Privacy Policy - Hackney Removals

Hackney Removals is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our customers, prospective customers, suppliers, and website users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all Hackney Removals customers in the area, including anyone who enquires about, books, receives, or has received removal, packing, storage, or related services from us.

We aim to handle personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Please read this policy carefully to understand how we process your information and the rights available to you.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Identity information: name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact information: address, phone number, email address, and delivery or collection locations.
Booking and service details: move dates, property access details, inventory information, packing requirements, and special instructions.
Payment information: billing details and transaction records. We do not usually store full card details where payments are handled by secure payment providers.
Communication records: emails, call notes, complaint records, feedback, and correspondence relating to our services.
Technical data: limited information such as IP address, browser type, and device information if you interact with our digital systems.
Special category data: only where necessary and with extra legal safeguards, for example if you voluntarily provide information that reveals health conditions or accessibility needs to help us carry out a move safely and appropriately.

We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, complete forms, or use our services. We may also receive data from third parties such as landlords, estate agents, solicitors, storage providers, payment processors, or referral partners where this is necessary for arranging or performing a service.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations, confirm bookings, and deliver removal and related services;
to plan and coordinate moving arrangements, schedules, and logistics;
to contact you about service updates, changes, or issues affecting your booking;
to process payments, issue invoices, and manage accounts;
to handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests;
to improve our services, training, and operational procedures;
to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably believe another compatible purpose applies or we are required by law to use it differently.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. We rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, arranging moves, delivering services, and managing payment or service administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where required to comply with legal obligations, including tax recordkeeping, accounting requirements, insurance matters, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service improvement, internal administration, customer communication, fraud prevention, and maintaining the security of our operations.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communications or where you provide special category information that requires explicit permission. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in ordinary removal services but may be relevant in exceptional cases where urgent protection of a person???s safety is necessary.

4. How We Share Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary for the delivery of our services or to meet legal and operational needs. These may include:

payment processors who handle secure transactions;
subcontractors and removal crews assisting with the move;
storage providers where storage is arranged as part of your service;
professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, legal advisers, and auditors;
IT and system providers who support our booking, communication, and recordkeeping systems;
regulators, public authorities, or law enforcement where disclosure is required by law.

We require processors and service partners to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to use it only for the agreed purpose. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual protections.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

For example:

quotation and booking records may be kept for a reasonable period after the service ends;
transaction and invoice records may be kept for tax and accounting purposes;
customer communication records may be retained to manage disputes, claims, or service history;
health or access-related notes are kept only for as long as necessary to support the specific move and associated safety requirements.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, staff training, and controlled sharing of information with third parties.

While we work hard to protect your data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we maintain appropriate safeguards and review them regularly.

7. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis being used.

Right of access: you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your data where there is no good reason for us to keep it.
Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you can ask for certain data to be transferred to you or another organisation in a structured format.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner???s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns directly.

8. Children???s Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a household move and the information is provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, we will take appropriate steps to delete or protect it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or how we operate. The latest version will always apply to the personal data we process. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Hackney Removals will only collect data that is necessary, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it for no longer than needed, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We aim to treat all personal data with care, fairness, and transparency, and to respect your rights at every stage of our service.

By using Hackney Removals services, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy applies to your personal data as a customer in the area.