Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy for Swiss Cottage Removals Customers
This Privacy Policy explains how Swiss Cottage Removals collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data relating to all its customers in the Swiss Cottage service area. It also explains the rights you have under applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and related legislation.
Who this Privacy Policy applies to
This Privacy Policy applies to all Swiss Cottage Removals customers and prospective customers in our service area, including individuals, household customers, and business contacts who engage with us for removal, packing, storage, or related services.
Types of personal data we collect
We only collect personal data that is necessary for us to provide our services, manage our relationship with you, and comply with legal obligations. The personal data we may collect includes the following categories.
Identification and contact information such as your name, title, postal address, service address, billing address, and general contact details. Account and service information such as details of your bookings, service requirements, access instructions, inventory notes relevant to your move, service history, and communications with us about quotes or jobs. Payment and billing information such as payment method details you provide to us, records of payments, and billing history, handled in line with applicable security standards. Usage and communication information such as information about how you contact us, your preferences about how we communicate with you, and records of correspondence, including telephone, online, and written communications. Technical information such as limited device or browser information and basic technical identifiers where necessary for operating our website or online contact forms.
How we collect your personal data
We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, contact us by phone or other channels, or communicate with our staff in person. We may also receive personal data from third parties when you have authorised them to share information with us, such as comparison or referral platforms or business partners, where this is necessary to arrange removal or related services. In addition, we may gather personal data automatically when you visit our website, such as basic technical and usage information that helps us operate and improve our online services.
Lawful bases for processing your personal data
Under data protection law we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Swiss Cottage Removals relies on several lawful bases depending on the circumstances.
Contract performance. We process your personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, and to perform our contract with you. This includes providing quotes, organising and delivering removal and related services, and managing your bookings. Legal obligations. We process certain personal data to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including accounting, tax, and record keeping requirements. Legitimate interests. We process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Our legitimate interests include managing and improving our services, handling customer queries, maintaining security, preventing fraud, and ensuring efficient operations. Consent. In limited cases we may rely on your consent, for example for specific types of optional marketing communications, where consent is required by law. When we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
How we use your personal data
We use your personal data for the following purposes. To provide and manage removal, packing, and related services you request, including quoting, scheduling, and carrying out your move. To respond to your enquiries, provide customer support, and communicate with you about your bookings, changes, or issues. To manage billing, payments, and invoicing, and to maintain accurate financial records. To improve our services, operations, and customer experience, including through analysis of how our services are used and by training our staff. To maintain the safety and security of our staff, customers, and property where relevant. To comply with legal and regulatory requirements and to exercise or defend legal claims.
Data sharing and processors
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your personal data with trusted third parties that act as data processors on our behalf, or as separate controllers, where necessary.
Service providers. We may engage external companies to support our business operations, such as information technology providers, secure payment processors, cloud storage providers, and administrative support services. These providers act as processors and must follow our instructions and implement appropriate security measures. Professional advisers. We may share personal data with accountants, auditors, legal advisers, or insurers for legitimate business and legal purposes. Operational partners. In some situations we may work with subcontractors or partner companies to carry out part of your removal or associated services. Where they act as independent controllers, they are responsible for their own compliance with data protection laws and may provide their own privacy information. Public authorities. We may disclose personal data where required by law, regulation, or court order, or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
International transfers
Our primary operations and data storage are intended to be located within the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area. If it becomes necessary to transfer your personal data to a country outside this area, we will ensure that an adequate level of protection is in place, for example by using appropriate contractual safeguards or by relying on an adequacy decision, in line with data protection law.
Data retention periods
We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. In general, we retain core customer and transaction information for a period necessary to manage our relationship with you and comply with legal obligations such as tax and financial record keeping. After the applicable retention period has expired, personal data will be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in a way that no longer identifies you.
Data security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. These measures include restricting access to personal data to staff and service providers who need it for legitimate business purposes, using suitable security safeguards, and providing training and guidance to staff on data protection responsibilities.
Your data protection rights
As a customer of Swiss Cottage Removals in the Swiss Cottage service area, you have a number of rights under data protection law in relation to the personal data we hold about you, subject to certain conditions and exemptions.
Right of access. You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and, if so, to request a copy of that personal data and certain related information. Right to rectification. You have the right to ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete personal data. Right to erasure. You may ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances, for example where it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you withdraw consent and no other legal basis for processing applies. Right to restriction. You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, such as while we verify accuracy or consider an objection you have raised. Right to object. You may object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests, including for direct marketing, and we will stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds or a legal requirement to continue. Right to data portability. Where our processing is based on your consent or on a contract with you and is carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a commonly used, machine readable format and to request that it is transferred to another controller where technically feasible.
Exercising your rights
You can exercise your data protection rights by contacting us with enough information to identify you and describing the right you wish to exercise. We may ask for additional information to confirm your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by data protection law and will explain if we need more time due to the complexity or number of requests.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how Swiss Cottage Removals handles your personal data, you are encouraged to contact us so we can try to resolve the issue directly. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority in your jurisdiction if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The revised version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.
