Privacy Policy - Movers Ealing

This Privacy Policy explains how Movers Ealing collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with removals, moving, packing, storage coordination, and related services. It applies to all Movers Ealing customers in the Ealing area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services or interact with us in relation to a booking, quote, or service request.

1. Who We Are

Movers Ealing is responsible for the personal data processed when we provide moving and related services. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as a data controller when we determine why and how your personal data is used. In some circumstances, we may also act as a data processor where we handle information on behalf of another controller, such as a business client or property manager.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information needed to provide and manage our services, improve customer experience, and meet legal obligations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name, title, and where relevant, the names of household members or authorised representatives.
Contact data such as address details, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as move date, property access information, inventory lists, property type, special handling needs, and service preferences.
Payment and billing data such as payment status, invoice details, and transaction references.
Communications data including emails, messages, call notes, complaint records, and feedback.
Technical data such as basic website or device usage information if you interact with our online systems.
Special category data only where necessary and limited, for example health-related access needs or mobility requirements you choose to share so that we can safely deliver the service.

We do not collect more data than is reasonably required for the service requested. If you provide information about third parties, you must ensure you have the right to do so and that they are aware of this Privacy Policy where appropriate.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations, book services, and manage moving arrangements;
to communicate with you about scheduling, access, changes, and service updates;
to prepare for loading, transport, unloading, packing, and storage-related tasks;
to issue invoices, process payments, and keep financial records;
to respond to enquiries, complaints, and claims;
to maintain service quality, internal records, and business administration;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory requirements;
to prevent fraud, protect our operations, and ensure safety.

We may also use limited data for service improvement, internal reporting, and staff training, provided such use is proportionate and respects your rights.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the activity, Movers Ealing may rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract - where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging and delivering removal services.
Legal obligation - where we must retain or disclose information to comply with tax, accounting, health and safety, consumer, or other legal obligations.
Legitimate interests - where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving services, protecting our business, managing claims, or preventing misuse, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests.
Consent - where we rely on your permission, for example for certain optional communications or the processing of special category information not otherwise permitted by law.
Vital interests - in rare cases where processing is necessary to protect someone’s life or physical safety.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and with appropriate safeguards. This may include:

Service providers and processors who support our operations, such as payment handlers, accounting systems, scheduling tools, IT support, storage or logistics partners, and communication platforms.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, accountants, and auditors.
Authorities and public bodies where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.
Business clients or authorised representatives where you have requested a service through them or authorised us to communicate with them.

Where we use processors, they act only on our instructions and are contractually required to protect your data, use it only for agreed purposes, and implement appropriate security measures. We do not sell personal data.

6. International Transfers

In some cases, a processor may store or access data outside the UK. If this happens, we take steps to ensure an adequate level of protection in line with applicable data protection law, such as using approved contractual safeguards or relying on an adequacy decision where available.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, insurance, and dispute resolution requirements. Retention periods vary according to the type of data and the service provided.

Quotation and booking records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up, service history, and customer support.
Transaction and invoice records are typically retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint, claim, and dispute records may be retained until the issue is resolved and for a further period where necessary to defend legal claims.
Special category or sensitive access information is retained only for the minimum time required to deliver the service safely and then securely deleted or anonymised where possible.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymise it in a controlled manner.

8. Your Rights

Subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions, you have the following rights under data protection law:

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 data.
Right to erasure - to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing - 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 where applicable.
Right to data portability - to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format or request transfer to another controller where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue.

9. Security of Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, staff confidentiality obligations, secure storage, data minimisation, and review of processor safeguards. While we work hard to protect information, no system can be guaranteed completely secure.

10. Special Category Data and Vulnerable Customers

Where you provide information relating to health, accessibility, or other sensitive circumstances, we treat it with extra care. We only process such data when necessary for service delivery, safety, legal compliance, or with your explicit consent where required. Please share only information that is relevant to the moving service.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to a household move and necessary for service delivery. If we learn that we have collected data from a child inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it as soon as practicable.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our processing practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers in the Ealing area to review this policy periodically so they remain aware of how their personal data is handled.

By using Movers Ealing services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and how your personal data may be processed for the purposes described above.