Privacy Policy - Removal Company

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Company collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Removal Company customers in the area, including individuals, families, landlords, tenants, and business clients who arrange removals, packing, storage, or related services with us.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and, where applicable, the EU GDPR. This policy should be read carefully so you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Removal Company is the data controller of the personal data described in this policy. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal information when you use our services or communicate with us about them.

We only process personal data where we have a valid legal basis and only for purposes that are necessary, proportionate, and relevant to the services we provide.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information such as moving dates, property access details, inventory lists, delivery instructions, and service preferences.
Payment information such as billing address, payment status, and transaction records. We do not intentionally store full card details where these are processed by secure third-party payment providers.
Communication records such as emails, phone notes, complaints, feedback, and messages sent through any enquiry process.
Operational data such as photographs, special handling instructions, parking arrangements, and details needed to complete the removal safely and efficiently.
Technical information if you interact with digital systems we use, including IP address, device type, browser type, and usage data, where applicable.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data. If such information is provided to us unintentionally, for example through packing instructions or supporting documents, we will only process it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quotation or make a booking;
communicate with us by phone, email, or other means;
provide instructions relating to a move;
submit a complaint, query, or feedback;
make a payment or discuss an invoice;
use any systems or forms we provide for service management.

We may also receive personal data from third parties where necessary for the performance of our services, such as estate agents, solicitors, landlords, letting agents, building managers, storage facilities, or business clients arranging removals on your behalf. Where another person provides your information, we expect them to have the appropriate authority to do so.

4. Purposes for Using Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and confirm bookings;
to plan, carry out, and manage removal services;
to communicate with you about your move or service changes;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to manage claims, disputes, complaints, or customer support requests;
to ensure health and safety, security, and efficient operational planning;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, internal processes, and customer experience;
to defend or establish legal claims where necessary.

We only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe another compatible purpose applies or we are required by law to use it differently.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where there is a lawful basis under data protection law. The main lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract ??? where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract with you, such as providing removal services and related support.
Legal obligation ??? where processing is required to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, or other legal duties.
Legitimate interests ??? where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This may include service administration, fraud prevention, quality control, and business record-keeping.
Consent ??? where we rely on your consent for a specific purpose, such as certain optional communications or the processing of any particularly sensitive information you choose to share. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We do not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more appropriate.

6. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services, operate our business, or meet legal requirements. These third parties may include:

payment processors and banking partners;
IT, cloud storage, and software service providers;
accountants, auditors, and professional advisers;
subcontractors or partner carriers involved in fulfilling a move;
storage providers or logistics partners;
insurance providers and claims handlers;
public authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or courts where required by law.

All processors and service providers are selected carefully and are required to handle personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws. They may only process the data on our instructions and must keep it secure and confidential.

We do not sell your personal data.

7. Data Processors

Where we use third-party processors, they may process personal data on our behalf for purposes such as:

hosting systems and digital records;
managing customer bookings and communications;
processing payments;
providing backup, security, and data recovery services;
supporting accounting, reporting, or administrative functions.

We ensure appropriate contracts are in place with processors, including confidentiality obligations, security measures, and restrictions on sub-processing where required. Processors are only permitted to act on our documented instructions unless they are independently acting as separate controllers for their own legal obligations.

8. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we will take appropriate steps to ensure it remains protected. This may include using approved contractual safeguards or transferring data only to countries that have been recognised as providing an adequate level of protection.

9. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements.

In general, retention periods may include:

Quotation and enquiry data ??? kept for a limited period if no booking follows, for administration and follow-up purposes.
Customer and contract records ??? retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records ??? retained for the period required by law.
Claims, complaints, and dispute records ??? retained for as long as necessary to resolve the matter and any related legal claims.
Operational records ??? kept only as long as needed for service delivery and quality control.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

10. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, contractual safeguards with processors, and regular review of our handling practices.

While we take reasonable steps to safeguard information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

11. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions, depending on the circumstances.

Right of access ??? you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification ??? you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure ??? you may ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction ??? you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object ??? you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing.
Right to data portability ??? you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent ??? where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with legal requirements and within the applicable time limits. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

12. Complaints

If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority. You may also raise the matter with us directly so that we can review and address your concern.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we handle your data.

14. Summary of Our Commitments

Transparency

We explain what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it.

Lawfulness

We process personal data only when we have a valid legal basis.

Minimisation

We collect only the data needed to provide our services and meet our obligations.

Retention Control

We keep data only for as long as necessary and dispose of it securely.

Respect for Rights

We support your rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, and port your data where applicable.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Removal Company customers in the area and is intended to provide a clear explanation of our data protection practices.