Privacy Policy - Bow Movers

Bow Movers is committed to protecting the personal data of our customers and anyone who uses our services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our moving services. It applies to all Bow Movers customers in the area, including prospective customers, booked customers, and individuals who communicate with us about a move. We aim to handle personal data in a fair, lawful, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet legal obligations. The exact information we collect depends on the nature of the services you request and how you interact with us.

Types of personal data

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as email address, telephone number, and property addresses relevant to the move.
Booking and service details including move date, service preferences, property access information, inventory information, and special handling requirements.
Billing information such as invoice details and payment records.
Communications including messages, notes from calls, complaint records, and correspondence relating to quotes, bookings, or service issues.
Operational information such as work schedules, delivery instructions, and records needed to complete the move.
Technical data if you interact with us electronically, including basic device and usage information where relevant to service administration and security.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary personal data. Special category data is generally not required for our services. If such information is accidentally provided, we will handle it with additional care and only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for specific and limited purposes connected with our moving services and business operations. These purposes include:

providing quotations and confirming bookings;
planning and carrying out removals, deliveries, and related services;
communicating about schedules, access, updates, and service changes;
issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining financial records;
handling complaints, claims, and service enquiries;
protecting the security of our operations, vehicles, staff, and customers;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory requirements;
improving our services, training, and operational efficiency; and
maintaining internal records and business administration.

We will only use your personal data in ways that are compatible with the original purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis for a new use.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where a lawful basis under data protection law applies. Depending on the context, Bow Movers relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Performance of a contract — where processing is necessary to provide a quotation, make arrangements, complete a move, or deliver associated services.
Legal obligation — where we must retain or disclose information to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, employment, transport, or other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests — where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as maintaining records, preventing fraud, improving service quality, and managing customer communications, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Consent — where we rely on your consent for specific optional activities. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Where we process personal data for legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and take steps to ensure that our use is proportionate, necessary, and respectful of your rights.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to deliver our services, run our operations, or comply with the law. These third parties act either as independent controllers or as processors acting on our instructions.

Examples of processors and service providers

IT and cloud service providers that support secure storage, email, scheduling, and business systems;
Payment and invoicing providers that help process transactions and manage accounts;
Accountants and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial administration and compliance;
Insurance providers and claims handlers where needed for risk management or claim resolution;
Professional advisers such as lawyers or auditors when advice or compliance support is required;
Subcontractors or operational partners who help deliver parts of a move under our instructions and standards.

We require processors to protect personal data, use it only for agreed purposes, and apply appropriate security measures. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place in line with applicable law.

5. 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 operational requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the context in which it is used.

Customer and booking records are typically retained for a period needed to manage the contract, resolve disputes, and maintain service history.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law and standard accounting practice.
Claims, complaints, and incident records may be retained longer where necessary for legal defence, insurance purposes, or regulatory compliance.
Marketing or consent-based records are kept until consent is withdrawn or the purpose ends, whichever happens first.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it. We review retained data periodically to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, data minimisation, and restricted sharing on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the information we hold.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights are subject to certain conditions and exemptions, depending on the circumstances of the request.

Your rights 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 information.
Right to erasure — to request deletion of your data where there is no good reason for us to keep it.
Right to restrict processing — to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability — to request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format, where applicable.
Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable legal timeframes and may ask for information to verify your identity. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data rights have been infringed.

8. Changes to This 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 issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

9. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data processed by Bow Movers in connection with our services provided in the area. It covers information collected from customers, prospective customers, authorised representatives, and others who interact with us regarding a move or related service. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in the ways described in this policy, always in line with applicable law and our commitment to privacy, fairness, and transparency.

Bow Movers is dedicated to responsible data handling and to respecting the privacy rights of every customer. We aim to keep our use of personal information limited, secure, and lawful at all times.