Removals Shoreditch Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Shoreditch collects, uses, stores and shares personal data relating to customers and prospective customers in our service area. It also explains the rights individuals have under the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to all Removals Shoreditch customers and enquirers in our local operating area, whether you contact us online, by phone or in person.
1. Data Controller
For the purposes of data protection law, Removals Shoreditch is the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed when you use our services or contact us in relation to removals, storage or related services.
2. Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us and the services you request. The main categories of data we collect include:
Identification and contact details, such as your full name, postal address, service addresses for collection and delivery, and any other location details you provide. We also collect information such as your preferred methods of contact and any reference numbers or internal identifiers that we assign to your quotes or bookings.
Service and contract information, including details of the removal or storage services you request, property access information, inventory or item descriptions you provide, booking dates and times, and notes relating to the planning and delivery of your move. We also maintain records of quotes, invoices, payments, and correspondence related to your contract with us.
Communication data, such as information contained in enquiries or feedback you send to us, information given during telephone calls, and any records we keep of communications for customer service and administrative purposes.
Technical and usage data, where applicable, such as basic information generated when you visit our website or online pages, including the type of device and browser you use and how you navigate our pages. We do not intentionally collect more data than is necessary to provide and improve our services.
3. How We Collect Personal Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us by any channel, or provide information during the course of a removal or related service. We may also receive personal data indirectly when another person arranges services on your behalf and provides your details, or when third parties such as comparison sites send us your enquiry after you have consented to this.
4. Lawful Basis for Processing
We rely on several lawful bases under the UK GDPR to process your personal data, depending on the context:
Contract: We process your personal data when it is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract with you or to perform a contract, for example to provide a quote, confirm a booking, carry out your move, manage payments, and handle customer service queries related to your contract.
Legal obligation: We may process personal data where this is necessary to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including record-keeping, tax and accounting requirements, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.
Legitimate interests: We may process personal data when it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This includes managing our business operations, improving our services, protecting our property and systems, preventing fraud, and defending or establishing legal claims.
Consent: In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain types of direct marketing communications that are not based on our legitimate interests. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time using the contact details provided to you.
5. How We Use Personal Data
We use personal data for the following purposes:
To provide quotes, accept bookings, schedule services, and carry out removals and related services at the addresses you specify.
To communicate with you before, during and after your move, including sending confirmations, updates, invoices and service-related messages.
To manage customer accounts, payments, refunds, debt recovery, and to maintain accurate financial and administrative records.
To improve and develop our services, including analysing common enquiries, service patterns and feedback, and training our staff.
To comply with our legal obligations, such as maintaining accounting records and cooperating with lawful requests from public authorities.
To protect our rights, property and safety, and the rights, property and safety of our staff, contractors and customers.
6. Data Retention
We keep personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, and in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The length of time we retain data depends on the type of information and the purpose of processing.
In general, core customer records, contract details and financial information relating to removals and associated services are retained for a period that allows us to meet our tax, accounting and record-keeping obligations and to handle any disputes or claims that may arise after the service. At the end of the relevant retention period, personal data will either be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in a secure manner where further retention is required by law.
7. Data Sharing and Processors
We do not sell your personal data. We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy and where appropriate safeguards are in place.
Service providers and processors: We may engage external companies or individuals to act as data processors on our behalf, for example providers of IT services, customer management systems, secure data storage, accounting tools, and other operational support. These processors are only allowed to process personal data in accordance with our written instructions and are required to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it.
Operational partners: Where necessary to deliver our services, we may share information such as names, addresses and job details with subcontractors or partner companies involved in carrying out your move or providing supplementary services. Such parties receive only the information required to perform their tasks.
Legal and regulatory recipients: We may disclose personal data to law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory bodies or advisers where we are legally required to do so or where this is necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
8. International Data Transfers
Our services are primarily delivered within the United Kingdom and we aim to store personal data within the UK or European Economic Area. If it becomes necessary to transfer personal data to countries outside this area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or other mechanisms recognised under data protection law, to protect your information.
9. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage. These measures include access controls, secure storage, organisational policies and staff training. While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no system can be completely secure, and you should take care when providing information, particularly over open networks.
10. Your Data Protection Rights
Under the UK GDPR, individuals whose personal data we process have a number of rights. These rights apply to all Removals Shoreditch customers and enquirers in our operating area, subject to certain legal limitations and conditions:
Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and to receive a copy of that data, along with certain other information.
Right to rectification: You have the right to ask us to correct or complete personal data that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to erasure: In certain circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and we have no other lawful basis to retain it.
Right to restriction of processing: You may ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, for example while we are considering a request to rectify or erase your data.
Right to data portability: In some cases, you can ask us to provide you with the personal data you have given us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, and to transmit it to another controller where this is technically feasible.
Right to object: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data when we rely on legitimate interests as our lawful basis, including any direct marketing activities. We will stop processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights and freedoms or where processing is required for legal claims.
Rights in relation to consent: Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.
11. Exercising Your Rights and Complaints
If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights in relation to personal data processed by Removals Shoreditch, or if you have questions or concerns about how we handle personal data, you can contact us using the usual contact methods that you use for our services. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office if you believe that your data protection rights have been infringed. Further information about how to contact the Information Commissioner's Office can be found on its official website.
12. 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. The most current version will always apply to the personal data we hold and will be made available through our usual communication channels. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how we process personal data for Removals Shoreditch customers in our area.
