Privacy Policy - Rotherhithe Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected by Rotherhithe Removals. It applies to all Rotherhithe Removals customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who make enquiries on behalf of a customer. We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services or engaging with us in connection with a removal, collection, delivery, or related service, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We take privacy seriously and only collect information that is necessary for legitimate business purposes.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the nature of your enquiry or booking. The information we collect may include:

Identity data such as your name and title;
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number;
Service data such as removal dates, property access details, inventory information, and special handling requirements;
Billing and payment data such as payment records, invoices, and transaction confirmations;
Communication data including messages, feedback, complaints, and notes from phone calls or written correspondence;
Technical data that may be generated through our systems, such as device identifiers or basic usage logs if you interact with our digital tools;
Verification data where necessary to confirm identity or authorisation for a service.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for the service. Special category data may include information about health, disability, or other sensitive circumstances that could affect a move. If such data is provided, we will only process it where permitted by law and where strictly necessary.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for legitimate and defined purposes connected to our removal services. These purposes may include:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
Managing bookings and planning removals;
Delivering, arranging, or completing removal services;
Processing payments and managing accounts;
Communicating with you about your booking, scheduling, or service changes;
Handling complaints, claims, and service issues;
Maintaining business records and internal administration;
Meeting legal, regulatory, accounting, or insurance obligations;
Improving our operations, service quality, and customer experience;
Preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will never use your personal data in a way that is incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the circumstances, 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 arranging removals, managing bookings, processing payments, and delivering the services you requested.

Legitimate Interests

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

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data when required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, or record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, such as when emergency assistance is needed during a move.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the operation of our services, but only to the extent required and always with appropriate safeguards.

These third parties may act as processors on our behalf. Processors are contractually bound to process data only according to our instructions and to protect it with suitable security measures. Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers;
IT and cloud storage providers;
Booking, scheduling, and customer management software providers;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers;
Subcontracted service providers assisting with deliveries, storage, or related operational tasks;
Authorities, regulators, or other parties where disclosure is required by law.

We do not sell personal data. Where data is disclosed to third parties, we ensure that the disclosure is necessary, proportionate, and limited to what is required for the relevant purpose. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reasons for processing.

As a general approach:

Enquiry records may be kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends;
Customer and contract records may be retained for the duration of the service and for a reasonable period afterwards;
Financial and tax-related records may be retained for the period required by law;
Complaint, incident, or insurance records may be retained for as long as necessary to resolve issues or defend claims;
Data no longer required will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of.

We regularly review retention needs to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary. When information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to ensure it is securely removed from active systems and backup processes in accordance with our retention practices.

6. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and careful management of systems and records.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we work to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage customers to share only the information necessary for the service and to notify us if they believe their information has been compromised.

7. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing, you have a number of rights under data protection law. These may include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how your data is used in certain cases;
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests;
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format;
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent;
Right to complain – to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

Some rights are subject to legal limitations and may not apply in every situation. We will assess all requests carefully and respond in accordance with applicable law.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a removal and provided by an adult customer or authorised representative. Where children’s data is involved, it will be handled only as necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

10. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions about how personal data is handled, wish to exercise your rights, or want more information about this policy, you may contact us using the details provided through our usual customer communication channels. We will aim to respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.

In summary: Rotherhithe Removals processes personal data fairly, securely, and only when necessary to provide services, comply with the law, and run our business responsibly. This policy applies to all Rotherhithe Removals customers in the area.