Privacy Policy - Removal Companies Swiss Cottage

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Companies Swiss Cottage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Removal Companies Swiss Cottage customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who enquire about, book, or receive moving, packing, storage, delivery, or 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 this policy applies to

This policy applies to anyone who interacts with Removal Companies Swiss Cottage in connection with our services in the area. This includes people who request a quote, communicate with us by phone or email, make a booking, provide access instructions, receive service updates, or otherwise use our removal services. It also applies where we process information about customers, prospective customers, suppliers, and authorised representatives acting on behalf of a customer.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. Depending on the nature of your interaction with us, we may collect the following categories of information:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact information such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as move date, property access information, inventory lists, special handling requirements, and packing preferences.
Payment and billing information such as invoicing records, transaction references, and limited financial details required for payment processing.
Communication records including messages, call notes, complaint details, and service requests.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you contact us online, including cookies where applicable.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and where you provide it, for example accessibility needs or health-related information relevant to safe handling of your move.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary personal information. If special category data is required, we will process it with additional safeguards and only where there is a valid legal basis.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and respond to enquiries.
To manage bookings, schedules, and service delivery.
To plan removals, packing, loading, transport, and storage where requested.
To communicate with customers about access, timing, and service changes.
To process invoices, payments, and refunds.
To keep records of work completed and customer instructions.
To resolve complaints, disputes, or claims.
To comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance obligations.
To protect our business, staff, vehicles, property, and customers from fraud or misuse.

We may also use aggregated or anonymised information for internal reporting and service improvement. We do not sell your personal data.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only where a lawful basis under GDPR applies. Depending on the circumstances, our lawful bases include:

Contract: when processing is necessary to provide a quote, enter into an agreement, or perform our removal services.
Legal obligation: when we must keep records or disclose information to meet tax, accounting, insurance, or regulatory requirements.
Legitimate interests: when processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service management, customer support, fraud prevention, and internal administration.
Consent: where we rely on your consent, for example for certain marketing communications or specific types of optional data collection. You may withdraw consent at any time.
Vital interests: in rare cases where processing is necessary to protect someone’s life or physical safety.
Public task or legal claims: if processing is necessary in connection with official requests or legal proceedings.

Where special category data is processed, we will also identify an appropriate condition under Article 9 GDPR. This may include explicit consent, employment or social protection obligations, or reasons of substantial public interest where applicable.

5. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and deliver our services. These third parties act either as independent controllers or as processors on our behalf. We only share data when there is a valid reason to do so and we require appropriate contractual safeguards.

Processors we may use

IT and hosting providers that store business records or support our communication systems.
Accounting and invoicing providers that help us manage payments and financial records.
Customer management or booking systems that support scheduling and service administration.
Payment service providers that process card or electronic payments.
Storage providers where customer goods are held on a temporary or longer-term basis.
Insurance, claims, or legal advisers where needed to handle disputes, liabilities, or compliance matters.
Subcontracted removal crews where support is required to complete a job safely and efficiently.

These processors are permitted to use personal data only for the services they provide to us and must protect it appropriately. We may also disclose personal data to law enforcement, courts, regulators, or other authorities where required by law.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the context in which it is used.

Quotation and enquiry records are usually retained for a limited period after the enquiry ends, unless needed for follow-up or dispute resolution.
Customer service and contract records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and accounting records are retained for the period required by law.
Claims, complaints, and legal records may be retained for longer where necessary to defend or establish legal rights.

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

7. Security of your data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, staff training, and data handling procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to reduce risk.

8. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK or the European Economic Area, we ensure that suitable safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms. We will only transfer personal data where permitted by law and where protection standards are adequate.

9. Your rights

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

Right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
Right to restriction to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability for data you provided to us, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue promptly.

10. Children’s data

Our services are aimed at adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a specific service and provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without appropriate permission, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Marketing

We may send marketing communications only where we are permitted to do so by law. If you have given consent, or if we are otherwise allowed to contact you under applicable rules, you can opt out at any time. We will always respect requests to stop receiving marketing messages. Marketing preference changes will be handled without undue delay.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or how we process personal data. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed.

13. Summary of our commitments

Removal Companies Swiss Cottage is committed to lawful, transparent, and secure handling of personal data for every customer in the area. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. We also ensure that our processors are bound by suitable data protection obligations and that your rights are respected.

This policy is intended to provide a clear and practical explanation of our data protection practices for all Removal Companies Swiss Cottage customers in the area.