Privacy Policy - Chiswick Movers

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Chiswick Movers customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in connection with our moving, packing, storage, and related services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable privacy laws. This Privacy Policy describes the types of data we collect, the purposes for which we use it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep it, the third parties who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to individuals under data protection law.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet legal obligations. Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect the following categories of personal data:

Identity data: name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and moving location details.
Service data: details about your move, property access notes, inventory lists, packing requirements, dates, and service preferences.
Payment data: billing information, transaction records, and payment status. We do not store full card details where payments are processed securely by a payment provider.
Communication data: messages, requests, complaints, feedback, and correspondence.
Technical data: limited information such as device, browser, or IP-related information if you interact with digital booking or enquiry systems.
Special category data: we do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it to us and it is necessary for a specific request, such as access needs or health-related mobility considerations.

We normally collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, or use our services. In some cases, we may receive data from third parties such as estate agents, landlords, property managers, insurers, or payment providers where this is necessary for the service or the performance of a contract.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to provide, manage, and improve our services. Typical uses include:

preparing quotes and estimates;
booking and scheduling moves;
arranging packing, storage, and related services;
communicating with you before, during, and after a move;
processing payments and issuing invoices;
handling customer support requests and complaints;
keeping internal records and meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance requirements;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
improving service quality, planning, and operational efficiency.

We may also use personal data where necessary to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims. Where we send service communications, these are usually necessary and not marketing. If we ever send marketing communications, we will do so only in line with applicable law and with any required consent or other lawful basis.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR. The lawful bases we rely on depend on the specific purpose of processing:

3.1 Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, providing moving services, managing bookings, handling payments, and communicating about the agreed service.

3.2 Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service management, fraud prevention, internal administration, record keeping, quality control, and responding to enquiries or complaints. When relying on this basis, we consider the nature of the data, the context of collection, and the impact on individuals.

3.3 Legal Obligation

We may process personal data to comply with legal obligations, including tax laws, accounting rules, regulatory requirements, and obligations related to insurance, safety, or law enforcement requests.

3.4 Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for certain optional processing. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

3.5 Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in most ordinary moving-service situations, but they may be used where necessary in exceptional circumstances to protect someone’s vital interests or where required for a task carried out in the public interest.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and provide services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context.

Processors are service providers that process personal data on our behalf and under our instructions. Examples may include:

IT and cloud storage providers;
booking, scheduling, and customer management systems;
payment processing providers;
accountants, bookkeepers, and tax support services;
communication and email service providers;
storage or logistics subcontractors used to deliver a service you requested;
professional advisers, such as lawyers or insurers, where needed.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, to use it only for our instructions, and to implement appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. We do not sell personal data.

In some situations, we may need to share data with independent controllers, such as banks, payment networks, law enforcement, regulators, or other parties where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect legal rights.

5. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider processes personal data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place before transferring the data. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer and booking records: kept for the period needed to complete the service and manage follow-up matters.
Accounting and tax records: retained for the period required by law.
Complaints, claims, and dispute records: retained as long as necessary to resolve the issue and defend legal claims.
Communication records: retained for a reasonable period for customer service, evidence, and operational purposes.
Marketing preferences: kept until you withdraw consent or object, where applicable.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in accordance with our retention procedures. Storage duration may differ depending on legal obligations and operational necessity.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices.

Although we take reasonable steps to safeguard data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We encourage individuals to share only the information needed for service delivery and to inform us promptly if they believe their data has been compromised.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions, and they do not apply in every situation.

Right of access: you can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of it.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to erasure: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to data portability: where applicable, you can request your data in a structured, commonly used format and have it transmitted to another controller.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing relies on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the timeframe required by law unless an extension is permitted.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals, storage, and related household or business services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is unavoidably included in service-related information provided by an adult customer, and only to the extent necessary for the service or legal compliance.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals. If this position changes, we will provide additional information and the safeguards required by law.

11. 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 handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is handled.

12. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or how we handle personal data, you may raise a concern through our usual customer service channels. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

We aim to deal with privacy matters fairly, promptly, and transparently. Chiswick Movers values trust and privacy, and we will continue to process personal data responsibly and only where necessary for legitimate business and legal purposes.