Privacy Policy - Removal Van Dulwich

This Privacy Policy explains how Removal Van Dulwich collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal services. It applies to all Removal Van Dulwich customers in the area, including private customers, landlords, tenants, homeowners, businesses, and any person who enquires about or receives our services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services or communicating with us, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for arranging, managing, and completing removal work safely and efficiently.

1. Data We Collect

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

Identity data such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact data such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service details including moving dates, inventory lists, access notes, parking restrictions, property type, and special handling instructions.
Payment and transaction data including billing records, payment status, and invoice information.
Communication data such as emails, messages, complaints, feedback, and records of customer support interactions.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you interact with digital booking systems, including IP address, browser type, and usage details.
Operational data relating to service delivery, including photos or notes used to assess access, item condition, or completion of work.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, for example where it is needed to accommodate a specific access, safety, or vulnerability-related request. If such data is provided, it will be handled with additional care and only when there is a valid legal reason to do so.

2. How We Collect Data

Personal data may be collected directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, provide instructions, or contact us about a service. We may also receive information from third parties acting on your behalf, such as landlords, letting agents, estate agents, solicitors, or authorised representatives. In some cases, data may be gathered through service-related communications, payment processing, or operational checks needed to complete the removal safely and accurately.

We aim to keep the information collected limited to what is required for the intended purpose. If you choose not to provide certain data, we may not be able to deliver the service properly or may need to adjust what we can offer.

3. Why We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes, confirm bookings, and plan removal services.
To communicate with customers before, during, and after a move.
To manage access, logistics, scheduling, and operational requirements.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To deal with enquiries, complaints, disputes, and service issues.
To maintain accurate internal records and improve our services.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To prevent fraud, protect property, and support safe service delivery.

We use personal data only when it is necessary and proportionate to the service being delivered. We do not use customer data for unrelated purposes without a lawful reason.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases when processing personal data:

Contract

Most of the data we process is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, carrying out removals, arranging timings, and handling payment-related matters.

Legal Obligation

We may need to process and retain certain data to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing operations, improving services, handling customer queries, protecting against misuse, and maintaining business security.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where optional marketing communications or certain non-essential processing activities are involved. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

If we process special category data, we will only do so where an additional condition under data protection law applies and where the processing is strictly necessary.

5. Sharing Data with Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary to provide our services. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation.

Payment processors that handle card or electronic payments securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing and financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers that support data storage, communications, and system maintenance.
Customer management and booking tools used to organise service operations.
Insurance providers, legal advisers, and professional advisers where needed for claims, disputes, or compliance.
Subcontractors or operational partners involved in completing a removal, where relevant to the booked service.

Where processors handle personal data on our behalf, they are required to act only on our instructions, keep data secure, and use appropriate safeguards. We do not sell personal data. We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or regulatory authority.

6. 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, tax, and insurance requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the nature of the service provided.

Quotation and booking records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage service history and disputes.
Invoice and payment records are typically kept for the period required by tax and financial regulations.
Correspondence and complaint records may be kept for as long as needed to resolve issues and demonstrate compliance.
Operational notes are retained only while they remain relevant to the service and any follow-up matters.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in a way that prevents unauthorised use. Retention is reviewed periodically to ensure we do not keep data longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness procedures, password protection, and limited access to information on a need-to-know basis. Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risk.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have several rights under data protection law. Subject to legal restrictions and verification of identity, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your data in certain circumstances.
Restrict how we process your data in some cases.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Data portability for information you provided to us in a structured format, where applicable.
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so that we may try to resolve them promptly and fairly.

9. International Transfers

If any of our service providers store or process data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before the transfer occurs. These safeguards may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other approved legal mechanisms designed to protect your information.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is handled.

Removal Van Dulwich values privacy and data protection as essential parts of customer trust. We will always aim to process personal information fairly, securely, and only for clearly defined purposes connected to our removal services.