Privacy Policy - Westend Removals

Westend Removals is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in our service area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our removal, moving, packing, storage, and related services. It applies to all Westend Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who contacts us about our services.

1. Who we are

For the purposes of data protection law, Westend Removals is the data controller of the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. This means we decide how and why personal data is processed when you use our services or communicate with us.

2. Personal data 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 data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where relevant, information about household members or business contacts.
Contact details such as billing address, move address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property access details, moving dates, inventory lists, special handling instructions, and notes about items requiring care.
Payment information such as payment status, partial card details handled by payment providers, and invoicing records. We do not ordinarily store full card details unless securely processed by a payment processor.
Communication records such as emails, messages, complaint details, and records of phone calls where appropriate.
Website and technical data if you interact with our digital services, such as IP address, browser type, and usage data collected by cookies or similar technologies.
Special instructions you choose to share, such as access arrangements, fragile items, or mobility-related needs linked to the moving service.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you voluntarily provide it and it is necessary for a specific service need. Where this occurs, we will only process it where permitted by law and with appropriate safeguards.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

provide removal, packing, storage, and related services;
prepare quotations, estimates, and service arrangements;
schedule and manage bookings;
communicate with you about your move or enquiry;
process payments and maintain accounting records;
respond to questions, complaints, and claims;
improve our services, training, and operational efficiency;
meet legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance requirements;
protect our staff, customers, assets, and property from fraud, misuse, or loss.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and the law allows it.

4. Lawful basis for processing

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

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging quotations, booking removals, managing move logistics, and delivering the services you request.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax rules, accounting requirements, insurance obligations, or lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing our business, improving customer service, preventing fraud, securing our premises and systems, and maintaining records of services provided.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional marketing activities or specific uses of data that are not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing your data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide. Processors only act on our instructions and are required to protect your data.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers that support our systems, email, and data storage;
payment service providers that handle secure payment processing;
accountants and bookkeeping providers who support our financial records and tax compliance;
customer management or booking platforms used to manage service scheduling and administration;
insurance and claims handlers where necessary to manage risk, liability, or service-related claims;
professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or consultants;
subcontracted crews or partner service providers who support the delivery of a moving job under our instructions.

We may also disclose data where required by law, to prevent crime or fraud, or to protect our rights, property, staff, and customers. If personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by data protection law.

6. Retention of personal data

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

Quotation and booking records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage enquiries, disputes, or repeat service requests.
Customer and service records may be retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a further period where required for claims or compliance purposes.
Financial and tax records are generally retained for the period required by applicable law.
Complaint and incident records may be retained for as long as necessary to resolve the issue and manage risk.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

7. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to limitations in certain circumstances, but we will always assess and respond to requests in accordance with data protection law.

Right of access — you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your data where there is a valid legal basis to do so.
Right to restriction — you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability — you can ask for certain information 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 processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your personal data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

8. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and contractual protections with processors. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a level of security appropriate to the nature of the data we process.

9. Marketing communications

Where permitted by law, we may send limited service-related updates or relevant business communications. We will only send direct marketing where we are allowed to do so and you have the right to object at any time. If you opt out, we will respect your preferences.

10. Changes to this Privacy 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. We encourage customers to review it periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

11. Summary of our commitment

Westend Removals values privacy, transparency, and accountability. We collect only the data needed to deliver reliable moving services, rely on lawful bases under GDPR, retain data only as long as necessary, share data only with trusted processors and other permitted parties, and respect your rights over your personal information. This policy applies to all Westend Removals customers in area and is designed to ensure fair, lawful, and secure handling of your data at every stage of our service.