Privacy Policy - Movers Swiss Cottage

Movers Swiss Cottage is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of everyone who uses our services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in a way that is consistent with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Movers Swiss Cottage customers in the area, including individuals, families, landlords, tenants, landlords’ representatives, and business clients who book or enquire about our moving services.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or providing personal data to us, you acknowledge that your information may be processed in the ways described below. We only collect and use personal information where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we aim to keep all data accurate, secure, and only as long as necessary.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal data when you interact with us:

Identity information: full name, title, and any relevant business name.
Contact information: email address, telephone number, billing address, moving address, and correspondence address.
Service information: details about your moving requirements, property access, preferred dates, inventory details, packing needs, and special handling instructions.
Payment information: payment status, invoice records, and limited billing details necessary to process transactions.
Communication records: messages, call notes, complaint records, feedback, and service updates.
Technical information: basic usage data if you contact us online, such as device type, browser data, and general website interaction logs, where applicable.
Special category data: in limited cases, information relating to health or access needs may be shared with us to support safe moving arrangements. We only process such data when strictly necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

We generally collect data directly from you. In some cases, we may also receive information from third parties such as estate agents, landlords, solicitors, property managers, employers, or other persons authorised by you to arrange a move on your behalf.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and assess moving requirements;
to manage bookings and schedule services;
to perform moving, packing, storage, or related services;
to communicate about your booking, access details, and service updates;
to process payments and maintain financial records;
to respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer service requests;
to keep records for operational, legal, and insurance purposes;
to improve our services, training, and internal processes;
to comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests;
to prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will only use your information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe that another compatible purpose applies or we are required by law to use it otherwise.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the context, Movers Swiss Cottage may rely on one or more of the following legal grounds:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, planning the move, issuing invoices, and completing the services you requested.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain information where necessary to comply with legal duties, such as accounting, tax, insurance, health and safety, or record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process certain data for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. These include managing customer relationships, improving operations, safeguarding property, maintaining service quality, and protecting against fraud or misuse. When relying on this basis, we assess the balance between our interests and your privacy rights.

Consent

Where required, we may ask for your consent to process specific information, particularly if we need to handle sensitive data or send certain types of optional communications. You can withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example where emergency access or safety concerns arise during a move.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, to provide our services efficiently, we may share limited data with trusted third parties acting as processors or independent controllers where appropriate. These may include:

Payment providers: to handle card or electronic payments securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: to support invoicing, tax reporting, and financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers: to store data securely, manage systems, and support communications.
Operational subcontractors: where necessary to complete moving services, subject to confidentiality and data protection requirements.
Insurance providers and claims handlers: if a claim or incident must be reviewed.
Legal, regulatory, or public authorities: where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect legal rights.

All processors are required to process personal data only on our instructions, keep it confidential, and implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with data protection law.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reasons for processing. For example:

quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a limited period to manage follow-up requests and operational analysis;
booking, service, and invoice records may be retained for accounting, tax, and contract administration purposes;
complaint, incident, and claims-related records may be retained longer where required for legal defence or insurance purposes;
sensitive or special category data is kept only for the shortest period necessary and then securely deleted or anonymised.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our internal retention practices and applicable law.

6. Security of Personal Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and system monitoring. While no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a high standard of data protection.

Only authorised personnel are permitted to access personal data when required for legitimate business purposes. We regularly review our safeguards and update them as needed to reduce privacy risks.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

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 circumstances.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability: to receive 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 is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
Right to complain: to raise concerns with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exemptions or conditions. If you exercise a right, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use online tools or analytics on our digital services, small files or similar technologies may be used to help operate the service, remember preferences, and understand general usage patterns. Where consent is required, you may control those settings through your browser or device. Any such use will be limited to what is necessary and proportionate.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults who arrange moving services for themselves or on behalf of households and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children unless it is necessary to provide a service and appropriate adult authorisation has been given.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, service practices, or data processing activities. Any revised version will apply from the date it becomes effective. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

11. General Statement

Movers Swiss Cottage processes personal data responsibly and lawfully, with respect for confidentiality, fairness, and transparency. We recognise that your personal information is important, and we are committed to using it only where there is a valid reason to do so. This policy applies to all Movers Swiss Cottage customers in area and is designed to ensure that every customer understands how their information is collected, used, retained, and protected.

In summary, we collect only the information needed to deliver moving services, process it under clear lawful bases, share it only with trusted processors or where required by law, retain it for appropriate periods, and respect your rights under data protection legislation.