Privacy Policy - Acton Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Acton Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Acton Removals customers in area, including individuals who request quotes, make bookings, receive removals services, or otherwise interact with our services. 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.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing removals-related services, managing customer relationships, meeting legal obligations, and improving our operations. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity data: name, title, and any relevant identification information needed to confirm bookings or access premises.
Contact data: address, telephone number, and email address.
Service data: details about your property, moving date, inventory, access requirements, parking arrangements, and any special handling instructions.
Financial data: payment-related information, billing details, and transaction history.
Communication data: correspondence with us, including enquiries, complaints, and feedback.
Technical data: limited information such as device type, browser settings, or usage data if you interact with our digital systems.
Special category data: in normal circumstances we do not seek to collect sensitive personal data. If you voluntarily provide information about health, disability, or other special needs to support a move, we will only process it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

We may collect personal data directly from you, from someone authorised to act on your behalf, from third parties involved in the service, or from publicly available sources where appropriate and lawful.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and assess service requirements;
to schedule, manage, and deliver removals services;
to communicate with you about bookings, changes, delays, or service updates;
to process payments and issue invoices;
to manage complaints, claims, or disputes;
to maintain accurate records and internal administration;
to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, staff training, and operational planning;
to detect and prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, we have notified you.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where a lawful basis under GDPR applies. Depending on the activity, our lawful bases may include:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, delivering removals services, and handling payment arrangements.

Legal Obligation

We may process your data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as accounting, tax, insurance, health and safety, and record-keeping requirements.

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 and freedoms. This may include service administration, customer support, fraud prevention, improving operations, and maintaining security. When relying on legitimate interests, we assess the balance carefully and apply data minimisation principles.

Consent

Where consent is required, such as for certain optional marketing activities or the processing of specific sensitive information, we will only process your data after obtaining clear and informed consent. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Vital Interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process personal data to protect someone???s vital interests, such as in an emergency involving health or safety.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to deliver our services or meet legal and operational requirements. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. Where they process data on our behalf, they are contractually required to protect it and use it only for specified purposes.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

payment processing providers;
IT and cloud storage providers;
accountants and professional advisers;
insurance providers and claims handlers;
subcontracted moving teams or logistics partners;
customer administration and record-management tools;
security and fraud prevention providers.

We may also disclose data where required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public. If 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 for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held. For example:

customer booking and service records may be kept for the period needed to administer the contract and resolve any disputes;
financial and tax-related records are usually retained for the period required by law;
complaints, claims, and correspondence may be retained for a period necessary to defend legal rights and manage customer relations;
information collected with consent will generally be kept until consent is withdrawn, unless another lawful basis applies.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exceptions, these include the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you;
Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data;
Erasure of your data, in certain circumstances;
Restriction of processing, where applicable;
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Data portability for information you provided to us, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent;
Complain to the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests. We aim to respond to valid requests within the time limits set by law.

7. Data Security

We use 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 confidentiality obligations, and limited access based on need. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we continually review our safeguards to reduce risk.

8. Children???s Data

Our services are not intended for children acting on their own behalf. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a customer???s household move and is provided by an adult customer or authorised representative.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, regulatory guidance, or our services. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Acton Removals is committed to respecting your privacy and handling personal data responsibly. We collect only what is needed, use it only for clear and lawful purposes, retain it only for as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where the law requires. We also recognise your rights and will work to support them in a fair and timely manner. Our approach is based on transparency, security, and accountability.