Privacy Policy - Swisscottage Removals

This Privacy Policy explains how Swisscottage Removals collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Swisscottage Removals customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who interact with us in connection with our removal and storage services.

We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We respect the privacy of everyone whose data we process and aim to ensure that all personal information is used only for legitimate business purposes.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the services requested and the way you interact with us. This may include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as moving dates, property details, inventory information, access requirements, and special handling instructions.
Payment and billing information such as payment status, invoicing records, and transaction references.
Communication records such as emails, messages, notes from calls, and customer service correspondence.
Technical data such as IP address or device information if you interact with digital systems we use for administration.
Complaint and claim information if you raise concerns, disputes, or insurance-related matters.

We generally collect personal data directly from you. In some cases, we may receive information from third parties, such as estate agents, landlords, solicitors, insurers, subcontractors, or other people authorised to act on your behalf. Where this happens, we take steps to ensure that the information is used appropriately and lawfully.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only where we have a valid reason to do so. Typical uses include:

providing quotes and handling enquiries;
planning and delivering removals and related services;
managing bookings, scheduling, and logistics;
communicating with you about your service;
issuing invoices and processing payments;
handling complaints, claims, or disputes;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
protecting our business, staff, and customers from fraud or misuse;
improving our services, internal processes, and customer experience.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason for collection unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, have notified you.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each type of personal data processing. Swisscottage Removals may rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing a quote at your request, making arrangements for a move, delivering services, and managing payments or service-related communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information to comply with legal duties, including accounting requirements, tax obligations, record keeping, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer relationships, improving service quality, preventing fraud, securing our systems, and defending legal claims.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent. For example, this may apply to certain optional communications or specific uses not covered by contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interests. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us deliver our services. These organisations act as data processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place before sharing any personal data.

Processors may include:

Payment providers for handling card or transfer transactions;
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage, communication, and business administration;
Accounting and invoicing services for financial management and record keeping;
Customer management and scheduling systems used for operational planning;
Insurance providers, claims handlers, or loss assessors where an incident or claim arises;
Subcontractors and specialist partners involved in the delivery of removal-related services;
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or insurers where necessary.

Where processors handle personal data on our behalf, they are required to process it only according to our instructions, use appropriate security measures, and keep it confidential. We do not sell personal data.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the purpose for which it is used.

Contract and service records are generally retained for the period needed to deliver the service and to deal with any follow-up issues.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law and accounting rules.
Complaints, claims, and dispute records may be held longer if needed to resolve a matter or defend legal claims.
General enquiries may be kept for a shorter period unless they lead to a booking or ongoing business relationship.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. In some cases, legal obligations or legitimate business needs may require us to retain information for longer than you might expect, but only where appropriate and lawful.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and procedures for handling information safely. No system is completely secure, but we work to reduce risk and respond promptly to any suspected incident.

7. International Transfers

If any of our processors or service providers store or access personal data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms required under data protection law.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing.

Right of access – you can request 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 – in some cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

These rights are not absolute. We may need to retain or continue processing some data where required by law or where we have a compelling legitimate reason. We will always assess requests carefully and respond in line with our legal obligations.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and households arranging removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household move and provided by an adult who is authorised to do so. If we become aware that we have collected information inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not rely on solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you. If this changes, we will update this policy and provide appropriate information about the process and your rights.

11. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data protection practices. Any revised version will replace the previous version from the date it takes effect. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you remain informed about how we process personal data.

12. Our Commitment to You

Swisscottage Removals is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting the personal information entrusted to us. We will only collect data that is relevant and necessary, process it fairly and lawfully, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as needed. If you choose our services, you can expect us to handle your personal information responsibly and in accordance with data protection law.

Last updated: 2026