Privacy Policy - Removals Greenwich

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Greenwich collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing services to customers in Greenwich and the surrounding area. It applies to all Removals Greenwich customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our removal, packing, storage, and related services. We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information needed to provide our services properly and to manage our relationship with customers. Depending on the service requested, this may include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as move dates, property access information, inventory lists, special handling instructions, and delivery arrangements.
Billing and payment data such as invoicing details and payment confirmation.
Communication records including enquiries, quotations, service updates, complaints, and feedback.
Technical information where applicable, such as basic website or device data collected for security, performance, or analytics purposes.

We do not seek to collect special category data unless it is necessary and you have chosen to provide it, or we are required to do so for a lawful reason. If such data is shared with us accidentally, we will handle it carefully and only retain it where there is a valid basis for doing so.

2. How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used for specific and limited purposes connected to our services. These may include:

Providing quotations and arranging removals services.
Planning and delivering removals, packing, storage, and associated services.
Managing bookings, schedules, access requirements, and service changes.
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and handling account administration.
Responding to questions, complaints, and service requests.
Maintaining internal records, quality control, and customer service improvement.
Meeting legal, tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
Preventing fraud, misuse, and other unlawful activity.

We will only use your information in ways that are compatible with the reason it was collected. If we need to use it for a new purpose, we will ensure that a valid lawful basis applies.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract – processing is necessary to provide a quotation, fulfil a booking, deliver removals services, or take steps at your request before entering into a contract.
Legal obligation – processing is necessary to comply with legal requirements, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping duties.
Legitimate interests – processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving services, managing operations, preventing fraud, and maintaining secure records, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent – in limited cases, such as optional marketing communications or certain uses of non-essential data, we may rely on your consent. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we will consider the potential impact on your privacy and balance our interests against your rights. We only process what is necessary and proportionate.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services or comply with legal obligations. These third parties act either as processors or independent controllers depending on the relationship and purpose.

Our processors may include:

Payment providers who handle payment processing and financial transactions.
IT and cloud service providers who support secure data storage, communication, and system management.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with invoicing and financial records.
Survey, booking, or scheduling tools used to manage customer requests and service delivery.
Storage and logistics partners where they are involved in fulfilling a customer’s request.
Professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where required.

Where processors act on our behalf, they are required to process personal data only under our instructions, maintain appropriate security measures, and keep the information confidential. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose data where necessary to law enforcement, regulators, courts, or other public authorities, but only when legally required or permitted.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. The retention period depends on the nature of the data and the service provided. In general:

Quotation and enquiry records are kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends, unless they develop into a customer relationship.
Service and contract records are retained for the period needed to complete the service and for a reasonable time afterwards for dispute handling and operational records.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, and insurance-related records are retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and for any applicable limitation period.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We review retention regularly to ensure information is not kept for longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

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, password protection, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited data sharing on a need-to-know basis. While we take reasonable steps to safeguard information, no system can be guaranteed completely secure.

7. Your Rights

You have rights over your personal data under the UK GDPR. These rights may be subject to certain legal exemptions and conditions. They include:

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 – in some cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how your data is used in certain circumstances.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – in certain cases, you can request your data in a usable format or ask us to transfer it to another provider.
Right to withdraw consent – if we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond within the time limits set by law. In some cases, we may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data rights have been infringed.

8. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that the transfer complies with data protection law. This may include the use of adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections.

9. Marketing Communications

If we send marketing communications, we will do so only where permitted by law and, where required, with your consent. You may opt out of marketing at any time. Transactional or service-related messages are not marketing and may still be sent when necessary to deliver the service you requested.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a household move or related service and only to the extent required for that service.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we protect personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

We are committed to using personal information responsibly, securely, and only for legitimate business and legal purposes. Our approach is based on the principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity, and confidentiality. By following these principles, Removals Greenwich aims to protect the privacy of every customer in the area while delivering reliable and professional moving services.