Privacy Policy - Kensington Removals

Kensington Removals is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in area. 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. It applies to all Kensington Removals customers in area, including individuals who request a quote, book a removal service, communicate with us, or use our services in any other way.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information including move date, property details, access information, inventory details, and special instructions.
Billing and payment information where needed to process invoices and payments.
Communication records such as emails, call notes, and messages relating to your booking or enquiry.
Technical information if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address, device type, browser details, and basic usage data.
Sensitive information only where required for a specific service, for example health or access requirements that affect the moving process.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is reasonably needed. Where special category data is involved, we handle it with extra care and only when necessary.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and arrange removal services.
To confirm bookings and plan logistics.
To communicate with you before, during, and after your move.
To process payments and manage accounts.
To maintain service quality, handle complaints, and improve operations.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To protect our business, customers, staff, and property from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We use your data fairly, lawfully, and only for specified purposes. We do not sell personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the context, Kensington Removals relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing a quote, confirming your booking, organising your move, and delivering the agreed service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data where we are required to comply with legal duties, such as tax records, accounting rules, health and safety requirements, or lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided that your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Examples include improving our services, managing customer communications, preventing fraud, and maintaining internal records.

Consent

Where consent is required, we will ask for it clearly and separately. For example, if we process optional special category data or send certain types of marketing, we will rely on your consent where appropriate. You can withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These organisations act as processors when they process data on our instructions, or as separate controllers where they determine their own purposes. We only share the minimum data necessary for the relevant task.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment service providers for handling transactions securely.
IT and cloud service providers for data storage, email hosting, and business systems.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration.
Customer management software providers for booking and service administration.
Insurance or claims support providers where required to manage incidents or claims.
Professional advisers such as legal or compliance consultants where necessary.

All processors are expected to protect personal data, use it only as instructed, and maintain appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. We may also disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights and the rights of others.

5. 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, tax, and insurance requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Quotation and enquiry data may be retained for a reasonable period to respond to follow-up queries and maintain business records.
Contract and service records are retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a period afterward where needed for claims, disputes, or legal compliance.
Financial records are retained in line with statutory accounting and tax obligations.
Communication records may be retained where necessary to evidence instructions, service issues, or agreements.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it. Retention is always based on necessity and proportionality.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices. While no system can be completely secure, we work to reduce risks and respond promptly if an issue occurs.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights apply to all Kensington Removals customers in area, subject to legal limits and exemptions. Your rights may include:

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

We will respond to valid rights requests within the time allowed by law. In some cases, we may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions.

8. International Transfers

If any of our service providers store or process data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal mechanisms designed to protect your information to an appropriate standard.

9. Children???s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults arranging removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household move and provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child inappropriately, 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 law, our services, or our internal practices. When we make changes, we will publish the revised policy with an updated effective date where appropriate. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

11. Summary of Key Principles

In summary, Kensington Removals processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear business and legal purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We also respect your rights and take data security seriously. Our commitment is to protect the privacy of all Kensington Removals customers in area while delivering a professional and reliable removals service.