Privacy Policy - Westminster Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Westminster Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Westminster Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who interacts with us on behalf of a customer. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to individuals who use or enquire about our moving, packing, storage, delivery, and related services in the area we serve. It also applies where we receive personal data from third parties in connection with arranging or carrying out a removal service. By using our services, you acknowledge that your data may be processed as described in this policy.

2. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the purposes described in this policy. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following types of information:

Identity data, such as your name and title.
Contact data, such as address details and communication preferences.
Service data, including move dates, property access details, inventory lists, and instructions for handling items.
Payment and billing data, where required for invoicing, refunds, or payment processing.
Communication data, including enquiries, complaints, notes from phone calls, emails, and messages.
Technical data, such as limited information collected through website or device interactions, where applicable.
Special category data only where strictly necessary and where you choose to provide it, for example information about access needs, mobility requirements, or other practical considerations relevant to the move.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is needed to deliver our services or meet our legal obligations. If you provide information about other people, such as household members, tenants, landlords, or building managers, you must ensure that you have the authority to share that information with us.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and manage customer enquiries.
To plan, schedule, and carry out removal and related services.
To communicate with you about appointments, updates, and service changes.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To respond to complaints, claims, or requests for support.
To improve our services, operations, training, and customer experience.
To maintain security, prevent fraud, and protect our business and customers.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and that such use is lawful.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the context, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes handling enquiries, preparing quotations, arranging your move, and delivering the services you request.

Legal obligation

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

Legitimate interests

We may process 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 business administration, service improvement, fraud prevention, and internal auditing.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide additional information that is not required for the service. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In rare situations, we may process information where necessary to protect someone???s vital interests, such as in an emergency involving health or safety.

5. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services or meet legal obligations. These third parties act either as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the relationship.

We may use processors to help with:

Payment processing and invoicing systems.
Booking, scheduling, and customer management tools.
IT support, cloud storage, and data backup services.
Email, messaging, and communication platforms.
Accounting and bookkeeping services.
Professional advisors, including legal, insurance, or tax advisers.

Where we use processors, they are required to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell personal data. If data must be shared with logistics partners, insurers, or other service providers in connection with a specific move, we share only the information necessary for that purpose.

6. Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason we hold it.

In general:

Quotation and enquiry records are kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends.
Customer service and move records are kept for the duration of the service and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, and dispute records may be retained longer where necessary to defend or establish legal claims.

When personal data is no longer required, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it as appropriate. If a longer retention period is necessary, we will only keep the information for as long as that need continues.

7. Data security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and data minimisation practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the nature of the information we handle.

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different circumstances and may be subject to legal limits. Your rights include:

Right of access ??? you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification ??? you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure ??? you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction ??? you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability ??? you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object ??? you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent ??? where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will review your request in accordance with applicable law and respond within the required timeframe. You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner???s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully.

9. Third-party data and shared responsibility

In some cases, we may receive personal data from third parties such as estate agents, landlords, tenants, family members, or business representatives who are arranging a service. Where we receive such data, we treat it with the same care and legal safeguards as data provided directly by you. If third parties share personal data with us, they should ensure they have a lawful basis to do so.

10. Children???s data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary to provide services connected to a household move and where an adult provides the information lawfully. If we become aware that we have collected personal data improperly, we will take appropriate steps to delete it or restrict its use.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how your data is used.

12. Summary of our commitments

Westminster Removals is committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only the data needed to provide our services, rely on appropriate lawful bases, retain information for no longer than necessary, and use trusted processors under proper contractual safeguards. We also respect your rights and will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information throughout its lifecycle.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Westminster Removals customers in area. By engaging our services, you acknowledge the practices described above.