Privacy Policy - Liverpool Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Liverpool Removals collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data when providing removal, moving, and related services. It applies to all Liverpool Removals customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who request or receive our services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant to arranging, delivering, and managing our services. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details including address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as pickup and delivery addresses, access information, property size, inventory lists, and preferred moving dates.
Billing and payment information where needed to process invoices or payments.
Communication records including emails, notes from calls, complaints, and service updates.
Technical data if you use our digital services, such as device identifiers, cookies, or basic usage data.
Special instructions relevant to the safe handling of items, for example fragile goods, parking restrictions, or building access requirements.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is required to provide a professional removals service. Where we need sensitive or special category data, we will only process it if it is strictly necessary and permitted by law.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to manage our business and provide services efficiently. This includes:

Preparing quotations and estimating service requirements.
Scheduling, planning, and carrying out removals and related services.
Communicating with you before, during, and after the move.
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining accounting records.
Handling complaints, claims, and service queries.
Meeting legal, regulatory, and insurance obligations.
Improving our service quality, training, and operational planning.
Protecting our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for a compatible purpose or where the law requires otherwise.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Liverpool 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 booking services, arranging collection and delivery, and managing payments.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, record-keeping, fraud prevention, and insurance-related obligations.

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, customer support, security, and internal reporting. When we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and take appropriate safeguards.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific non-essential uses of data. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to run our business and deliver services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation. Processors are only permitted to use data according to our instructions and must protect it appropriately.

The categories of processors and recipients may include:

Payment providers who handle card or bank transactions.
Accountants and bookkeeping providers for financial administration and statutory reporting.
IT and cloud service providers that store, secure, or support our systems.
Communication platforms used for email, messaging, scheduling, or document management.
Insurance providers, brokers, or claims handlers where a claim or incident must be assessed.
Subcontractors or specialist partners assisting with parts of a removal where needed for service delivery.
Legal, regulatory, or public authorities when disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety.

We do not sell your personal data. Any sharing is limited to what is necessary and proportionate for the relevant purpose. Where processors are used, we seek written agreements and appropriate security assurances to safeguard your data.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, and insurance requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing. In general:

Customer service and contract records are kept for the duration of the service and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, and incident records may be retained longer if needed to resolve disputes or meet insurance obligations.
Marketing or consent-based records are retained until you withdraw consent or they are no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention procedures.

6. Data Security

We take the security of personal data seriously. Appropriate technical and organisational measures are used to reduce the risk of loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, staff training, secure storage, password protection, and limiting data access to authorised personnel only. While no system can guarantee complete security, we work to maintain a level of protection that is appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under data protection law. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these may include:

Right of access ??? to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification ??? to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
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 cases.
Right to data portability ??? to request transfer of your data where applicable.
Right to object ??? to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent ??? where processing is based on consent.
Right to complain ??? to the Information Commissioner???s Office if you believe your data rights have been infringed.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law and will explain any limitations where a request cannot be fully granted.

8. International Transfers

Where any processors or service providers are located outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before transferring personal data. These safeguards may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal mechanisms permitted by law.

9. 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 connection with a household move and supported by an adult customer. If we learn that we have collected data unlawfully from a child, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

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

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Liverpool Removals is committed to treating personal data with care, confidentiality, and respect. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear and lawful purposes, share it only with relevant processors or authorities where necessary, and keep it only for as long as required. We also respect your rights and aim to make our data practices straightforward, proportionate, and transparent.

By using our services, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy applies to the handling of your personal data in connection with Liverpool Removals services in the area.