Privacy Policy - Removal Company Shoreditch

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Company Shoreditch collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal and related services. It applies to all Removal Company Shoreditch customers in area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who engage our services within Shoreditch and the surrounding local area.

1. Who We Are

Removal Company Shoreditch acts as a data controller for the personal data we collect and process in connection with our services. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal information. We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing, administering, and improving our services. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and title.
Contact data such as address details and other communication information used for arranging services.
Service details such as property access information, moving dates, inventory notes, item descriptions, and service preferences.
Payment and billing data such as payment status and transaction records.
Communication data such as enquiries, complaints, service feedback, and correspondence.
Technical data where relevant, such as basic device or usage information gathered through our systems for security, troubleshooting, and service administration.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and lawfully permitted, for example if you voluntarily provide information that is relevant to access needs or health-related moving requirements. Such data is handled with additional care and protection.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is required for the services requested. If you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to complete a booking or deliver services effectively.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

Request a quotation or booking.
Communicate with us about your move or storage needs.
Provide instructions, updates, or feedback.
Make a payment or request an invoice.
Raise a complaint or service query.

We may also receive data from third parties where appropriate, such as landlords, letting agents, business representatives, or other persons involved in arranging the removal service, provided that they have a lawful basis to share it.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where a lawful basis applies under the UK GDPR. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, issuing invoices, and handling service-related communication.

Legal Obligation

We may process information where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, including accounting, tax, insurance, or record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, business planning, fraud prevention, operational improvement, and customer support.

Consent

Where consent is required, such as for certain marketing activities or the processing of optional sensitive information, we will ask for your clear permission. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

Vital Interests and Public Task

These bases are rarely used in our normal operations, but may apply in exceptional circumstances if necessary to protect someone’s vital interests or where required by law.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide removal, packing, loading, transport, and related services.
To manage bookings, access arrangements, and schedules.
To respond to enquiries and support requests.
To issue quotations, invoices, receipts, and payment confirmations.
To maintain service records and improve customer experience.
To meet legal, accounting, and insurance requirements.
To prevent misuse, fraud, and unauthorised access.
To send relevant service updates or, where permitted, marketing messages.

We ensure that personal data is used fairly and transparently. We will not use your data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was originally collected, unless a valid lawful basis exists.

6. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties acting as processors or, in some situations, independent controllers. Processors only process data on our instructions and are contractually required to protect it.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

Payment processors that handle card or electronic payments.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records and tax compliance.
IT and cloud service providers that store, secure, or support our systems.
Customer communication systems used to manage emails, messages, or service updates.
Insurance providers, legal advisers, or dispute resolution services where necessary for claims, legal matters, or compliance.
Subcontractors or operational partners who assist in delivering the removal service, subject to confidentiality and data protection obligations.

We do not sell your personal data. If data must be shared with public authorities or regulators, we will do so only when legally required or otherwise permitted by law.

7. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will take appropriate steps to ensure an adequate level of protection. This may include the use of approved contractual safeguards or transfers to countries recognised as providing adequate protection.

8. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the context in which it was collected.

Service and booking records are typically retained for a reasonable period to allow administration, dispute handling, and customer support.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint and correspondence records may be retained to resolve issues and improve service quality.
Marketing consent records may be retained until you withdraw consent or the data is no longer required.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner. We regularly review retained data to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary.

9. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality procedures, and regular review of our processing practices.

No system can be guaranteed completely secure. However, we take data security seriously and work to reduce risks to a reasonable and appropriate level.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we process your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
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 applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. In some cases, legal obligations or legitimate grounds may mean we cannot fully comply, but we will explain our decision where required.

11. Marketing Preferences

We may send limited marketing communications where we are legally permitted to do so. You have the right to object to marketing at any time. If you opt out, we will stop sending such communications unless we are required to contact you for essential service or legal reasons. Marketing choices do not affect essential service messages.

12. Complaints

If you are concerned about how your personal data is handled, you may raise a complaint with us so that we can review the matter. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our services. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

14. Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all Removal Company Shoreditch customers in area who use our services, make enquiries, enter into bookings, or otherwise interact with us in connection with removal services. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data will be processed in line with this policy and applicable data protection law.