Privacy Policy - Removal Companies Putney

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Companies Putney collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects personal data when providing removal and related services. It applies to all Removal Companies Putney customers in the area, including individuals, families, landlords, tenants, and businesses who request quotes, book services, or otherwise interact with us. We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We encourage you to read this policy carefully so you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights you have over your information.

1. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, meeting our legal obligations, and improving our operations. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following information:

Information you provide directly

Identity details such as your name, title, and company name if relevant.
Contact details including your telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking information such as moving date, property access details, inventory notes, and special handling requirements.
Payment information required to process invoices, refunds, or payment verification.
Communication records from emails, forms, calls, or messages you send to us.
Instructions and preferences related to your move, storage, packing, or delivery arrangements.

Information collected automatically

When you visit any digital service used to request our services, we may collect technical data such as IP address, browser type, device information, and usage patterns. This may be used for security, service performance, and troubleshooting purposes.

Information from third parties

We may receive information from third parties such as estate agents, landlords, property managers, referral partners, payment providers, or subcontracted service providers when necessary to arrange or complete your move. We will only use such information where it is lawful and relevant to our services.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and assess service requirements.
To arrange, manage, and complete removal services.
To communicate with you about bookings, scheduling, and service updates.
To process payments, refunds, and accounting records.
To handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests.
To maintain records for operational, legal, and tax purposes.
To improve service quality, efficiency, and customer experience.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason for collection unless we have a valid lawful basis to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the specific activity, 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 quotes, booking removals, delivering services, and managing related customer support.

Legal obligation

We may process data to comply with legal duties such as accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include responding to enquiries, improving services, preventing fraud, and maintaining secure operations.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is specifically required for certain types of marketing or optional communications. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

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

4. How We Share Data and Processors

We do not sell personal data. We may share information only when necessary and only with trusted parties who help us deliver our services or meet our legal obligations. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context.

Processors may include:

IT and hosting providers who store or secure customer records and business systems.
Payment processors who handle card or online payments securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who manage invoices and financial records.
Communication service providers who support email, messaging, or phone systems.
Subcontracted removal crews or logistics partners who assist with delivering your move.
Customer relationship and administration providers who help manage bookings and support requests.

We require processors to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to use appropriate technical and organisational measures. Where personal data is shared with independent third parties, they will be responsible for their own use of that information and must comply with applicable data protection law.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect our legal rights, customers, staff, or the public.

5. 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 reason we hold it.

Quotation and enquiry data is typically retained for a reasonable period after the enquiry in case you return to book a service or request further information.
Customer and booking records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and thereafter for legal, accounting, and dispute-resolution purposes.
Financial and tax records are generally kept for the period required by law.
Complaint and claims information may be retained longer where needed to resolve disputes or protect legal interests.
Technical and security logs are retained for a limited time unless a longer period is necessary for investigation or compliance.

When data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff training, and supplier checks.

Although we take security seriously, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and we are legally required to do so, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your Rights

You have a number of rights under data protection law in relation to the personal data we hold about you. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and any legal exemptions.

Right of access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you can ask us to delete your data in certain situations.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability – you may request that we provide certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object – you can 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.

Please note that some rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal obligations or operational requirements. We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

8. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place so that your information remains protected in accordance with applicable data protection law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not designed for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service request made by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, service arrangements, or data-handling practices. The latest version will always apply to the personal data we process. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or are concerned about how your personal data is handled, you can raise the matter through the usual service channels. If you remain dissatisfied, you also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, the supervisory authority for data protection matters.

Removal Companies Putney is committed to respecting privacy, processing personal data fairly, and being transparent about how information is used. We aim to handle all customer data responsibly and in a way that supports a safe, efficient, and lawful removals service for people across the Putney area.