Privacy Policy - Removal Van Merton

Removal Van Merton is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who uses our services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when customers in the Merton area engage our removal and related moving services. It applies to all Removal Van Merton customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who interact with us on behalf of a customer.

1. Who We Are

Removal Van Merton provides removal and transport services for household, office, and other goods. In providing these services, we act as a data controller for the personal data we determine the purposes and means of processing. Where we use third-party service providers to assist us, those providers may act as data processors or, in some cases, separate controllers depending on the service they provide.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and, where needed, proof of identity.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information including moving dates, property access details, inventory lists, and special handling requirements.
Payment and billing information such as transaction records, invoices, and payment status.
Communication records including messages, notes from calls, quotations, complaints, and service updates.
Technical data such as basic website or device information where applicable, for example IP address, browser type, and usage statistics.
Insurance or claims information if damage, loss, or a related issue is reported.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to share it with us and it is necessary for the service. If such data is provided, we handle it with additional care and only where there is a lawful basis for doing so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to provide a safe, efficient, and reliable service. This may include:

Providing quotations and confirming bookings.
Planning, scheduling, and completing removals.
Communicating with you about your move or any changes to the service.
Processing payments and maintaining financial records.
Handling complaints, claims, or service queries.
Meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance requirements.
Improving our services, internal processes, and customer experience.
Preventing fraud, misuse, and security incidents.

We will only use your data in ways that are compatible with the original reason it was collected, unless we have a valid legal basis to use it for a new purpose.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR and GDPR principles, we process personal data only where we have a lawful basis. Depending on the activity, we may rely on the following bases:

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging and completing a removal service, issuing invoices, or managing customer requests.

Legal obligation

We may process data to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, quality control, security, business improvement, and limited marketing to existing customers where permitted.

Consent

In limited situations, we may ask for your consent before processing certain data, especially where the law requires it. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example in an emergency situation.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and only with parties that help us run our services. These may include:

IT and hosting providers who store or support our systems.
Payment processors who handle card or electronic payments.
Accountants and professional advisers who support financial, tax, or legal compliance.
Insurance providers or claims handlers where an incident needs to be assessed.
Subcontracted service providers who assist with delivery, packing, storage, or related operational tasks.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where a third party acts as a data processor, they are required to process personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and use appropriate safeguards. We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected and to meet legal, accounting, or insurance requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the nature of the service.

As a general approach:

Customer service and booking records are retained for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, and incident records may be retained longer where needed for legal defence or insurance purposes.
Data that is no longer needed is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

We review our retention practices regularly to ensure we do not keep personal data longer than necessary.

7. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to help protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and data minimisation practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and maintain the confidentiality of your information.

8. Your Rights

Depending on the legal basis for processing and your location, you may have the following rights under data protection law:

Right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
Right to restriction to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing where applicable.
Right to data portability for data you provided to us, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in line with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. Some rights may be limited where we are required to keep information for legal reasons or where an exemption applies.

9. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that your information remains protected to a standard that is consistent with data protection law. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections and other lawful transfer mechanisms.

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 unavoidably included in service-related information, such as household move details. Where such data is processed, it is handled only as necessary for the service and in accordance with this Policy.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or how we process personal data. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review the Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

12. General Statement

This Privacy Policy is designed to be clear, fair, and transparent in line with GDPR requirements. By using Removal Van Merton, you acknowledge that personal data may be processed as described above for legitimate service, legal, and operational purposes. We are committed to treating your information responsibly and respecting your privacy throughout every stage of the moving process.