Privacy Policy - Removals Elephantandcastle

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Elephantandcastle collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with our services. It applies to all Removals Elephantandcastle customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our removal, packing, storage, delivery, and related services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process personal data as described in this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to read it carefully so that you understand your rights and how your information is handled.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide and manage our services effectively. Depending on the nature of your booking or enquiry, this may include:

• Identity data: your name, title, and, where relevant, the name of your business or organisation.
• Contact data: postal address, email address, and telephone number.
• Service and booking data: details of the move, property access information, moving dates, inventory lists, and service preferences.
• Payment data: billing details, transaction records, and payment confirmation information. We do not store full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
• Communication data: messages, enquiries, complaint records, and correspondence related to your booking or service experience.
• Technical data: limited information such as device type, browser type, IP address, and service logs where required for security and operational purposes.
• Special category data: we do not normally seek to collect sensitive personal data. However, if you voluntarily provide such information, for example accessibility needs, we will only process it where necessary and lawful to do so.

We aim to collect data that is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the purposes stated in this policy.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
• to arrange, manage, and deliver removal services;
• to communicate about bookings, changes, delays, or service updates;
• to process invoices, payments, and refunds;
• to handle complaints, claims, and customer support;
• to maintain business records and manage our relationship with customers;
• to improve our services, operational processes, and customer experience;
• to comply with legal, accounting, tax, and regulatory obligations;
• to protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We do not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons 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 situation, we rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, arranging access, providing removal services, and managing payment.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, taxation, insurance, dispute resolution, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

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

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for certain optional communications or the processing of particularly sensitive information not covered by another lawful basis, we will obtain it clearly and explicitly. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing.

We always assess the legal basis before processing personal data and only use the minimum amount needed for the relevant purpose.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, but only where necessary and in accordance with data protection law. These third parties act either as processors, who process data on our behalf, or as independent controllers where they determine their own purposes.

Processors we may use include:

• Payment processors: to securely handle card or electronic payments.
• IT and cloud service providers: for data storage, email systems, scheduling tools, and backup services.
• Customer relationship and communication tools: for managing service enquiries and booking records.
• Professional advisers: such as accountants, insurers, lawyers, or claim handlers where necessary.
• Subcontracted operational partners: where required to support delivery of removal services, subject to appropriate contractual safeguards.

All processors are required to protect personal data, act only on our instructions where applicable, and implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data.

In some cases, we may also disclose information if required by law, regulation, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Removals Elephantandcastle, our customers, or others.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, tax, insurance, or reporting requirements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the nature of our relationship with you. For example:

• booking and service records are kept for a reasonable period to manage queries, disputes, and operational records;
• financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by law;
• communications and complaints may be retained for customer service and evidential purposes;
• technical and security logs are kept for a limited time unless needed for investigation or legal reasons.

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

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and restricted sharing of information on a need-to-know basis.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no system is completely secure. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal data, we will handle it in line with applicable legal requirements, including notifying the relevant authority and affected individuals where necessary.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights regarding 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 information.
• Right to erasure: you may request deletion of your data in certain situations.
• Right to restrict processing: you may ask us to limit the way we use your data in specific cases.
• Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used, 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 we rely 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 infringed.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and provided by an adult responsible for the booking. If we learn that we have collected children’s data without proper authority, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data processing practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is used.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Removals Elephantandcastle is committed to processing personal data responsibly, securely, and transparently. We only collect the information we need, use it for clearly defined purposes, share it only with appropriate processors or where required by law, and keep it only for as long as necessary. Our approach is designed to respect your privacy and comply fully with applicable data protection law.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Removals Elephantandcastle customers in area.