Privacy Policy - Marylebone Movers

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Marylebone Movers customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Introduction

Marylebone Movers respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have in relation to your personal data. It applies to all customers, prospective customers, and other individuals who use our moving, packing, storage, and related services in the Marylebone area.

By personal data, we mean any information that identifies or can reasonably be used to identify an individual. This includes names, addresses, contact details, payment information, and service records.

2. Data We Collect

We collect only the data necessary to provide our services, manage our relationship with you, and meet our legal obligations. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data: your name, title, and any business or household name used in relation to the booking.
Contact data: email address, phone number, and service address.
Booking and service data: move dates, inventory details, property access notes, delivery instructions, and preferences relevant to your move.
Payment data: payment status, transaction references, invoicing information, and billing address. We do not store full card details unless explicitly required by our payment processor.
Communication data: emails, messages, call notes, complaint records, and any correspondence related to your booking or service.
Technical data: limited information such as device or browser details if you interact with our digital systems, used for security and service administration.
Special category data: we do not routinely collect sensitive personal data. If such information is voluntarily shared with us, for example access needs that may imply health-related information, we will only use it where necessary and with appropriate safeguards.

We generally collect data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, communicate with us, or provide instructions for a move. We may also receive information from third parties where needed to deliver our services, such as landlords, estate agents, property managers, insurers, or payment providers.

3. How We Use Your Data

Marylebone Movers uses personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes, arrange bookings, and deliver moving services;
to plan routes, allocate staff, and manage logistics;
to communicate with you about your service, including updates, confirmations, and changes;
to issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
to handle complaints, disputes, and claims;
to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
to improve our services, train staff, and maintain service quality;
to protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will only use your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under data protection law.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on the following lawful bases, depending on the nature of the processing:

a. Performance of a Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to provide the services you have requested. This includes taking bookings, arranging removals, handling payments, and communicating about your move. Without this data, we may not be able to fulfil the service.

b. Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal requirements such as accounting, tax reporting, insurance obligations, health and safety duties, and record keeping required by law.

c. Legitimate Interests

We may use personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. Examples include service improvement, fraud prevention, operational planning, and responding to complaints. We always assess whether our interests are balanced against your privacy rights.

d. Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, such as for optional communications or specific processing not covered by another lawful basis. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share data with trusted third parties that help us deliver our services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation.

Our processors may include:

Payment processors: to process card or electronic payments securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: to manage invoices, financial records, and tax compliance.
IT and cloud service providers: to host data, provide email, storage, backup, and security services.
Customer management or booking systems: to organise quotations, scheduling, and service administration.
Professional advisers: such as insurers, lawyers, auditors, or accountants where needed for legitimate business purposes or legal compliance.
Subcontracted operational partners: where required to assist with parts of a move, storage, or specialist handling.

Where processors handle personal data on our behalf, we require them to act only on our instructions, protect the data appropriately, and comply with data protection law. We may also share data where required by law, court order, or regulatory request, or to protect our rights, staff, customers, or property.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including for legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

Booking and service records: retained for as long as needed to complete the service and handle any related queries or disputes.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by law and standard accounting practice.
Complaint or claims records: retained for the period necessary to resolve the matter and manage any legal risk.
Marketing preferences: retained until you opt out or withdraw consent, where applicable.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We apply retention controls to ensure information is not kept longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality procedures, and regular review of our systems. While no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a level of security appropriate to the nature of the data we handle.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these rights include:

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 data.
Right to erasure: in some cases, you can request that we delete your personal data.
Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you may request that certain data be provided to you or another controller in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond within the time limits required by law. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. In some cases, we may not be able to comply fully if a legal exemption applies or if the request would affect the rights of others.

9. International Transfers

If any of our service providers store or process data outside the United Kingdom, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms required by applicable law.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary to arrange a service and provided by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. If we learn that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. The latest version will always apply to the personal data we process. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we handle your information.

12. Complaints

If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, we encourage you to raise the issue with us first so we can try to resolve it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

Summary statement: Marylebone Movers processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, using it only for service delivery, compliance, and legitimate business needs, while respecting your rights and safeguarding your information.