A cleaning business that keeps client names, addresses, phone numbers, alarm codes or spare key records is holding personal data, and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) expects most organisations that do this to pay an annual data protection fee.

The fee is separate from anything to do with tax or employment. It covers the ICO's work overseeing how personal data is handled, and it applies to the organisation itself.

Why the amount varies

The ICO does not charge every organisation the same amount. It sorts organisations into tiers, largely based on size, turnover and the number of staff, so a sole trader cleaning a handful of homes is not expected to pay the same as a large company.

A smaller cleaning business, run alone or with a couple of staff, will usually fall into the lowest of these tiers. Where the fee applies depends on what personal data is processed and how, so the tier someone falls into is worth checking against their own circumstances.

Paying by direct debit

The ICO offers a reduced fee to organisations that pay by direct debit, which is worth knowing before choosing how to pay.

Most businesses that handle personal information have to pay a yearly fee to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the body that oversees data protection in the UK. A cleaning business usually holds this kind of information without a second thought: client names, addresses, phone numbers, alarm codes, key safe numbers, even notes about when someone is away.

Checking whether the fee applies to your business

Not every business is required to pay, and a small number of activities are exempt. Whether a cleaning business falls into an exempt category depends on exactly what personal information it holds and what it does with it, which is not always obvious from a general description of the rules.

The ICO publishes a short self-assessment where you answer questions about your own business and get an answer that applies to your situation. It takes you through what you hold and how you use it, and tells you whether you need to register and pay.

Running cleaning work for someone means they trust you with things they would rather keep private. That can mean a spare key, a gate code or an alarm code, alongside personal details like a phone number or a note about when they are away. Looking after all of it is as much a part of the work as the cleaning itself.

Keys and alarm codes

Label a key with a number or a code, so it means nothing to anyone who finds it loose. Store keys somewhere only you or your staff can reach, and keep alarm codes apart from the keys themselves, so a lost key does not also hand over the code.

Client details

Names, addresses, phone numbers and notes about a client's routine all count as personal information. Keep them somewhere locked, encrypted or password protected.

Getting rid of records you no longer need

Once you no longer work for a client, destroy the record. Shred paper notes and delete digital records.