Privacy Policy - Removals Canarywharf

Removals Canarywharf is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when providing removal, packing, storage, and related services. It applies to all Removals Canarywharf customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, Removals Canarywharf acts as the data controller for the personal data we process in connection with our services. This means we determine why and how your personal data is used. We are committed to ensuring that personal data is handled lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

2. Information We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name, title, and preferred form of address.
Contact details such as email address, telephone number, billing address, and service address.
Service information such as move date, inventory details, access instructions, property details, and special handling requirements.
Payment information such as transaction records, invoice details, and payment status.
Communication records including emails, messages, quotes, complaints, feedback, and notes from calls or meetings.
Technical data such as basic website usage information, if you submit an enquiry through an online form or otherwise interact with our digital systems.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is voluntarily provided by you and is necessary for a particular service request. Where such data is involved, we apply stricter safeguards and only process it where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to deliver services and manage our business operations. Typical purposes include:

providing quotes and arranging removals services;
planning, scheduling, and carrying out moves;
communicating with you before, during, and after a service;
issuing invoices, receiving payments, and handling refunds where applicable;
keeping records for administration, accounting, and compliance;
responding to complaints, claims, and service issues;
improving our services, internal processes, and customer experience;
protecting against fraud, misuse, and unlawful activity;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

We do not sell your personal data. Any sharing of data is limited to what is necessary for service delivery, legal compliance, or legitimate business operations.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when we have a valid lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the context, the lawful bases we rely on are:

Performance of a contract

We process your data when it is necessary to provide a quotation, complete a booking, carry out a move, or manage related services requested by you.

Legal obligation

We may need to process and retain certain information to meet legal, accounting, tax, insurance, and regulatory requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may use personal data for legitimate business purposes, such as service improvement, record keeping, fraud prevention, and the defence of legal claims, provided that these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on your consent, for example for certain types of optional marketing communications or the processing of specific information you choose to provide. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the nature of the data and the reason for processing.

Customer and contract records are typically retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by applicable law.
Complaint and claims records may be retained for longer where necessary to resolve disputes or defend legal claims.
Communication records may be retained for operational and evidential purposes for a limited period.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, or comply with legal duties. These third parties act either as processors or independent controllers, depending on the nature of the relationship.

Processors are service providers who process data on our behalf and under our instructions. They may include:

payment service providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
IT and cloud storage providers;
customer management and communication systems;
legal, insurance, or claims handling professionals where necessary;
subcontractors or operational partners involved in delivering a service.

All processors are required to protect personal data and may only use it for agreed purposes. We take reasonable steps to ensure they implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures.

We may also disclose data where required by law, court order, or lawful request from public authorities, or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

7. International Transfers

If any service provider stores or processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal data remains protected in accordance with applicable law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal protections.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the data and the risks associated with its processing. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exceptions, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure of your data in certain circumstances.
Restriction of processing in specific situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or if you are dissatisfied with how we have addressed your concerns.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the context of a service arranged by an adult customer, such as household relocation. Where children’s data may be involved, we ensure it is processed lawfully and only to the extent required.

11. Marketing Preferences

If we send marketing communications, they will be limited and relevant. You can opt out of marketing at any time. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it easily. Where we rely on legitimate interests, you can object to direct marketing and we will stop such communications.

12. 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 protection practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

13. Summary of Key Principles

Removals Canarywharf processes personal data only when necessary, only for clear purposes, and only for as long as required. We rely on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent. We use trusted processors under strict safeguards, and we respect your rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to certain uses of your data.

This policy applies to all Removals Canarywharf customers in the area. We are committed to handling your personal data with care, transparency, and respect at every stage of our service.