Privacy Policy - Merton Removals

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Merton Removals customers in area and explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently. This policy applies whenever you request a quote, make a booking, receive removal or related services, communicate with us, or otherwise use our services in the area.

1. Who we are

Merton Removals provides removal and associated moving services for residential and commercial customers. In the course of delivering our services, we may need to collect and process personal data about customers, household members, business contacts, and other individuals involved in the move.

This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who we share it with, and the rights available to you under data protection law.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, meeting legal obligations, and managing our business operations. The data we collect may include:

Identity information such as your name, title, and any business name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as move addresses, property access details, inventory information, dates, times, and service preferences.
Payment and billing information such as payment status, invoice records, and transaction references.
Communication records including enquiries, messages, complaints, survey responses, and notes from calls or emails.
Special circumstances relating to the move such as items needing extra care, stair access, parking restrictions, or building instructions.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, IP address, and usage data where applicable.
Identification and verification data where needed for fraud prevention, payment checks, or security purposes.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is needed. If we receive personal information that is not necessary for the service, we will handle it securely and only for as long as reasonably required.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and assess service requirements.
To plan, manage, and complete removals and related services.
To communicate with you about bookings, schedules, access arrangements, and service updates.
To prepare invoices, process payments, and manage accounts.
To respond to questions, feedback, and complaints.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To maintain records, improve our services, and manage business operations.
To prevent fraud, protect our customers, staff, and property, and ensure service security.

We will only use your data for the purposes stated above, or for closely related purposes that are compatible with the original reason for collection.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis before we process personal data. Depending on the context, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes providing quotes, arranging bookings, carrying out moves, and managing payments.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relations, improving our services, keeping business records, preventing fraud, and ensuring the safe operation of our services.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain certain data to comply with legal requirements, including tax law, accounting rules, insurance obligations, and regulatory record-keeping duties.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where we need permission for certain optional communications or uses that are not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services or run our business. Such parties act either as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers.

Processors may include:

IT and software providers that host, support, or secure our business systems.
Payment service providers that process card or electronic payments.
Accounting and invoicing providers that assist with financial administration.
Customer communication tools used to send messages, schedule services, or manage enquiries.
Cloud storage and backup providers that securely store business records.
Professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where needed.

We require our processors to act only on our instructions, keep data confidential, and implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, where necessary to protect our rights or property, or where disclosure is needed to prevent fraud or other serious harm.

6. International transfers

If any of our processors or service providers are located outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place before transferring personal data. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

7. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, insurance, and dispute-resolution requirements. Retention periods will vary depending on the type of data and the service involved.

Quote and enquiry data is generally kept for a limited period unless it becomes part of a customer record.
Booking and service records are kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and invoice records are retained in line with tax and accounting obligations.
Complaint or dispute records may be kept longer where necessary to resolve issues or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it as appropriate.

8. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our security practices.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and while we take reasonable steps to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These may include:

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 data portability — to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. For example, we may need to retain some information to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If you wish to exercise a right, we will respond within the time limits required by law and may request information to verify your identity.

10. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children unless it is incidental to providing a service requested by an adult customer, such as household move arrangements. Where children’s data is involved, it will be handled carefully and only where necessary.

11. Complaints and further information

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, you may raise them with us so that we can review and address the matter. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available.

Summary: This policy explains how Merton Removals collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects customer data, plus lawful bases, retention, processors, and rights.