Privacy Policy
Barnes Movers Data Protection and Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Barnes Movers collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data for all Barnes Movers customers in the service area. It also describes the rights individuals have under applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the EU General Data Protection Regulation where relevant.
Who this policy applies to
This Privacy Policy applies to all Barnes Movers customers in our service area, as well as individuals who contact us to request quotations, make bookings, or otherwise use our moving and related services. It also applies to individuals whose data we process in connection with a service we provide to our customers, such as occupants of a property involved in a move.
Types of personal data we collect
We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us. This may include:
Identification and contact details, such as full name, postal address, move-from and move-to addresses, billing address, and contact preferences.
Communication details, such as information you provide when you contact us by post or through any online form, including the content of messages, feedback, and correspondence regarding your move.
Service and booking details, such as proposed and confirmed move dates, inventory information for items to be moved, access details for properties, and any special instructions relevant to your service.
Payment and transaction details, such as records of payments received, payment method type, and invoicing information. We do not store full payment card details if you pay by card, although our payment processor may process this information on our behalf.
Technical and usage information, such as basic device or browser data and information about how you interact with our website, where this is collected through cookies or similar technologies. Where required, we will obtain your consent before using non-essential cookies.
How we collect personal data
We may collect personal data from you directly, for example when you request a quotation, make a booking, contact us with a question, or provide information to our moving team on the day of your move.
We may also receive personal data indirectly, for example from an estate agent, landlord, or other intermediary who is arranging the move, or from a family member or representative who is acting on your behalf. In such cases, we will process your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.
Lawful bases for processing
We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under the GDPR. Depending on the circumstances, our lawful bases may include:
Contract. We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into, or to perform, a contract for moving or related services with you, including providing quotations, organising and carrying out your move, and handling billing and payment.
Legal obligation. We may process personal data where we are required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, such as tax, accounting, record-keeping, insurance, and health and safety requirements.
Legitimate interests. We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests or those of a third party, and where these interests are not overridden by your rights. This may include managing our business operations, improving our services, addressing complaints, pursuing or defending legal claims, and preventing fraud or misuse of our services.
Consent. In limited situations, such as where required for certain marketing activities or for the use of certain cookies, we may rely on your consent. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
How we use personal data
We may use your personal data for the following purposes:
To provide moving and related services, including preparing quotations, planning and executing moves, coordinating with you and any third parties involved, and resolving issues that arise before, during, or after your move.
To manage our relationship with you, such as responding to your enquiries, sending service updates related to your move, and managing feedback and complaints.
To handle payments, invoicing, and accounting, including processing payments, managing refunds where applicable, and maintaining appropriate financial records.
To maintain security and safety, such as protecting our staff, vehicles, equipment, and customer property, and preventing or detecting unlawful or fraudulent activity.
To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax, insurance, and reporting obligations.
To improve our services, such as analysing service performance and, where permitted, requesting your feedback.
Data sharing and processors
We may share personal data with third parties where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and in accordance with data protection law. These third parties may include:
Service providers and data processors who act on our instructions to help deliver our services. This may include payment processors, secure data storage providers, IT support providers, and companies providing logistics or vehicle services.
Professional advisers, such as accountants, auditors, legal advisers, and insurers, where necessary for the management of our business and the handling of claims, disputes, or regulatory matters.
Regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, courts, or other public authorities where we are legally required to do so, or where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your rights, or the rights of others.
Where we use data processors, we ensure that appropriate contracts are in place requiring them to process personal data only on our documented instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws.
International data transfers
In most cases, personal data is processed within the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area. If it becomes necessary to transfer personal data to a country outside these areas that does not have an adequacy decision, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections as required by law. You may contact us to obtain more information about such safeguards where they apply.
Data retention
We keep personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the context of processing.
In general, information relating to bookings, invoices, and completed moves is retained for a period required by tax and accounting rules, after which it is securely deleted or anonymised. Correspondence and other records may be retained for a reasonable period where needed to respond to queries, manage disputes, or maintain business records.
When personal data is no longer required, we will take appropriate steps to securely erase or anonymise it.
Security of personal data
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, appropriate staff training, and procedures for dealing with suspected data breaches. While we strive to protect personal data, no system can be completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your data protection rights
Under the GDPR and related data protection laws, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to certain conditions and legal limitations. They include:
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 data and information about how we use it.
Right to rectification. You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you withdraw consent and there is no other lawful basis for processing.
Right to restriction. You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, for example while we are considering a request to rectify your data or a complaint about our use of your data.
Right to data portability. Where our processing is based on consent or on a contract and is carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to request that we transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
Right to object. You have the right to object to processing of your personal data that is based on our legitimate interests, including profiling on that basis. We will stop processing your data unless we demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds which override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or where processing is required for legal claims.
Rights related to consent. Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before withdrawal.
Exercising your rights and complaints
If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, or if you have questions about how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the details provided on our website or in your service documentation. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you are concerned about how we have handled your personal data. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve your concerns directly.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or how we process personal data. The most recent version will always be available on our website or on request. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
