Privacy Policy - Paddington Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Paddington Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our removal and related services. It applies to all Paddington Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who enquire about our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Paddington Removals provides domestic and commercial removal services, including packing, loading, transportation, storage coordination, and associated logistics. In providing these services, we act as a data controller for the personal data we decide to collect and process for our own business purposes.

This policy sets out the types of information we may process, the legal grounds that permit us to do so, how long we keep it, the third parties that may process data on our behalf, and the rights you have over your personal data.

2. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the performance of our services, administration of customer accounts, compliance with legal obligations, and legitimate business operations. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity information: name, title, date of birth where needed for identification or service requirements.
Contact information: address, telephone number, email address, and delivery or collection addresses.
Service details: move dates, inventory lists, access requirements, property details, packing preferences, and special handling instructions.
Payment information: billing details, transaction records, and limited payment card information processed through secure payment providers.
Communication records: emails, call notes, quotations, complaints, feedback, and correspondence relating to services.
Technical information: IP address, browser type, device data, and basic usage data if you interact with our digital systems.
Special category data: only where strictly necessary and usually only if you voluntarily provide it, such as health-related access needs or mobility considerations affecting the move.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. If you provide information about other individuals, such as household members or employees, you are expected to ensure you have a lawful basis for sharing that information with us.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and assess service requirements;
to plan, deliver, and manage removals and related services;
to communicate with you about bookings, schedules, access arrangements, and service updates;
to process payments, invoices, refunds, and account administration;
to handle complaints, claims, and customer support matters;
to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
to maintain business records and improve our services;
to prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those described here without informing you and, where required, obtaining a new lawful basis.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the circumstances, Paddington Removals relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, arranging the move, and delivering agreed services.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights. Examples include maintaining business records, improving operations, protecting against fraud, managing customer service, and ensuring the security of our systems and premises.

Consent

Where required, such as for certain optional marketing activities or specific special category data, we rely on your consent. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process information to protect someone???s vital interests, for example if an emergency arises during a move and we need to respond appropriately.

5. Retention of Personal Data

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

Customer and booking records: generally retained for up to 6 years after the end of the service to meet legal and contractual obligations.
Financial and tax records: retained for the periods required by applicable tax and accounting laws.
Complaints and claims information: retained for as long as necessary to resolve the matter and defend against possible legal claims.
Marketing preferences: retained until you opt out, unsubscribe, or ask us to delete the information where appropriate.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our internal retention procedures.

6. Processors and Sharing of Data

We may share personal data with carefully selected third parties that act as data processors on our behalf. These parties only process data under our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately. Such processors may include:

payment service providers;
IT hosting, cloud storage, and software providers;
customer relationship and booking management systems;
accounting, invoicing, and payroll providers;
professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, and legal advisers;
subcontracted service providers involved in delivery or storage coordination where needed;
regulatory, law enforcement, or public authorities where disclosure is required by law.

Where we transfer data outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections, to keep your information secure and lawful.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited data access based on business need. While we take data security seriously, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions depending on the circumstances. They include:

Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain situations.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability: to receive certain information in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object: to 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.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner???s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or if you are unhappy with how we have responded to your concerns.

9. 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 customer???s household or service arrangements and is provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully from a child, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Paddington Removals is committed to processing personal data fairly, securely, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for appropriate periods, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We respect your privacy rights and aim to ensure that all Paddington Removals customers in area can rely on responsible data handling at every stage of our service.