Privacy Policy - Removals Richmond

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Richmond collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data. It applies to all Removals Richmond customers in the area, including individuals, households, businesses, and anyone who requests or receives our removal, packing, storage, or related services. We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Removals Richmond provides removal and logistics services for homes and businesses. In providing these services, we act as a data controller for the personal data we collect and use in connection with customer enquiries, bookings, service delivery, invoicing, and customer support. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed for our own business purposes.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services and manage our relationship with you. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data: full name, title, and, where relevant, company or business name.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and moving location details.
Booking and service data: dates of removal, inventory details, access information, property size, and service preferences.
Payment and transaction data: payment status, invoices, and billing records. We do not retain more payment information than is required for accounting and legal purposes.
Communication data: enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence with our team.
Technical data: limited information such as website usage data, device type, browser type, and cookies where applicable.
Special category data: we do not seek to collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have voluntarily provided it, for example to support accessibility or service adjustments.

We aim to collect data directly from you wherever possible. In some cases, information may be provided by a third party acting on your behalf, such as a letting agent, solicitor, landlord, employer, or family member.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
to arrange and deliver removal and related services;
to manage bookings, route planning, and operational logistics;
to prepare invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records;
to communicate with you before, during, and after a service;
to handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests;
to comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, staff training, and business operations;
to protect our business, customers, and staff from fraud or misuse.

We will only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we will not use it in ways that are incompatible with the original purpose for which it was collected.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases depending on the nature of the processing:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, carrying out removals, and providing customer support connected to the service.

Legal Obligation

We may need to process and retain certain information to comply with legal requirements, such as tax law, accounting obligations, insurance record-keeping, and regulatory duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include business administration, service improvement, fraud prevention, internal record-keeping, and customer relationship management.

Consent

Where required, we will rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific categories of data processing. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests and Public Task

These bases are unlikely to apply in ordinary customer service situations, but may be used in exceptional circumstances where necessary to protect someone’s vital interests or where required by law.

5. How We Share Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf, and they are required to handle the data securely and only according to our instructions.

Processors and service providers may include:

IT and cloud storage providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
payment processing providers;
customer relationship management systems;
email and communication platforms;
subcontracted removal staff or logistics partners where needed to complete your service;
professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, or auditors.

We may also disclose data to public authorities, courts, or regulators where legally required. We do not sell your personal data.

6. International Transfers

Where any of our processors store or access data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protection measures to ensure your personal data remains protected to the standards required by law.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, insurance, and operational requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

Quotation and enquiry records: retained for a reasonable period to manage follow-up, service history, and business administration.
Service and booking records: retained for the duration needed to complete the contract and address any claims or disputes.
Accounting and tax records: retained for the period required by law.
Complaint and claims records: retained long enough to resolve issues and meet legal obligations.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and regular review of our procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

9. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing.

Right of access: you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: in some cases, you may ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a machine-readable format where applicable.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Important: some rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal obligations or business necessity. We will explain any limitations that apply to your request.

10. How to Exercise Your Rights

If you wish to exercise any of your rights, you should provide enough information to help us identify you and understand your request. We may ask for additional information to verify your identity before acting on the request. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we operate a website or online enquiry form, we may use cookies or similar technologies for basic functionality, analytics, and performance monitoring. Where required, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings or the options provided on the site.

12. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary to provide a service requested by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authorisation, we will take steps to remove it where required.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or the services we provide. Any updates will take effect when published in the revised version. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle personal data.

14. Summary of Our Commitment

Removals Richmond is committed to processing personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We respect your rights and aim to handle all personal information with care and responsibility.