Privacy Policy - Removals Bow

This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Bow collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our removal, packing, storage, and related moving services. It applies to all Removals Bow customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services or interact with us for quotes, bookings, deliveries, collections, and customer support.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy sets out the types of information we may collect, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep information, the third parties that may process data for us, and the rights available to you.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The information we collect may include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where needed, business or organisation name.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Service information including moving date, collection and delivery addresses, property access details, inventory notes, and special handling instructions.
Billing and payment information such as invoice details, payment status, and transaction records.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, and service feedback.
Website and technical data where applicable, such as IP address, device type, browser information, and usage data collected through cookies or similar technologies.
Identification documents only where required for lawful purposes such as verifying identity, preventing fraud, or supporting insurance claims.

We do not seek to collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is incidentally included in your communications, we will process it only where a lawful basis applies and appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to deliver our services effectively and to operate responsibly. Typical uses include:

Providing quotes, scheduling removals, and managing bookings.
Planning and completing collection, transport, delivery, packing, and storage services.
Communicating with you about your booking, access arrangements, changes, delays, and service updates.
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining financial records.
Handling complaints, claims, and aftercare requests.
Meeting legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
Protecting against fraud, theft, misuse of services, and security incidents.
Improving service quality, staff training, and operational planning.

We will only use your data for the purposes described here or for compatible purposes that you would reasonably expect.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Removals Bow may rely on one or more of the following:

Performance of a Contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, managing deliveries, and handling payment-related administration.

Legal Obligation

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

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This can include service improvement, business administration, network and information security, fraud prevention, and responding to customer enquiries. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary, proportionate, and respectful of your expectations.

Consent

In some situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for optional marketing communications or certain cookies. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example where emergency contact information is needed to address an urgent safety concern.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted service providers and other third parties when necessary to deliver our services or comply with legal obligations. These parties act as data processors or independent controllers depending on the circumstances.

Processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers that support data storage, communications, backups, and system maintenance.
Payment service providers that process card or electronic payments securely.
Accountants and professional advisers who assist with financial, tax, insurance, and legal matters.
Booking, scheduling, and CRM providers that help manage customer records and service operations.
Storage and logistics partners where a removal or storage job requires subcontracted support.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where a claim or incident must be assessed.
Regulators, law enforcement, and public authorities where disclosure is required by law or is necessary to protect rights and safety.

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

5. International Transfers

Where a processor or service provider stores or accesses personal data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections recognised under data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the nature of the service.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and invoice records are usually retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Claims and dispute records may be kept longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.
Marketing preferences are retained until you opt out or withdraw consent.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it.

7. Security of Personal 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 duties, and limited access on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and respond quickly to suspected incidents.

8. Your Rights

You have rights under data protection law in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these may include:

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

You also have the right to make a complaint to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so that we can address them promptly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals and related services. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal data unless it is provided incidentally in the context of a household move or required for service delivery and lawfully processed with appropriate care.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any revised version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how your data is handled.

By using Removals Bow services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and how your personal data is processed.

This policy applies to all Removals Bow customers in the area.