Privacy Policy - Scotland Removals

This Privacy Policy applies to all Scotland Removals customers in our service area. It explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when we provide removals, storage, packing, transport, and related services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Scotland Removals acts as the data controller for the personal data we collect in connection with our services, unless we are processing data on behalf of another organisation. This policy applies to customers, prospective customers, household members, business contacts, and any other individual whose data we receive in the course of providing or arranging removals services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information needed to provide our services, manage our business, and meet our legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name, title, and any account or reference details.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as property access details, moving dates, inventory lists, packing requirements, and delivery instructions.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records. We do not intentionally store full card details unless necessary and permitted by our payment provider arrangements.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, quotes, complaints, and service updates.
Operational data such as photographs taken for documentation, damage records, and job completion notes where relevant.
Technical data such as IP address, device type, and cookie data if you interact with our digital systems, where applicable.

In some circumstances, we may also process special category data or other sensitive information if it is provided to us incidentally and only where there is a valid legal basis and necessity. We ask that you do not share unnecessary sensitive information with us unless it is relevant to the service.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, schedule services, and manage bookings.
To carry out removals, packing, storage, and transport services.
To communicate with you before, during, and after the move.
To handle payments, invoicing, refunds, and account administration.
To manage customer support, complaints, claims, and service issues.
To maintain records for operational, audit, insurance, and legal purposes.
To improve our services, processes, and customer experience.
To comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance obligations.

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. If we need to use your data for an unrelated purpose, we will explain the legal basis where required.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR. Depending on the context, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process 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 preparing quotes, arranging removals, and completing delivery or storage services.

Legal Obligation

We process data where required to meet legal obligations, including tax, accounting, fraud prevention, record keeping, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

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 service administration, business management, internal record keeping, improving services, and defending legal claims.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific processing activities where consent is the appropriate lawful basis. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone???s vital interests, such as in an emergency.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to provide our services, run our business, and comply with the law. Where third parties process personal data on our behalf, they act as processors and are required to follow our instructions and protect your data appropriately.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

Payment service providers that process transactions securely.
IT and cloud service providers that host systems, email, file storage, and communications tools.
Accountants and professional advisers that support financial and legal compliance.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where necessary to assess or resolve claims.
Subcontracted crews or logistics partners who assist in delivering services.
Regulators, courts, law enforcement, or government authorities where disclosure is required by law.

We require processors to implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections.

6. Data Retention

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

In general:

Customer and service records are retained for the duration of the business relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required by law.
Claims, disputes, and complaint records may be retained longer where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.
Technical logs and operational records are retained for limited periods unless needed for security or investigation purposes.

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with our retention procedures.

7. Data Security

We take 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 limited access to information on a need-to-know basis.

While we work hard to protect your information, no system is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we regularly review our practices to reduce risk and respond appropriately to incidents.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limitations, these 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 restrict processing ??? to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object ??? to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability ??? to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent ??? where processing is based on consent.

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

9. Children???s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the course of providing a household service and handled lawfully. Where children???s data is involved, we take extra care to ensure it is processed appropriately and only when needed.

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 protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so you remain informed about how we protect personal data.

By using Scotland Removals services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy. We are committed to respecting privacy, maintaining confidentiality, and handling information responsibly for all customers in our area.