Privacy Policy - Removal Company Earls Court

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Company Earls Court collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Removal Company Earls Court customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and businesses who request or receive our removal, packing, storage, and related services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Removal Company Earls Court provides moving and relocation services. In the context of data protection law, we act as a data controller when we decide why and how your personal data is processed for our business operations, customer administration, and service delivery. In some cases, we may also act as a data processor where we process data on behalf of a customer or business client under their instructions.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing our relationship with you, and meeting legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact information including address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as moving dates, inventory details, access notes, and special handling requirements.
Billing and payment records including invoices, payment confirmations, and transaction history.
Communication records such as enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, including device and usage information necessary for security and performance.
Proof of identity or address where needed for fraud prevention, contract administration, or legal compliance.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is essential and provided voluntarily by you, for example where you disclose access needs or health-related concerns relevant to a move. When such data is processed, it is handled with extra safeguards.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and schedule removal services.
To perform our contract with you, including planning, packing, transport, and delivery.
To communicate with you about appointments, access arrangements, and service updates.
To process payments, invoices, refunds, and account records.
To manage customer support, complaints, and service improvements.
To maintain security, prevent fraud, and protect our business, staff, and customers.
To comply with applicable laws, taxation requirements, insurance obligations, and record-keeping duties.
To defend legal claims or establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights.

We use only the data necessary for the specific purpose. We do not sell your personal data.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when we have a valid lawful basis under the UK GDPR. The lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations, arranging removals, and completing the agreed service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain records to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service administration, fraud prevention, security monitoring, and internal record management. We carry out balancing assessments where appropriate.

Consent

In limited cases, we rely on your consent, for example where you explicitly agree to receive optional marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency situation.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for service delivery, administration, or legal compliance. These third parties may act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context. We ensure they are bound by appropriate contracts and confidentiality obligations.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers that support secure storage, email, and operational systems.
Accounting and invoicing providers that help manage payments and financial records.
Insurance and claims handlers where data is needed to manage a claim or incident.
Subcontracted removal or logistics partners who assist with deliveries or related services under our instructions.
Professional advisers such as legal, tax, or audit professionals where needed.
Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where disclosure is required by law.

We require processors to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to delete or return it when no longer needed, unless they must retain it by law. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

6. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the nature of the service.

Customer and contract records are normally retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial records are retained for the period required by law for tax and accounting purposes.
Complaints, claims, and dispute records may be retained until the matter is fully resolved and any limitation periods expire.
Enquiry data that does not lead to a booking is retained only as long as necessary for follow-up and administration.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or destroyed. We review retention regularly to ensure we do not keep information longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices. Although no system can be completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply subject to certain conditions and exceptions under data protection law.

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 data.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in specific cases.
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data to you or another provider in a structured format.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise your rights, we may ask for information to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits set by law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to a household move or where it is required for service administration. If we become aware that we have collected children’s data in error, we will take appropriate steps to delete it or process it lawfully.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects. If this position changes, we will provide clear information about the process and your rights.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our internal practices. The most current version will apply to all Removal Company Earls Court customers in area from the date it is published. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how your data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

We respect your privacy and aim to process personal data in a way that is lawful, fair, transparent, secure, and limited to what is necessary. Our approach is designed to support reliable removal services while protecting your rights and maintaining compliance with data protection law. If you use Removal Company Earls Court, your personal information will be handled responsibly and only for legitimate business, legal, and service-related purposes.