Privacy Policy - Stepney Removals

Stepney Removals is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in a fair, lawful, and transparent way. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you use our removal and related services. It applies to all Stepney Removals customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, or communicates with us in connection with our operations.

1. Who we are

For the purposes of data protection law, Stepney Removals acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. This means we decide why and how your personal data is processed. We are required to comply with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and we take our responsibilities seriously.

2. Information we collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the service you request. The information we collect may include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service information including moving dates, property details, inventory notes, access requirements, and special instructions.
Billing and payment information needed to process invoices, payments, refunds, and accounting records.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, and complaints.
Technical and usage information where relevant, including basic website or device data used to improve service performance and security.
Special category data only where necessary and only if you choose to provide it, for example information about access needs, mobility requirements, or other details that may help us deliver services safely.

We aim to collect only the information that is relevant and necessary for arranging and carrying out our services. We do not knowingly collect more data than we need.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide removal, packing, storage, and related services.
To prepare quotations and confirm bookings.
To plan routes, schedules, crew assignments, and vehicle requirements.
To communicate with you about your service.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records.
To handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests.
To improve our services, operations, and customer experience.
To meet legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance obligations.
To protect against fraud, misuse, and security incidents.

Where necessary, we may also use your information to enforce agreements, defend legal claims, or support the legitimate operation of our business. We always aim to use data in a way that is fair, proportionate, and limited to what is needed.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Stepney Removals relies on one or more of the following bases:

Performance of a contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to provide a quotation, make arrangements, deliver services, issue invoices, or otherwise perform a contract with you.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is in our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service management, customer support, operational planning, fraud prevention, and business record keeping.

Legal obligation

We process certain data to comply with laws and regulations, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information that is not required for a service. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing your information

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for service delivery, administration, or legal compliance. These third parties may act as processors or independent controllers, depending on the context. They may include:

Payment providers who help us process transactions securely.
IT and system providers who support our storage, communication, and operational tools.
Accountants and professional advisers who help with financial, legal, or insurance matters.
Subcontractors or service partners who assist with transport, packing, storage, or other service elements.
Authorities, regulators, or courts where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect our legal rights.

We require processors to handle personal data securely and only in accordance with our instructions and applicable data protection law. We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data retention

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

In general:

Quotation and booking records may be retained for business administration and service history purposes.
Invoice and payment records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Correspondence and complaint records are retained for as long as needed to manage the matter and demonstrate how it was resolved.
Claims and legal records may be retained longer where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. We use data minimisation principles so that unnecessary information is not kept longer than needed.

7. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and routine review of our processes. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. International transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that your information remains protected in line with data protection law. Such safeguards may include approved contractual protections or transfers to countries recognised as providing adequate protection.

9. Your rights

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal restrictions and exemptions, these may include:

The right to be informed about how your data is used.
The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing in certain cases.
The right to data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Rights related to automated decision-making, where relevant.

If we rely on consent for any processing, you have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

10. How to exercise your rights

If you wish to exercise any of your rights, please make a request in writing using the process we provide for privacy matters. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits required by law and will explain any refusal or limitation where applicable.

We encourage you to keep your details accurate and to let us know if information changes, so we can maintain correct records.

11. Children’s data

Our services are aimed at adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a service request made by an adult customer and only to the extent required for that service. Where child-related information is provided, it will be handled carefully and only for legitimate service purposes.

12. 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 made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

13. Contact and complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data is handled, you should raise them through the channels we provide for privacy enquiries. You also have the right to complain to the relevant data protection authority if you are unhappy with how we manage your information. We would appreciate the opportunity to address concerns directly wherever possible.

Effective approach: Stepney Removals is committed to privacy by design, lawful processing, and responsible data handling across all services provided in the area.