Privacy Policy - Kennington Removals

Kennington Removals is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in our area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Kennington Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, and anyone who contacts us for a quote, booking, or service inquiry.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide our removal services, manage our business, and meet our legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name, title, and any company name if you are booking on behalf of a business.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as moving dates, property addresses, access information, inventory information, and any special instructions connected to your move.
Payment and billing information where required to process invoices, payments, refunds, or account records.
Communication records including emails, call notes, text messages, and other correspondence related to your booking or service.
Technical information if you interact with digital systems we use for administration, such as device data, IP address, or basic usage records.
Complaint and feedback data if you raise a concern, request support, or provide a review.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary for a specific request and you choose to provide it. Special category data may include information relating to health, religion, or other sensitive matters. If such data is provided, we will handle it with extra care and only process it where a lawful basis applies.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your information for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and assess the services required.
To manage bookings, carry out removals, and complete delivery or storage arrangements.
To communicate with you about your service, schedule, and any changes.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain accounting records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and claims.
To improve our services, training, operations, and customer support.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use personal data for the specific purposes described in this policy, unless we reasonably need to use it for a compatible purpose or where we are required or permitted by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Kennington Removals relies on the following lawful bases depending on the context:

Contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing a quote, confirming a booking, carrying out the removal service, and handling associated administration.

Legal Obligation

We process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include business administration, service improvement, internal reporting, fraud prevention, and responding to disputes or claims. When relying on legitimate interests, we assess the impact on your privacy and take steps to minimise any intrusion.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide certain optional information or opt in to a specific communication. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary for our business operations, to deliver our services, or to comply with legal obligations. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and software providers that support scheduling, communications, storage of records, and data security.
Accounting and invoicing providers that assist with financial administration.
Payment service providers that handle transactions securely.
Customer service and document management providers that support our internal operations.
Storage or logistics partners where required to deliver the removal service.
Professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, lawyers, or consultants where necessary.

We require processors to keep your data secure, process it only on our instructions, and comply with data protection law. We do not sell personal data. We may also disclose information to law enforcement, regulators, courts, or other public authorities where we are legally required or permitted to do so.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and insurance requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information and the relationship we have with you.

Quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a limited period if no booking is made.
Customer and booking records are generally kept for the duration of the service and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, and dispute records may be kept longer where necessary to defend legal rights or meet insurance requirements.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. We regularly review data we hold to ensure it is not kept for longer than necessary.

6. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights apply subject to certain legal limitations and exceptions. You may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Erase your personal data in certain circumstances.
Restrict the way we process your personal data in certain situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability for certain information you have provided to us.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to complain to the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has not been handled appropriately. We encourage you to raise any concerns directly first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly and fairly.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and limiting access to information on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will take appropriate action in line with legal requirements.

8. International Transfers

If any processor or service provider processes data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before any transfer takes place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally approved transfer mechanisms.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals and related services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally included in customer communications or service arrangements. If we become aware that we have collected children’s data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is used.

11. Summary of Key Points

Kennington Removals collects only the information needed to deliver its services, manage bookings, and meet legal duties. We rely on contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and, in limited cases, consent as our lawful bases. We share data only with trusted processors or where the law requires it. We keep data only as long as necessary and respect your rights under data protection law.

This policy applies to all Kennington Removals customers in area and is designed to ensure that personal data is handled fairly, securely, and transparently.