Privacy Policy - Movers Streatham

This Privacy Policy explains how Movers Streatham collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving and related services. It applies to all Movers Streatham customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services or communicate with us in connection with a move.

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. This policy is designed to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your personal information.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process personal data directly from you, from third parties who are helping arrange your move, and from our own service records. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name, title, and, where relevant, the names of other household members or authorised representatives.
Contact details such as your postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Move-related information including pickup and delivery addresses, property access details, inventory notes, moving dates, item descriptions, special handling instructions, and estimated volume or weight of items.
Billing and payment information such as invoicing details, payment status, and transaction references.
Communication records including emails, written instructions, service updates, complaints, feedback, and call summaries where applicable.
Technical information where our systems collect logs relating to service requests, such as timestamps or device-related data used for security and administration.
Special category data only where you choose to disclose it to us and where it is necessary for the service, for example health-related access needs, mobility requirements, or other information that may affect the safe handling of a move.

We aim to collect only the data that is necessary for the services we provide. Where possible, we encourage you to avoid sharing sensitive information unless it is directly relevant to your move or required for safety, legal, or operational reasons.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to manage our relationship with you and to deliver moving services effectively. Typical uses include:

providing quotes and service information;
planning and carrying out removals, transport, and related support;
communicating about your booking, schedule, access needs, and service changes;
invoicing and processing payments;
responding to enquiries, feedback, or complaints;
maintaining records for administration, quality control, and audit purposes;
protecting the security of our operations, staff, customers, and property;
complying with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, and regulatory duties.

We may also use aggregated or anonymised information for internal analysis, service improvement, and operational planning. Information that has been anonymised is no longer personal data and is therefore not subject to the same legal requirements.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, planning removals, handling delivery arrangements, and issuing invoices.

Legal obligation

We may process data where required to comply with laws or regulations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, or record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service improvement, fraud prevention, operational management, staff training, and maintaining secure business records.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly where special category data is involved and no other lawful basis is appropriate. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of any processing already carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Vital interests

In rare situations, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, such as where access or health information is necessary to prevent serious harm during a move.

Where special category data is processed, we will only do so when an additional condition under UK GDPR is met, such as explicit consent or another lawful condition permitted by law.

4. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, contractual, or operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

As a general approach:

booking and service records are kept for a period necessary to manage the service relationship and any follow-up issues;
billing and financial records may be retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws;
complaint and correspondence records are kept long enough to resolve disputes, demonstrate service delivery, and support internal review;
insurance-related information may be retained for the period needed to manage claims and legal matters;
data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

When deciding retention periods, we consider the nature of the information, the potential risk of harm if the data were lost or disclosed, legal obligations, and whether continued storage remains necessary. Where possible, data is reviewed periodically so that it is not kept longer than needed.

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may use trusted third-party processors to help us run our services. These providers act on our instructions and are required to process personal data securely and only for specified purposes. Examples may include:

IT and cloud service providers who host or support our business systems and data storage;
payment service providers who process card or electronic payments;
accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration;
communication and email service providers who help manage correspondence;
insurance and claims administrators where needed to handle incidents or compensation matters;
professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or consultants when necessary for legal or business reasons.

We may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement bodies when required by law or when reasonably necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Where a processor is engaged, we take steps to ensure appropriate contractual protections are in place. These arrangements require processors to use personal data only according to our instructions, keep it secure, and assist us with data protection obligations where relevant.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unlawful access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. Such measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and data minimisation practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection that is appropriate to the nature of the data and the risks involved.

Where data is shared electronically or stored with trusted service providers, we take steps to ensure that the information remains protected in accordance with applicable data protection standards.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing:

Right of access - you may request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of that data.
Right to rectification - you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure - in some cases, you may request deletion of your personal data.
Right to restriction - you may ask us to limit processing in certain situations.
Right to object - you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing, if applicable.
Right to data portability - where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may request transfer of your data in a commonly used format, where legally applicable.
Right to withdraw consent - if we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
Right to complain - you have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data has not been handled correctly.

We will respond to rights requests within the time limits required by law and may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. In some cases, legal exceptions may mean we cannot fully comply with a request, but we will explain our reasoning where appropriate.

8. 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 in connection with a household move and with the involvement of a parent, guardian, or authorised adult. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority, we will take steps to remove or protect that information in line with applicable law.

9. International Transfers

If any of our processors or service providers store or access data outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect the information. These safeguards may include an adequacy regulation, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under UK data protection law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

In summary, Movers Streatham processes personal data carefully and only where necessary to provide moving services, meet legal obligations, and operate securely and efficiently. We are committed to respecting your privacy, keeping your information safe, and ensuring that your rights are recognised and upheld.