Privacy Policy - Removals Shoreditch

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Shoreditch collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removals, storage support, packing, and related services. It applies to all Removals Shoreditch customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and any individuals who interact with us in connection with a move or service enquiry.

We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is designed to be clear, transparent, and easy to understand. It explains what data we collect, why we collect it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep information, which service providers may process data on our behalf, and what rights individuals have.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the service requested. The information we collect is limited to what is necessary for operational, legal, and contractual purposes.

Information you provide directly

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details including telephone number, email address, and move-related correspondence.
Address information for collection, delivery, storage, or access points.
Service details such as move dates, inventory, property access notes, special handling instructions, and service preferences.
Payment and billing information where necessary for invoicing and transaction processing.
Complaint or feedback information if you contact us regarding our services.

Information we collect during service delivery

Operational records including job notes, site instructions, quotations, route planning information, and service confirmations.
Property and access information required to complete a removal safely and efficiently.
Vehicle and scheduling information related to bookings, attendance, and delivery coordination.

Information collected automatically

We may also process limited technical information when you interact with us through digital channels or electronic communications, such as device identifiers, log data, and basic usage records. This may help us maintain service quality, prevent fraud, and secure our systems. We do not collect more data than is required for these purposes.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only where permitted by data protection law. The purposes for which we process information may include:

providing quotations and managing service enquiries;
planning, scheduling, and carrying out removals and related services;
communicating with customers about bookings, access, changes, or service updates;
issuing invoices, managing payments, and maintaining financial records;
handling complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
protecting our business, staff, customers, and property;
improving our services, internal processes, and operational efficiency.

We may also use information to prevent unauthorised activity, detect misuse, and maintain the security and integrity of our systems. Personal data is never used for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each category of processing. Depending on the circumstances, Removals Shoreditch may 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 providing quotations, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, handling invoicing, and communicating about the service.

Legal obligation

We may process data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may use personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include service improvement, fraud prevention, business administration, and internal audit. When relying on this basis, we ensure the processing is proportionate and relevant. Your privacy rights remain central to this assessment.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where law requires explicit permission for a particular communication or optional service. Where consent is used, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In rare cases, we may process personal data to protect someone???s vital interests, such as in an emergency or where urgent safety action is required.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell personal data. However, we may share it where necessary for the delivery of services, legal compliance, or business operations. Where third parties process personal data on our behalf, they act as processors under written agreements and are required to protect the information and use it only for instructed purposes.

Examples of processors and recipients may include

IT and software providers that support customer records, communication tools, scheduling, or secure data storage.
Accountants and payment service providers that assist with billing, reconciliation, and financial administration.
Insurance providers or claims handlers where a claim, incident, or dispute requires review.
Professional advisers such as legal advisers or auditors where necessary for compliance or dispute resolution.
Subcontracted operational partners involved in completing a move or delivery where service delivery requires their involvement.
Regulators, authorities, or law enforcement bodies where disclosure is required by law.

All processors are selected with care and are expected to implement appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure suitable protection measures are in place in line with applicable law.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, insurance, and operational requirements. The exact period may vary depending on the nature of the information and the reason for processing.

Customer and booking records are generally kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Insurance or claims-related records may be retained for longer where needed to manage disputes or defend legal claims.
Enquiry or correspondence data is retained only as long as necessary to respond and maintain business records.

When data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in accordance with our retention practices. Retention periods are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain appropriate and proportionate.

6. Security Measures

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and restricted data handling procedures.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take data protection seriously and continually work to improve our safeguards. Any suspected personal data incident is assessed promptly and handled in line with applicable legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, individuals have several rights in relation to their personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limits or exceptions, but we will always respond appropriately and transparently.

Your rights include

Right of access - to obtain confirmation of whether we process your data and receive a copy of it.
Right to rectification - to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to erasure - to ask for deletion of data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction - to request limited processing in certain situations.
Right to data portability - to receive certain information in a structured, machine-readable 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.

Where a request is made, we may need to verify identity before responding. This helps protect personal data and prevent unauthorised disclosure. If you believe any information we hold is inaccurate or no longer necessary, you may ask us to review it. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

8. Children???s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business or household customers arranging removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household service and lawfully provided by an adult responsible for the arrangement.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal changes, operational updates, or improvements to our data practices. The most current version will apply to all Removals Shoreditch customers in the area. Where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to make them known.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Removals Shoreditch is committed to protecting the confidentiality and integrity of personal data. We collect only what is necessary, use it fairly and lawfully, keep it secure, retain it only for as long as needed, and respect the rights of every customer. We aim to process personal information in a way that is transparent, lawful, proportionate, and respectful of individual privacy.