Privacy Policy - Queens Park Movers

Queens Park Movers is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers, prospective customers, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Policy applies to all Queens Park Movers customers in the area, as well as individuals who request quotes, book services, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with our business. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary to provide moving, storage, and related services, manage our business operations, and meet our legal obligations. The categories of information we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name, title, and basic identification details.
Contact data such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details including move dates, property access information, inventory lists, and special handling instructions.
Payment and billing data including invoicing information and transaction records.
Communication records including emails, messages, quotations, complaints, and customer service notes.
Technical data such as device type, browser type, and basic usage information if you interact with our digital services.
Legal and compliance data where required for fraud prevention, insurance, claims handling, or regulatory obligations.

We may also receive personal data from third parties where necessary to complete our services, such as landlords, letting agents, estate agents, employers, or other individuals acting on your behalf. Where we receive data about you from someone else, we take steps to ensure it is used fairly and lawfully.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and arrange moving services.
To communicate with you about bookings, schedules, and service updates.
To plan and complete removals, transport, packing, and storage services.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain financial records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and claims.
To improve our services, internal processes, and customer experience.
To maintain security, prevent fraud, and protect against misuse of our services.
To comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations.

We only process personal data where we have a valid lawful basis under data protection law. In some cases, more than one lawful basis may apply to the same activity.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases when processing personal data:

3.1 Performance of a 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, handling storage arrangements, and managing related customer service activities.

3.2 Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where we are required to do so by law. This includes keeping financial records, complying with tax rules, meeting insurance requirements, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

3.3 Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Our legitimate interests may include:

Running and improving our services.
Managing customer communications.
Protecting our business from fraud or misuse.
Maintaining service quality and operational efficiency.
Defending legal claims and handling disputes.

When we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary and whether your privacy rights are respected.

3.4 Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for certain types of marketing or optional communications. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

4. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying any legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements. The length of time we retain data depends on the nature of the information and the reasons for processing it.

In general:

Customer service and booking records are kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and invoicing records are kept for the period required by applicable tax and accounting laws.
Claims or dispute-related records may be kept until the matter is fully resolved and for any additional period required to defend legal claims.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or until we no longer need the information.

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

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. These parties are permitted to process personal data only in accordance with our instructions or their own legal obligations, as applicable.

Examples of processors or third parties may include:

Payment service providers who assist with processing transactions.
IT and cloud service providers who support our systems, storage, and data security.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who help with financial administration.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where service issues or claims arise.
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or consultants when necessary.
Subcontractors and operational partners involved in delivering moving or storage services.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that any processor we use provides appropriate safeguards for your personal data, including confidentiality obligations, security measures, and compliance with data protection law. Where data is transferred outside the UK or the EEA, we will ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and procedures for handling suspected data incidents.

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work diligently to reduce risks and respond promptly to any potential issue.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis for processing.

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – you may ask us to delete your personal data in certain situations.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request your data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will assess your request and respond in line with legal requirements. In some cases, we may need to retain certain data despite your request, for example where required by law or for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been breached. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so that we can attempt to resolve them promptly and fairly.

8. Marketing Communications

We may use your contact details to send service-related communications, such as booking confirmations or important updates. Where permitted by law, we may also send limited marketing messages about our services. You may opt out of marketing at any time by contacting us through the usual communication channels available to you. We will respect your preferences and update our records accordingly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in the context of a household move and only to the extent required to provide the service safely and properly. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate justification, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Queens Park Movers respects your privacy and seeks to process personal data in a fair, transparent, and secure manner. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for appropriate periods, and share it only with trusted processors and third parties where necessary. We also recognise and support your rights under data protection law.

By choosing Queens Park Movers, you can expect your personal information to be handled responsibly, with care, and in accordance with applicable GDPR standards.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Queens Park Movers customers in the area.