Removals Paddington Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Paddington collects, uses, stores and protects personal data of its customers and prospective customers. It applies to all individuals in the Removals Paddington service area who enquire about, book or receive our removal or related services, whether as private individuals or business representatives.

1. Data Controller

Removals Paddington is the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. As data controller, we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data and are responsible for ensuring that such processing complies with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all Removals Paddington customers and prospective customers within our operating area. It covers personal data collected through our quotations, bookings, customer service interactions, in-person visits, and any other communication channels we use to deliver and manage our services.

3. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data about you:

Identification and contact details, such as your name, title, postal address, service address, billing address and any alternative contact person you nominate.

Communication details, such as your email address and information you choose to provide when contacting us for enquiries, quotations, complaints or feedback.

Service information, such as details of properties you are moving from and to, access information, inventory details, special handling instructions and preferred service dates and times.

Contract and transaction data, such as records of quotations, accepted offers, contracts, invoices, payments, refunds and related correspondence.

Technical and usage data, such as basic information about how you interact with our online channels, where collected, including date and time of contact and pages viewed. We only collect the minimum technical data required to operate and secure our services.

Any other information you voluntarily provide to us which is relevant to arranging or carrying out the removal or associated services.

4. How We Collect Your Personal Data

We collect personal data directly from you when you contact us for a quotation, make a booking, request a service, communicate with our staff, or provide feedback. We may also receive data about you from third parties where you have authorised them to share information with us, for example, an estate agent, landlord or business partner arranging a move on your behalf, or another person within your household or organisation.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis under data protection laws. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:

Contract: We process personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, such as providing a quotation, and to perform a contract with you, including arranging and delivering removal services and handling payments.

Legal obligation: We may process personal data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, for example maintaining accounting records, tax records or responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate interests: We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and does not override your rights and freedoms. This includes managing our business operations, improving services, preventing fraud, ensuring security, and handling customer enquiries and complaints.

Consent: Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before using your data for certain purposes. When we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

6. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations for removal and related services, including assessing your requirements and preparing price estimates.

To set up, manage and perform contracts with you, including booking services, planning logistics, carrying out collections and deliveries and coordinating with you on the day of the move.

To communicate with you about your enquiries, bookings, changes to services, service updates and customer support issues.

To issue invoices, process payments, and manage our accounts, including dealing with any payment queries or disputes.

To improve our services, train staff and handle complaints and feedback in a fair and consistent way.

To protect our business and customers, including verifying identity where appropriate, preventing fraud, and maintaining the security of our systems, vehicles and premises.

To meet legal and regulatory requirements and cooperate with competent authorities where we are legally required or permitted to do so.

7. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including:

Service providers who act as data processors on our behalf, such as IT and system support providers, payment processors, accounting and administrative support, and secure data storage providers. These processors are contractually required to handle your data only in accordance with our instructions and to protect it appropriately.

Operational partners such as subcontracted removal teams, storage providers or specialist handling companies where their involvement is required to deliver the services you have requested.

Professional advisors, such as accountants, insurers or legal advisors, where necessary for the management and protection of our business.

Public authorities or law enforcement agencies, but only when we are required to do so by law or when it is necessary to protect our rights, property, safety or that of others.

8. International Transfers

Our services are primarily provided within our local operating area. If we need to transfer personal data outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we will only do so where appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses, to ensure an equivalent level of protection for your personal data.

9. Data Retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting or reporting requirements.

Quotation and enquiry records are generally retained for a limited period sufficient to manage follow-up and customer relations.

Contract and transaction data, such as booking details, invoices and related communications, are typically retained for the duration of the contract and for a number of years afterwards, in line with statutory limitation periods and legal obligations related to tax and accounting.

In some cases, we may retain data for longer where we need it to resolve ongoing disputes, enforce our agreements or comply with specific legal obligations. When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

10. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. These measures include controlled access to personal data, staff training, secure storage and regular review of our security practices. While we strive to protect your data, no system can be completely secure, and you should take care when sharing personal information.

11. Your Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these include:

Right of access: You can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of that data.

Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct or complete any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

Right to erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data where there is no good reason for us to continue processing it, for example when it is no longer needed for the purpose collected and there is no legal requirement to retain it.

Right to restriction: You can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as while we verify its accuracy or our legal basis for processing.

Right to object: You can object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests, on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests or where processing is required for legal claims.

Right to data portability: Where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you can request to receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to have it transmitted to another controller, where technically feasible.

Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal, but may affect our ability to continue providing certain services.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you believe that your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can address your concerns.

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 services. Any changes will take effect when the revised policy is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle your personal data.