Privacy Policy - Westealing Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Westealing Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to our customers, prospective customers, suppliers, and other individuals whose data we process in connection with our removal, delivery, and related services. It applies to all Westealing Removals customers in our service area. We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable privacy laws.

We believe privacy should be handled with clarity, fairness, and respect. This policy is intended to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have over your data.

1. Who we are

Westealing Removals provides household and commercial removal services, storage-related support, packing assistance, and associated logistical services. In the context of data protection law, we are the data controller for the personal data we collect and use for our own business purposes. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.

2. Personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data, depending on the services requested and the way you interact with us:

Identity data: name, title, and relevant identification details.
Contact data: address, billing address, telephone number, and email address.
Service data: details about your move, access requirements, property size, inventory information, special handling instructions, and service preferences.
Payment and transaction data: payment status, invoice information, and records of transactions.
Communication data: messages, phone call notes, complaints, feedback, and correspondence relating to enquiries or services.
Technical data: limited device, browser, and usage information where you interact with our digital systems or forms.
Special category data: in limited circumstances, we may process information that could reveal health-related or accessibility needs, for example where this is necessary to arrange safe lifting, access support, or suitable handling arrangements. Such data is only processed when lawful and necessary.

We aim to collect only the data that is necessary and relevant for the provision of our services and for legal and business obligations.

3. How we collect your data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quote or make a booking;
communicate with us by phone, email, or other channels;
complete forms or provide service instructions;
use our services or interact with our team;
submit a complaint, query, or request.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, for example from landlords, estate agents, solicitors, business partners, payment providers, or subcontractors acting on our behalf. In such cases, we will only use the data where this is lawful and appropriate.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We only process personal data where we have a valid lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the activity, our lawful bases may include:

Contract: processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as providing removal services, preparing quotes, or managing bookings.
Legal obligation: processing is necessary to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, and fraud prevention obligations.
Legitimate interests: processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service improvement, customer support, internal administration, and protecting our business from misuse or unlawful activity.
Consent: where required, we rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or the processing of special category data when no other lawful basis applies.
Vital interests: in rare situations, we may process data to protect someone???s vital interests, such as in an emergency during a move.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

5. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations, book services, and carry out removal work;
to plan routes, schedules, staffing, and equipment requirements;
to communicate with you about your service;
to issue invoices, process payments, and manage accounts;
to respond to enquiries, complaints, and claims;
to maintain internal records and improve our services;
to comply with legal obligations and defend legal claims;
to manage health, safety, and accessibility requirements during service delivery.

We do not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those described in this policy unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

6. Data sharing and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and deliver our services. Some of these third parties act as processors, meaning they process personal data on our instructions only. Others may be independent controllers where they determine their own purposes for using the data.

Our processors may include:

accounting and bookkeeping providers;
IT and cloud storage providers;
customer relationship and scheduling software providers;
payment processors and financial service providers;
email, communication, and document management providers;
subcontracted removals personnel or logistics partners acting under our direction.

We require processors to protect personal data using appropriate technical and organisational measures, and to process it only in accordance with our instructions and applicable law. We may also disclose data to regulators, law enforcement, insurers, courts, or professional advisers where legally required or necessary to protect our rights.

7. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections. We take reasonable steps to ensure that such transfers are secure and lawful.

8. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, tax, and reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Booking and service records are typically retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained in line with statutory requirements.
Complaint, claim, and dispute records may be retained for longer where needed to establish or defend legal claims.
Data processed on the basis of consent will be kept until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer required.

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

9. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, password protection, and restricted permissions. However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and you should take care when sharing information with us.

10. Your rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format and have it transferred to another controller where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent.
Right to complain: to the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal conditions and exceptions. We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

11. Children???s data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in the context of a household move or related service and where a parent, guardian, or responsible adult provides the information lawfully.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or how we handle personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated.

Summary of our approach

Westealing Removals only processes personal data when it is necessary, lawful, and proportionate. We collect the information needed to provide services safely and efficiently, we keep it only as long as required, and we take steps to ensure that processors and other third parties protect it appropriately. We are committed to respecting your rights and maintaining your trust.

This policy applies to all Westealing Removals customers in area.