Privacy Policy - Removal Van Earls Court

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Van Earls Court collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal and related services. It applies to all Removal Van Earls Court customers in the area, including residential and business clients, whether services are requested by phone, email, online form, or any other communication method. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that some personal information must be processed in order to arrange, deliver, and complete moving services safely and efficiently. We only collect information that is necessary for operational, legal, contractual, and security purposes. We do not sell personal data, and we do not use personal information in ways that are incompatible with the purposes described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact information such as email address, telephone number, and correspondence details.
Service details including pickup and delivery addresses, dates, property access notes, inventory information, and instructions relating to the move.
Billing and transaction data including payment status, invoice details, and records of services provided.
Communication records such as messages, calls, complaints, quotes, and service feedback.
Technical data if you contact us through digital channels, including limited device and usage information used for security and service administration.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and where you choose to provide it, for example accessibility requirements or health-related moving considerations that affect how the service should be delivered safely.

In some cases, we may also receive information from third parties, such as landlords, agents, family members, building managers, or business representatives, where they are arranging services on your behalf or where this is required for service delivery.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and respond to enquiries;
to plan, manage, and carry out removal services;
to confirm bookings and coordinate access, scheduling, and logistics;
to process payments and maintain accounting records;
to communicate about changes, issues, or service updates;
to manage customer support, disputes, and complaints;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, staff, clients, and property from fraud, misuse, or security risks;
to improve service quality, operational efficiency, and customer experience.

We only process personal data where there is a lawful basis to do so. In some cases, multiple lawful bases may apply to the same activity.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out the removal, issuing invoices, and delivering customer support connected to the service.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain data where required to meet legal duties, including tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may rely on legitimate interests where processing is necessary for the running of our business and where your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Examples include protecting against fraud, maintaining security, improving services, and managing internal administration. When we rely on legitimate interests, we assess whether the processing is necessary and proportionate.

Consent

Where required, we will ask for your consent before processing certain information, particularly if it involves optional marketing communications or special category data not otherwise necessary for the service. You may withdraw consent at any time, though this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third-party processors and service providers who help us operate our business. These may include:

IT and software providers that host booking, communication, or storage systems;
accounting and invoicing processors used for financial administration;
payment service providers that handle transactions securely;
subcontracted operational partners where needed to complete a move;
professional advisers such as insurers, accountants, or legal advisers;
regulatory or public authorities where disclosure is required by law.

All processors are required to handle personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to process it in compliance with data protection law. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party with access to personal data provides appropriate safeguards.

We do not allow processors to use your data for their own purposes. Where data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that suitable legal safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and operational requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up queries and business administration.
Contractual and service records are generally kept for the duration of the service and for a further period where necessary to resolve disputes or maintain evidence of work completed.
Financial and tax records are retained in line with statutory requirements.
Complaints, claims, and incident-related records may be kept longer if needed for legal defence or insurance purposes.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely destroy it. If retention is extended due to a legal claim, investigation, or compliance obligation, we will only keep the information needed for that purpose.

6. Data Security

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limiting data access to personnel who need it for their role. While no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed completely secure, we aim to maintain a high standard of protection and regularly review our practices.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and any legal exemptions:

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 information.
Right to erasure – in certain situations, you may ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability – where applicable, you may request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
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 it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been breached. We encourage you to raise concerns so we can try to resolve issues promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in a family moving context and provided by an adult authorised to do so. If we become aware that we have collected data without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it where required.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our internal processes. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

Removal Van Earls Court is committed to treating personal information responsibly, minimising data collection, and ensuring that all processing is necessary and proportionate. If you use our services, we will process your data only as needed to deliver a safe, reliable, and professional removal experience.