Privacy Policy - Stockwell Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Stockwell Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to our customers, prospective customers, suppliers, and other individuals who interact with us. It applies to all Stockwell Removals customers in the area and is designed to meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We only collect data that is necessary for the services we provide, and we take reasonable steps to safeguard that information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure.

1. Who We Are

Stockwell Removals provides moving, packing, storage coordination, and related relocation services. In delivering these services, we act as a data controller for the personal data we collect and use about customers and others. This means we determine the purposes and methods of processing personal data in connection with our business operations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity data such as your name, title, and any relevant identification details;
Contact data such as your address, phone number, and email address;
Service and booking data such as move dates, property details, inventory information, access arrangements, and service preferences;
Payment and transaction data such as billing information, payment status, and records of charges and invoices;
Communication data such as emails, messages, call notes, and correspondence with us;
Technical data if you interact with us electronically, including device and usage information, where applicable;
Special category data only where strictly necessary and with an appropriate lawful basis, for example if you voluntarily share accessibility needs or health-related requirements that affect the moving service.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary personal information. Where we do receive information that is not needed for our service, we will limit its use or delete it where appropriate.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may obtain your 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 in writing;
provide information during planning, packing, or delivery arrangements;
submit feedback, complaints, or service reviews;
interact with our administrative or operational processes.

We may also receive personal data from third parties where necessary for the service, such as landlords, estate agents, solicitors, storage providers, payment processors, or other business partners involved in the relocation process. In each case, we ensure the data is handled in a way that is consistent with this Privacy Policy.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide removal and related services;
to prepare quotations, manage bookings, and organise logistics;
to communicate with you about your move and service arrangements;
to manage payments, invoicing, and accounting;
to assess operational requirements, including access, packing, transport, and storage needs;
to maintain internal records and business administration;
to resolve queries, complaints, or disputes;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, staff, customers, and property;
to improve our services, processes, and customer experience.

We will not use your data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the specific activity, 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 quoting, scheduling, carrying out the move, managing payment, and providing customer support related to the service.

Legal Obligation

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

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, business planning, fraud prevention, security, and improving operational efficiency. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and take steps to minimise any risk.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide certain optional information or where consent is required for specific processing. You may withdraw consent at any time where it is the basis for processing, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare cases, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example in an emergency involving safety or wellbeing.

6. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who support our business operations. These third parties act as processors where they process data on our behalf and under our instructions, or as independent controllers where they determine their own purposes. The processors we may use include:

Payment processors to handle transactions securely;
IT and cloud service providers to store and manage records;
Customer administration systems used for booking and communication;
Accountants and auditors for financial processing and compliance;
Storage or logistics partners where required to complete your move;
Professional advisers such as legal or insurance advisers when needed.

We require processors to implement appropriate safeguards and to process personal data only according to our instructions. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate transfer mechanisms are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards.

We may also disclose personal data to public authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or other parties where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

7. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, insurance, and operational requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for holding it.

As a general approach:

booking and service records are retained for a period that allows us to manage the service, address queries, and maintain business records;
financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law;
correspondence and complaint records may be retained for longer where needed to resolve disputes or demonstrate compliance;
data that is no longer needed is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

When determining retention periods, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, the processing purposes, and any legal obligations that apply.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different circumstances, and some may be limited by legal obligations or legitimate business needs.

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 request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
Right to data portability – you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format, where applicable;
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 may withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain – you have the right to raise concerns with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully.

To exercise your rights, you should provide enough information for us to identify you and understand your request. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

9. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. These may include access controls, secure systems, staff confidentiality obligations, limited access to records, and regular review of data handling practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to reduce risks and respond appropriately to any suspected data breach.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers arranging removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to the service and provided by an adult customer or authorised representative. If we learn that we have collected data incorrectly, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service-related changes. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this Policy periodically so they remain informed about how we use personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

At Stockwell Removals, we aim to treat your personal information with care and respect. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with appropriate processors or where required by law. We also recognise and support your data protection rights and will respond to requests in accordance with applicable law.

By using Stockwell Removals services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in line with this Privacy Policy.