Privacy Policy - Queensway Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Queensway Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal, storage, packing, and related services. It applies to all Queensway Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who has contacted us for a quotation or service enquiry.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent way, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy sets out what data we collect, why we collect it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we retain information, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights individuals have over their data.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide and manage our services. The categories of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and the names of other household members or authorised representatives;
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number;
Service information relating to your move, including collection and delivery addresses, dates, property access details, inventory information, and any special handling requirements;
Payment and billing information such as payment status, invoice details, and transaction records;
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, instructions, and correspondence by phone, email, or message;
Operational data such as survey notes, vehicle allocation, staff assignments, and service history;
Optional or sensitive information that you choose to share, for example access needs, health-related assistance requirements, or details relevant to safe handling of items.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary for the service, provided by you, and relevant to delivering that service safely. Where such information is shared, it will be processed only when appropriate safeguards are in place and when a lawful basis exists.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, surveys, and booking information;
To plan, deliver, and manage removal and related services;
To communicate with customers about appointments, schedules, instructions, and service updates;
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
To respond to enquiries, feedback, disputes, and complaints;
To maintain internal records, improve service quality, and manage staff training;
To meet legal, regulatory, tax, insurance, and accounting obligations;
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security risks.

We will only use your personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe we need to use it for a compatible purpose or another lawful reason applies.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal data. Queensway 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 quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, issuing invoices, and fulfilling service instructions.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information where we are required to do so by law, including for accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests. Examples include service administration, quality control, fraud prevention, staff training, and maintaining business records. We always consider whether the processing is proportionate and necessary.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, particularly for optional communications or where you provide sensitive information not otherwise required for service delivery. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare cases, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, for example if emergency assistance or urgent safety action is necessary during a move.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our services. These parties act as processors or, in some cases, separate controllers. They are only permitted to process your data according to our instructions or where they have their own lawful basis.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers who support our systems, data storage, and security;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration;
Payment service providers who process card or electronic payments;
Communication service providers used for phone, email, or messaging functions;
Insurance providers, surveyors, or subcontracted removal support where needed to deliver services or manage claims;
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or insurers when necessary for legal or business purposes.

We require processors to protect personal data appropriately, keep it confidential, and delete or return it when their services are no longer required. We do not sell personal data.

Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections.

5. Data Retention

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 depend on the type of data and the reason for holding it.

As a general approach:

Quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a limited period to manage follow-up, disputes, and business analysis;
Customer service and contract records are typically retained for the duration of the service relationship and a reasonable period afterwards;
Financial records are retained for the period required by law or accounting standards;
Claims, complaints, and incident records may be retained longer where needed for legal defence, insurance, or regulatory purposes.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymise it.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality requirements, and system safeguards. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to reduce risk to an acceptable level.

7. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances, 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 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 some cases;
Right to data portability – to request certain data 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 relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain – to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. Some rights may be limited where there is a legal obligation or another legitimate reason to retain or process the information.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and authorised representatives. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to providing services to a household or where necessary for safeguarding and operational reasons.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Queensway Removals is committed to protecting personal data and using it responsibly. We only collect data that is relevant and necessary, we process it on clear lawful bases, and we retain it only for as long as needed. We use trusted processors, apply appropriate security measures, and respect the rights of every customer. In all cases, we aim to act with fairness, transparency, and accountability.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Queensway Removals customers in area.