Privacy Policy - Farringdon Removals

Farringdon Removals is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide removals, packing, storage coordination, and related services. It applies to all Farringdon Removals customers in the area, including prospective customers, individuals requesting quotes, and anyone who interacts with us in connection with our services.

We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy should be read together with any service terms that apply to your booking or enquiry.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on the services you request and how you interact with us. This may include:

• Identity information: name, title, and relevant identification details.
• Contact information: address, email address, telephone number, and moving location details.
• Service information: quote requests, booking details, inventory lists, access notes, moving dates, and special handling requirements.
• Payment information: billing details and payment status. We do not store full payment card details where payment processing is handled securely by a third party.
• Communication records: emails, messages, call notes, complaints, and service updates.
• Technical information: limited information such as device type, browser type, and usage data if you interact with digital booking or enquiry systems.
• Special category data: only where necessary and usually only if you choose to provide it, for example information relating to health, access needs, or vulnerability so we can safely deliver our services.

We aim to collect only the information that is necessary and relevant to provide a safe, efficient, and reliable removals service.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide quotations and assess service requirements;
• to manage bookings, collections, deliveries, and storage arrangements;
• to communicate with you about your move or enquiry;
• to process payments and maintain financial records;
• to allocate staff, vehicles, and resources appropriately;
• to handle complaints, disputes, and claims;
• to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
• to improve our services, operations, and customer experience;
• to prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We do not use your data for unrelated purposes without a lawful basis and, where required, your consent.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing a quote, booking a service, completing a removal, and managing related support.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as accounting, tax, insurance, safety, or record-keeping obligations.

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 can include improving services, responding to enquiries, managing customer relationships, protecting our business, and ensuring service quality.

Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent. This may apply to certain optional communications or the processing of special category data that you voluntarily provide. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing already carried out.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, for example where health or safety concerns arise during a move.

4. Sharing Your Information with Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that act as processors on our behalf. These parties only process data according to our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors may include:

• IT and hosting providers: for secure data storage, email services, and system maintenance;
• Payment processors: for handling card or online payments securely;
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers: for financial administration and compliance;
• Customer management systems: for scheduling, quotations, and service records;
• Communication service providers: for message delivery and customer notifications;
• Storage or logistics partners: where required to deliver a service you have requested.

We may also disclose personal data to independent controllers where necessary, such as insurers, professional advisers, regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, or other authorities when required by law or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When we use processors, we take reasonable steps to ensure they meet data protection and security standards.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements.

Retention periods depend on the type of information and the context in which it was collected. In general:

• enquiry and quotation records may be kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends;
• booking, service, and invoicing records are usually kept for the duration of the contract and for a further period required by law or business necessity;
• complaint and dispute records may be retained longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims;
• special category information is retained only for as long as needed and then deleted or securely anonymised.

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

6. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate 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 confidentiality obligations, and the use of reputable service providers.

While we strive to protect your data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data incident occurs, we will assess it promptly and take appropriate action in line with legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These may include:

• Right of access: you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Right to rectification: you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Right to erasure: in certain circumstances, you may request deletion of your data;
• Right to restriction: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
• Right to data portability: where applicable, you may request transfer of your data in a structured format;
• Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
• Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time;
• Right to complain: you have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions or limitations. We will respond to valid requests within the timeframes required by law and may need to verify your identity before taking action.

8. Special Category and Sensitive Information

If you provide information about health, mobility, disability, or other sensitive circumstances so we can carry out a move safely and properly, we will handle that information with extra care. We will only use it where necessary for the service, for health and safety, or with your explicit consent where required.

We encourage you to share only the information that is relevant to your move and any access or safety requirements. If such data is no longer needed, we will delete or anonymise it in line with our retention practices.

9. Cookies and Online Enquiries

If we use online forms or digital systems to manage enquiries or bookings, limited technical data may be collected for functionality, security, and performance purposes. Where cookies or similar technologies are used, they will only be employed in line with applicable law. Any non-essential cookies would require appropriate notice and, where needed, consent.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals and related services. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children. If children’s details appear incidentally in move-related information, we will handle them only as necessary for service delivery and protection.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or how we process personal data. The latest version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we use your information.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Farringdon Removals processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what is necessary, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it for no longer than needed, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We also respect your rights and aim to make it easy for you to understand how your information is handled.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or providing personal information to us, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy applies to you as a customer of Farringdon Removals in the area.