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GDPR Compliance

Gavin

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Dear members this is an important post and one you must read.

In our effort to become compliant with the soon to be new privacy and data protection law. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) we must make several changes to our privacy policy and inform you (although I already have in the past) how to opt out of our mailing list. In the comping weeks i will be updating our privacy policy to clearly outline what data is kept and why. When the policy is updated we will require all members to agree to the new policy before continuing to use the forum. As part of the GDPR we need to record and show that all members have agreed to the privacy policy and are aware of how they can remove their data, review it etc. So requiring your concent before continuing using the forum will allow us to record your concent. If you dont agree to the terms of privacy and don't concent then you will no longer be able to use the forum. This isnt a threat its simply the case that if you are not happy about how your data is managed on the forum then you should not use the forum. 

We advice you to read the privacy policy it in full when it is updated. 

When you first joined you may have chosen to receive emails and news from us. This may have also been pre-selected for you. We don't send that much in the way of news emails but at times we may need to. This could be to inform you of some downtime on the forum and error or just latest news and goings-on. 

Under the new GDPR you need to opt in yourself and be giving clear information about this option. 

So for those who no longer wish to recive news and info emails from us (this does not include notification emails as you have full control of that) please follow the bellow screenshots to opt out if you don't want to receive them or opt in if you do want to receive them

Hover over the notification bell icon and click notification settings as shown by the arrow below. 

Notification Settings   Window Cleaning Forums   UK s  1 Window Cleaners Forum.png

To opt out or in tick or untick the selection box shown by the arrow below. 

Notification Settings   Window Cleaning Forums   UK s  1 Window Cleaners Forum (1).png

Once you have done the above make sure you save your choice and options. 

Notification Settings   Window Cleaning Forums   UK s  1 Window Cleaners Forum (2).png

Our Privacy policy has now been updated and we will require any member using the forum to READ and acknowledge they have read it before continuing to use the forum. If you wish to read it again please do so here. https://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/privacy 

If you have questions about your data etc you can contact us via the contact form or pm me. 

You have pretty much full control of your profile information and notifications, emails you receive and more its all within your profile and notification settings. 

 
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Off the subject a little, but thought I'd I would ask as you will be more clued up.

I use Cleaner Planner is their anything I need to do in terms of my business and details stored on cpanel servers etc. Thanks IG

County Durham Lad

 
Hey @Iron Giant, to be honest, its all a bloody nightmare and minefield! Obviously, its good for us all to have more control over our data but its a massive headache. 

There are several things you need to do although i am not 100% sure in a window cleaners situation. One question though why is your cleaner planner details stored on a cpanel server. Or do you mean that cleaner planner is using a cpanel server?

If the later then Cleanerplanner need to ensure they are compliant in how they operate and store information etc. 

Very basically if you keep customers data then they have to be informed that you keep this data where you keep it and for what purpose. 

They have the right to request some or all data held about them be removed and destroyed for good. I am by no means an expert but if you work through this link it will explain each part of an individuals right and what it means. 

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/

Take a look at my privacy policy which will be updated in a bit. You will have to agree to it again to be able to continue using the forum so have a read  :1f609:  Please don't copy it as is under a protected copyright license. 

In most cases, this isn't going to result in a load of people asking for their details to be destroyed as they want the service and can not be provided without. Take the forum, for example, a member wants all the details we store about them removed. That's fine we can do that but then you can use the forum, not as a punishment but if your details are removed then you no longer have an account on the forum meaning you can no longer log in and use the forum. 

It's more about customers and users being aware and informed of the new law and their rights, as well as knowing what information is stored about them why we need it and how its processed. Then how they can request its removal if that's what they want and who the data controller is. Which would be you as you are the person obtaining and managing the data. 

For window cleaners, it is a little harder than here in that we have an easy way to gain acknowledgement of our privacy policy which will include everything we need to be GDPR compliant.

When members register they have to agree to the privacy policy otherwise they can not use the forum and this acknowledgement is recorded in our system. This is important, you must have a record of the agreement to process information about a person. 

 
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With regards to this forum you only ask for bare minimum info, I looked at another one recently and they wanted a lot as in full name, address email, phone number, web addy and business name  :1f635: .

As for window cleaners like you say people have to divulge basic info to have their windows cleaned, Cleaner Planner are updating their policies and GoCardless have already done so. I think for my own business i will just hold out for now.

 
In regards to processing data I think I understand I will be sending out letters to each and every one of my customers soon asking to either agree with the new data rules or I will have no choice but to cancel their service. What I am not too clear about is the storage of all this data. Currently all the data is kept by me in an excel spreadsheet. I am thinking of password protecting this file. Is that going to be enough?

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
In regards to processing data I think I understand I will be sending out letters to each and every one of my customers soon asking to either agree with the new data rules or I will have no choice but to cancel their service. What I am not too clear about is the storage of all this data. Currently all the data is kept by me in an excel spreadsheet. I am thinking of password protecting this file. Is that going to be enough?

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 


I would have thought so but like I said not an expert myself. Still trying to get my head around some elements of it. 

 
I've looked into GDPR fairly extensively and have spoken (informally) to a solicitor friend who has some knowledge in this area.  NB - Do not take anything I say here as legal advice - it's just a reasonably well-informed opinion.  See below for my suggestion on that score.

First thing to say is that this is a new law introducing a relatively new concept - and as always happens with such situations, it'll take a while before things settle down and everybody understands exactly what is and isn't required. 

DON'T PANIC.  In practical terms - you are not going to get a midnight knock at the door if your data practices are not fully GDPR compliant.  As always, the pattern will be to work things out by the regulators locking horns with (in this case) professional data holders (ie marketing agents such as myself, or Wildfire - or more likely much larger and/or more controversial operations), rather than incidental data processors like a window cleaner.   The most likely way you'll come to the attention of the regulator is if someone makes a complaint about you contacting them, and even if that happened you'd likely get a short letter reminding you of the requirements of the GDPR rather than any heavy handed enforcement action.  

One way of interpreting the new regulations is that you should get consent from each customer for you to contact them, and explicit consent for each method of contact (ie by email, by telephone, by post etc).  However, that only applies to you contacting them to provide a service (or offer to provide a service) - obviously you can contact them to get payment for work completed. 

One specific area that will impact on window cleaners is the "text before clean" - if you send a text the night before the clean ("remember to leave gate unlocked madam") - that COULD be seen as a marketing text (my legal friend knows of at least 2 barristers who'd like to debate whether those texts are "marketing" or "informational reminders with respect to an implied contract" in court).  In practice, as I said above, it's highly unlikely to either come to the attention of the regulator, or if it does to stir them to anything more than a "please amend your working practices in this regard" letter.  But where possible, you probably should make some effort to get people to register consent to receiving reminder texts. 

If it were me I'd go with "bloody bureaucrats are insisting I get your signed consent to me sending you reminder texts, sorry for the inconvenience", and only consider the nuclear option of "if you don't sign this you're off the round" after the dust has settled in about 6 months time.  (As before - that's an opinion, not legal advice).  

On the matter of storing data - nothing much has changed here from the existing rules.  You have to store the data securely, you have to keep it up to date and accurate, you have to disclose it under some obvious and reasonable circumstances, and you have to destroy it if, again, certain reasonable and obvious situations occur.  

IMO - password protecting a spreadsheet should be more than adequate for the purposes of a window cleaner.  

There are some legal firms who are rubbing their hands at the possibilities of this new "product" (ie GDPR expertise) - and it occurs to me that a framework for window cleaners would be in everybody's interest.  Having an industry standard for GDPR compliance would simplify matters - and with a group approach to a suitable legal firm it shouldn't cost too much?  Just a thought.

(Won't help me much though - I'd fall into a different category as a professional data processor)

 
Yeah it had crossed my mind to get some kind of legal advice for all window cleaners. Which would be a brilliant resources for the forum. Prob is like you say they are all already rubbing their hands and charging a fortune. 

 
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