Highbury Removals Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Highbury Removals collects, uses and protects personal data about customers in its service area. It is intended to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and associated data protection laws. By engaging Highbury Removals for quotations, bookings or removal services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

Scope and Data Controller

This Privacy Policy applies to all Highbury Removals customers in the area in which we operate, including individuals requesting quotes, confirming bookings, using our removal or storage services, or otherwise interacting with us as private or business customers.

For the purposes of data protection law, Highbury Removals is the data controller for the personal data that we collect and use about you in connection with our services.

Types of Personal Data We Collect

We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you engage with us. These may include:

Identification and contact details, such as your full name, postal addresses for collection and delivery, and any alternative contact person you provide. Service-related information, such as details about the properties involved in a move, parking or access instructions, inventory or description of items to be moved where necessary for the service, preferred dates and times, and details of any special handling requirements. Communication records, such as notes from telephone conversations, and records of any complaints or feedback you provide. Transaction and billing information, such as details needed to prepare quotes, invoices, and records of payments received or refunds issued. Technical and usage data, where relevant, such as information about how you use our website or online forms, including the date and time of your visit, pages viewed, and basic device information where this is collected through essential cookies or similar technologies.

We do not intentionally collect special category data, such as health or biometric data, unless it is strictly necessary for the provision of our services and provided by you voluntarily, for example where you inform us of mobility issues that affect access at a property. In such cases, we will limit the information recorded to what is required to provide our service safely and effectively.

How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us by telephone or other channels, or complete forms on our website. We may also receive information about you from third parties where this is necessary for providing our services, for example if a letting agent, landlord, or business client provides contact details and property information in order to arrange a removal on your behalf.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Highbury Removals processes your personal data on one or more of the following lawful bases:

To perform a contract: We process your personal data when it is necessary for the performance of a contract with you, or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes providing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, and handling payments. Legitimate interests: We may process your data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided that your rights and freedoms are not overridden. This includes managing our business operations, improving our services, handling customer enquiries, pursuing unpaid invoices, and keeping basic records of past work. Legal obligations: We may process personal data where we are required to do so by law, for example retaining certain financial records for tax or accounting purposes. Consent: In limited cases we may rely on your consent, for example where we wish to use certain optional cookies on our website or where we ask for your permission to retain your details for future offers not directly related to your existing contract with us. Where we rely on consent, you are free to withdraw it at any time.

How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and estimates for removal or related services. To plan, schedule and complete removal jobs, including arranging access, allocating staff and vehicles, and managing any associated storage. To communicate with you about your booking, including confirmations, reminders, and any changes to the agreed services. To issue invoices, process payments, issue refunds where applicable, and keep appropriate accounting records. To handle queries, complaints and disputes, and to provide after-service support. To maintain our internal records, manage risk and protect our business, for example by keeping records of jobs carried out at particular addresses. To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including obligations relating to tax, accounting, and health and safety.

Data Sharing and Processors

We may share your personal data with trusted third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These parties only process your data according to our instructions and are not allowed to use it for their own purposes. Categories of processors may include:

IT and hosting providers that support our website, email systems, and data storage. Providers of scheduling, invoicing, or customer management software, where used. Professional advisers, such as accountants, where access to limited data is necessary to provide their services to us.

In some cases, we may also share personal data as independent controllers where necessary, for example with insurers in the event of a claim, or with public authorities and regulators where we are required to do so by law.

International Transfers

Where our service providers or their systems are located outside the United Kingdom, your personal data may be transferred to countries that may have different data protection standards. In such cases, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as contractual protections, to protect your data to a standard essentially equivalent to that in the United Kingdom.

Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

In general, we will keep records relating to removal services, including contact details, job information, and invoices, for a period that allows us to respond to queries, manage potential disputes, and meet our financial record-keeping obligations. After the relevant retention period has expired, we will securely delete or anonymise your personal data so that it can no longer be associated with you.

Security of Your Data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include restricting access to personal data to staff and processors who need it for legitimate business purposes and who are subject to confidentiality obligations. While we take reasonable steps to safeguard your data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exceptions, these include:

Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, together with information about how we use it. Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct or complete personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete. Right to erasure: In some circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected and we have no legal obligation to retain it. Right to restriction: You can ask us to restrict the processing of your data in certain situations, for example while we are checking its accuracy or considering an objection you have raised. Right to object: You can object to processing based on our legitimate interests, on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds which override your interests and rights, or where the processing is for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. Right to data portability: Where processing is based on consent or on a contract and is carried out by automated means, you may be able to request that we provide your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format, or transfer it directly to another controller, where this is technically feasible.

You are not required to pay a fee to exercise your rights, although we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to act where a request is clearly unfounded or excessive.

Exercising Your Rights and Contact

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights or have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Highbury Removals handles your personal data, you can contact us using the usual communication channels you have used to arrange your services. We may need to request specific information from you to confirm your identity before we can respond to your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you are unhappy with how we have used your data. However, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can seek to resolve your concerns.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the services we provide. Any changes will take effect when the updated version is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.