Privacy Policy - Greenwich Removals

Greenwich Removals is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide removal and related services. It applies to all Greenwich Removals customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us on behalf of a customer.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Greenwich Removals acts as a data controller in relation to the personal data we collect and use for our own business purposes. This means we decide why and how your personal information is processed. In some cases, we may also act as a data processor where we process information strictly on behalf of another party, in accordance with their instructions.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information we need to provide removal, packing, storage, and related services, to manage bookings, and to run our business efficiently. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and phone number.
Service details such as move dates, pickup and delivery addresses, property access information, item inventories, and special handling requirements.
Payment and billing information needed to process invoices and payments.
Communication records including emails, calls, messages, and notes relating to enquiries, quotes, and complaints.
Technical information if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address, device details, and usage data.
Security information where required for fraud prevention, site access, or insurance-related checks.

We may also process limited sensitive information where necessary, for example if you tell us about health conditions, mobility needs, access restrictions, or other information relevant to delivering services safely. We only collect such data when it is necessary and appropriate.

3. How We Collect Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quote or make an enquiry;
book or use our services;
communicate with us by phone, email, or other means;
complete forms or provide instructions;
submit feedback or a complaint;
provide information during delivery, collection, or storage arrangements.

We may also receive data from third parties, such as estate agents, landlords, solicitors, insurers, storage providers, or other individuals involved in your move, where this is necessary for the service.

4. Why We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and assess service requirements;
to manage bookings and carry out removals and related services;
to communicate with you before, during, and after a move;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to handle complaints, disputes, and service queries;
to meet legal, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, operations, and customer experience;
to protect our business, customers, staff, and property from fraud or misuse.

We only use your data where we have a valid legal reason to do so. This includes the lawful bases described below.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your personal data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes preparing quotes, arranging services, and delivering the agreed removals work.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where needed to comply with legal requirements, including tax, accounting, insurance, record-keeping, and dispute-related obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include managing our operations, improving services, preventing fraud, and maintaining business records. We balance these interests against your privacy rights.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communications or the use of certain categories of data. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to be used in ordinary removals services, but may apply in exceptional situations where there is a serious risk to health or safety, or where required by law.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to provide our services or operate our business. These may include:

Payment providers who process transactions securely.
IT and cloud service providers who host systems, data storage, and communications tools.
Accountants and professional advisers who support our financial and legal obligations.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where relevant to loss, damage, or liability matters.
Storage partners or subcontractors involved in delivering the service you requested.
Regulatory, law enforcement, or government bodies where disclosure is required by law.

Where we use third-party service providers to process data on our behalf, they act as processors. They are only permitted to process your data under our instructions and must implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We take reasonable steps to ensure our processors are reliable, contractually bound, and compliant with data protection law.

7. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place to protect it. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent lawful measures. We only transfer data where necessary and where adequate protection can be maintained.

8. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing. In general:

quotation and booking information may be kept for a reasonable period to manage customer records and follow-up queries;
transaction, invoice, and tax records are typically retained in line with legal accounting requirements;
service communication records may be retained to resolve disputes, demonstrate service delivery, and maintain business continuity;
complaint and claims information may be retained for as long as necessary to defend or manage the matter;
data no longer needed is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in accordance with our retention practices.

Where we retain data for legal reasons, we will limit access to it and store it securely. When data is no longer required, we ensure it is disposed of safely.

9. Security of Your Information

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our systems and procedures. While no system is completely secure, we take data protection seriously and work to reduce risks wherever possible.

10. Your Rights

Depending on the legal basis and circumstances of processing, you may have the following rights under data protection law:

Right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
Right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten;
Right to restriction to limit how we process your data in certain situations;
Right to data portability for data you provided to us, where applicable;
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Right to withdraw consent where processing relies on consent;
Right to complain to the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. Some rights are subject to legal limits and may not apply in every situation.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers arranging removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household move and provided by an adult authorised to act on their behalf.

12. Automated Decision-Making

We do not normally use fully automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you. If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and ensure any required safeguards are in place.

13. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, practice, or the way we operate. Any changes will take effect when the updated policy is made available. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use personal data.

14. Summary of Our Commitment

Greenwich Removals is committed to treating your personal data with care and respect. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, keep it only for as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or when the law requires it. We aim to ensure your information is handled lawfully, securely, and transparently at every stage of the service.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Greenwich Removals customers in the area.