Removals Germany Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Removals Germany collects, uses, stores and protects personal data in connection with our removal and relocation services. It applies to all Removals Germany customers in our service area, including prospective customers, current customers and former customers whose data we continue to hold in line with legal obligations.
Removals Germany acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. We are responsible for determining the purposes and means of processing your personal data and for ensuring that such processing is carried out in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation.
Types of Personal Data We Collect
We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage our relationship with you and comply with legal requirements. The categories of personal data we may collect include the following.
Identification and contact details such as name, postal address, service address, billing address, and communication preferences.
Contact details such as email address and other communication channels that you choose to use when you contact us or request information.
Service-related information such as details of your removal or relocation request, inventory lists you provide, access details for properties, special handling instructions, dates and times of service, and records of correspondence regarding quotes, bookings and service performance.
Contract and billing information such as contract details, payment status, invoice information, records of services provided, and transaction histories. We do not store full payment card details on our own systems; where card payments are processed, they are handled by third-party payment processors.
Technical and usage data such as basic information arising from your use of our website or digital services, including date and time of access, pages visited, browser type, and similar usage data. This may include the use of cookies or similar technologies, where permitted by law and your preferences.
How We Collect Your Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you contact us by phone, through online forms, by post, or in person to request a quote, make a booking, or communicate with us about our services.
We may also collect data when you interact with our website, including when you submit a contact form, request a call-back, or sign up for updates.
In some cases, we may receive personal data from third parties, for example where another person books removal services on your behalf or where we work with business partners who coordinate services for you. In these situations, we ensure that such third parties are authorised to share your data with us.
Lawful Bases for Processing
We process your personal data only where we have a valid legal basis under applicable data protection laws. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases.
Performance of a contract. We process your data where necessary to enter into, perform, and manage a contract with you for removal and related services. This includes providing quotes, confirming bookings, planning and executing moves, and handling payments.
Legal obligations. We process certain data to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting and record-keeping obligations, as well as obligations to respond to lawful requests from public authorities.
Legitimate interests. We may process your data where necessary to pursue our legitimate business interests, provided that your rights and interests do not override those interests. These interests include improving our services, managing our business operations, maintaining security, preventing fraud and handling customer queries and complaints.
Consent. In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain types of marketing or where required by law for the use of cookies or similar technologies. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Purposes for Which We Use Personal Data
We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes.
To provide, manage and complete removal and relocation services that you have requested.
To create and send quotes, confirm bookings, coordinate service details, and maintain communication with you before, during and after the move.
To manage billing, process payments via our payment processors, and maintain accounting and financial records.
To respond to inquiries, handle complaints, and provide customer support.
To manage our business operations, including planning, logistics, staff allocation, training and quality control.
To improve our services, including by analysing aggregated data regarding service usage and customer feedback.
To comply with legal obligations and cooperate with regulatory or law enforcement authorities where required.
Data Sharing and Processors
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your personal data with selected third parties only to the extent necessary and in accordance with data protection law.
Service providers and processors. We use carefully selected external service providers who process personal data on our behalf as processors. These may include information technology providers, hosting providers, payment processors, communications providers, logistics partners, document storage and shredding services, and professional advisers. We ensure that such processors are bound by written contracts that require them to process personal data only on our instructions, implement appropriate security measures and comply with applicable data protection requirements.
Business partners. In certain cases, we may share necessary data with business partners involved in providing services to you, such as local partner companies assisting with part of a move. Such sharing is limited to what is needed to deliver the services, and we seek to ensure that these partners also handle your data in a compliant manner.
Authorities and legal obligations. We may disclose personal data where required to comply with legal obligations or lawful requests, for example from tax authorities, courts or law enforcement bodies.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services, meet contractual obligations, comply with legal requirements and resolve disputes.
In general, we retain contract and billing information for the duration of the contractual relationship and for a subsequent period as required by tax and commercial laws. Correspondence and service-related records may be kept for a period consistent with statutory limitation periods in order to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
Where data is no longer needed for the original purposes and there is no legal requirement to retain it, we will erase it or anonymise it in a secure manner.
International Data Transfers
Where personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area in connection with the use of service providers, we take steps to ensure that an adequate level of protection is in place. This may include relying on adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission or other lawful transfer mechanisms.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. Measures may include access controls, secure storage, encryption or pseudonymisation where appropriate, staff training and regular review of security practices.
Your Data Protection Rights
As a data subject under the General Data Protection Regulation, you have a range of rights in relation to your personal data processed by Removals Germany. These rights apply to all Removals Germany customers in our service area, subject to any legal limitations or exemptions.
Right of access. You have the right to request confirmation as to whether we process personal data about you and, where this is the case, to receive a copy of that data together with information about the processing.
Right to rectification. You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal data and the completion of incomplete data.
Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you have withdrawn consent and there is no other legal basis for processing.
Right to restriction of processing. You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in specific situations, such as when the accuracy of the data is contested or when you have objected to processing based on legitimate interests.
Right to object. You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing based on our legitimate interests. We will then no longer process your data for these purposes unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights and freedoms, or where processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Right to data portability. Where processing is based on consent or on a contract and is carried out by automated means, you may request to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent. Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority if you believe that your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can seek to resolve any concerns directly.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements or other factors. Any changes will take effect when the updated policy is made available. We recommend that you review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we process your personal data.
