Removal Company Hackney Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Company Hackney collects, uses, stores and shares personal data when providing removal and related services. It applies to all Removal Company Hackney customers and prospective customers in the Hackney area, as well as anyone who contacts us about our services.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in a fair, transparent and secure manner, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act.

Data Controller

Removal Company Hackney is the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed when you use our services or interact with us.

Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business and meet our legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identification and contact details such as name, postal address, property access details, and preferred contact methods. Service details such as collection and delivery addresses, property type, inventory lists, descriptions of goods to be moved, special handling requirements, and preferred moving dates. Communication records such as messages and notes from phone calls or in-person conversations, and correspondence relating to bookings, quotations, and complaints. Transaction details such as booking history, payment status, amounts charged, and the date and time of services provided. Technical and usage information such as information we receive when you visit our website or contact us online, including the date and time of your enquiry and basic technical information supplied by your browser or device.

We do not intentionally collect special category data such as health information, except where you choose to provide information that is necessary to ensure we can safely and appropriately deliver our services, for example information about mobility needs that may affect access to the property.

How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data in several ways. Directly from you when you request a quotation, make a booking, contact us by phone or online, or speak with our staff in person. Through our website when you complete an enquiry form or provide details in a quotation request. During the service itself when our staff attend your property and record relevant logistical and operational information needed to complete the move.

Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so. The main lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract. We process personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, and to perform our contract with you. This includes providing quotations, confirming bookings, planning and carrying out removals, and handling payments and refunds.

Legal obligation. We process personal data where necessary to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as record-keeping, tax, and accounting obligations, and to respond to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate interests. We process personal data to pursue our legitimate business interests, where these are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing and improving our services, training staff, responding to enquiries and complaints, and protecting our business and customers from misuse or unlawful activity.

Consent. In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where you ask us to keep your details on file for future services. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes. To provide and manage our removal and related services, including quotations, scheduling, logistics planning, carrying out moves, and post-service support. To communicate with you about your enquiry, quotation, booking, or any changes to our services and terms. To process payments, issue invoices, manage accounts, and handle any queries relating to charges. To manage our relationship with you, including handling complaints, requests, or feedback. To operate and improve our website, services, and internal processes, including staff training and quality control. To meet our legal and regulatory obligations, and to prevent or detect fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

Sharing Your Personal Data

We only share personal data when it is necessary and lawful to do so. We may share your data with service providers and processors who assist us in delivering our services or running our business. These may include payment processors, IT and cloud service providers, secure document storage services, and professional advisers such as accountants. These parties act as data processors and must only process personal data on our instructions and in line with data protection law.

We may also share data where required by law or to protect our legal rights, for example with regulatory bodies, law enforcement, or in connection with legal proceedings. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

Data Processors

Where we use third party data processors, we take steps to ensure that appropriate contracts and safeguards are in place. These contracts require processors to keep personal data secure, to use it only as instructed by us, and to assist us in meeting our data protection obligations, including responding to data subject rights requests and managing data breaches.

International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses, to protect your data in accordance with applicable law.

Data Retention

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

In general, we retain customer records, including basic contact details, service details, and transaction information, for a period that allows us to manage our relationship with you, respond to queries or complaints, and meet tax and accounting obligations. Where no longer required, personal data is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise removed from our systems.

The exact retention period may vary depending on the nature of the data and our legal obligations. We regularly review our retention practices to ensure they remain appropriate.

Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. These measures include restricting access to personal data to staff and processors who need it for their work, training staff on data protection responsibilities, maintaining suitable physical and digital security, and reviewing our security measures periodically.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, individuals have a number of rights in relation to their personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Access your personal data and obtain a copy of the information we hold about you. Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. Request erasure of your personal data where there is no good reason for us to continue processing it. Request restriction of processing where you contest the accuracy of the data, object to the processing, or require the data for legal claims. Object to processing that is based on our legitimate interests, including profiling related to those interests. Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to another organisation, where technically feasible and where the processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means. Withdraw consent where we rely on consent as the lawful basis for processing, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before consent was withdrawn.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided on our website or in your service documentation. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data, please contact us so we can try to resolve your concerns. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in the United Kingdom.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or privacy practices. Any changes will be posted on our website, and the updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.