, invoice you and run your Hero Care visits. I need it to carry out our agreement, or the steps you ask for before it.
To keep accounts, tax, waste and insurance records, because the law requires it.
To follow up a quote once, ask for a review after the job, check my estimates against the hours actually worked, and keep a record in case of a complaint or claim. These are my legitimate interests as a small business, and I keep them proportionate.
To show photos of your garden, or your review, on my website, social media or Google Business Profile, only with your consent. You can withdraw it at any time.

I only message you about your enquiry, your job or your Hero Care visits. If you’re a customer I may now and then mention similar garden work, such as a seasonal reminder; tell me and I’ll stop.

Who sees it

I never sell your details or pass them on for anyone else’s marketing. I share only what’s needed with:

the services I use to run the business: website hosting (GoDaddy), email (Microsoft 365), file storage (Dropbox), WhatsApp, my business bank (Tide), and office and AI software that helps me prepare quotes and keep records;
my accountant and HMRC, for tax;
my insurance broker and insurer, if there’s an incident or a claim;
a helper or subcontractor working on your job, if I have one, and only what they need;
anyone the law requires me to tell.

Some of these services store information outside the UK, for example in the USA or the EU. When they do, they use safeguards recognised under UK law, such as UK adequacy regulations (including the UK–US data bridge) or approved contract clauses.

How long I keep it

Enquiries that don’t go ahead: up to 12 months after we last spoke, then deleted. This includes entries sent through the website form, which are stored on the website as well as emailed to me.
Customers: quotes, job records, invoices, messages and job photos for six years after our last job together. HMRC requires business records for at least five years after the tax return deadline, and claims can be brought for six years.
Photos you’ve let me share: until you withdraw your consent. I then remove them from my website and social media; I can’t recall copies other people have already shared.

Cookies

This website only uses the cookies it needs to work. There are no advertising or tracking cookies.

Your rights

You can ask me to give you a copy of the information I hold about you, correct it, delete it, limit how I use it, stop using it (including for any marketing), or give you what you gave me in a format you can reuse. Some rights have limits; for example, I must keep tax records for the full period. Ask by phone, WhatsApp, email or letter. It’s free, and I’ll reply within one month.

I need your name, address and contact details to quote and do the work; without them I can’t take the job on. Agreeing to photo use is always optional. I don’t make decisions about you by computer alone.

Complaints

If you’re unhappy with how I’ve handled your information, please tell me first, in any of the ways above. I’ll acknowledge it within 2 working days, look into it and tell you what I’ve found and done.

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this notice

I’ll update this notice if anything changes. This version is dated 6 October 2026.

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