DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: 27 August 2026

Gentlevan Removals is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share your personal data, and what your rights are under UK data protection law.

This policy is issued under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (which amended UK data protection law with effect from 5 February 2026), and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003 as amended.

1. Who we are (Data Controller)

Gentlevan Removals is the data controller for personal data we collect about you. Our details are:

Gentlevan Removals
Parsons Barn Farm, Unit 2
Sibford Gower, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5AD
Email: info@gentlevanremovals.co.uk
Website: gentlevanremovals.co.uk

If you are being relocated by your employer (a corporate client), your employer is usually the data controller and we act as a data processor under their instructions. In that case, please refer to your employer's privacy policy. We will still handle your personal data in line with the principles set out below.

2. The personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Identity and contact data: name, address, email address, telephone number, and (where relevant) the contact details of your family members included in the move.
• Move-related data: collection and delivery addresses, inventory of goods, access details (parking, lift availability, key arrangements), preferred dates, and any special requirements.
• Financial data: billing address, payment card details (processed by our payment provider, not stored by us), bank details for refunds, and Xero accounting records.
• Insurance and claims data: details required for MoveProtect insurance, Late Key Waiver, Cancellation/Postponement Waiver, and any claims you make.
• Customs and international move data: for European removals, we may need to collect passport/ID details, inventory valuations and signed customs declarations as required by HMRC and the customs authorities of destination countries.
• Survey data: photos, video and notes taken during in-person or online video surveys to produce an accurate quote, and audio recordings and transcripts of survey conversations where a survey is recorded (see Section 5A).
• Communications: emails, text messages and call records relating to your enquiry or move.
• Website and technical data: IP address, browser type and version, device information, pages viewed and the routes taken through our website. This is collected via cookies (see Section 7).

We do not routinely collect special category (sensitive) personal data. If we ever need to (for example, where mobility issues affect access at a property), we will explain why and obtain your explicit consent.

3. How we collect your data

We collect personal data:

• directly from you, when you request a quote, complete a survey, book a move, accept a quotation, or contact us by phone, email or web form;
• during the survey, packing and moving process;
• from third parties, including your employer (for corporate moves), payment providers, our insurer, and address-lookup services such as Ideal Postcodes;
• automatically, through cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website.

4. Lawful bases for processing

Under UK GDPR Article 6 we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following:

• Performance of a contract — to provide a quote, survey your goods, carry out your removal, take payment, and handle insurance claims.
• Legal obligation — to comply with our obligations under tax law (HMRC retention rules), VAT, customs, transport law (including drivers' hours and tachograph records), accident reporting, and our accreditation bodies (Move Assured, AIM).
• Legitimate interests — to operate and improve our business, prevent fraud, recover debts, and (where permitted) send marketing to existing customers about similar services. Our legitimate interests are balanced against your rights and freedoms.
• Recognised legitimate interests (under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025) — in the limited circumstances set out in UK GDPR Annex 1, such as responding to emergencies, safeguarding vulnerable individuals, or detecting and preventing crime.
• Consent — for non-essential cookies and for direct marketing to new customers. You can withdraw consent at any time.

5. How we use your data

We use your personal data to:

• respond to enquiries and provide quotes;
• plan, schedule and carry out your removal, including route planning and storage where applicable;
• generate and send invoices, acceptance documents, packing lists and inventories;
• process payments and administer our accounting records;
• arrange insurance cover and handle any claims;
• communicate with you about your booking, including scheduled emails and confirmations;
• comply with legal, tax, customs and accreditation obligations;
• improve our website and services;
• (with your consent or where otherwise permitted) send you offers and information about our services.

5A. Survey recordings

Home surveys and video surveys may be recorded.

Home surveys. Our surveyor may record the conversation on the survey device while walking through the property with you. We do this so that your instructions — what is moving, what is staying, items needing special care, and any packing, dismantling or storage you ask for — are captured accurately in your quotation and job sheet. The recording is transcribed automatically by a speech-to-text service, the key points are extracted from the transcript by an automated tool, and the result is reviewed by our staff before anything is added to your job record. The audio file is deleted within 7 days of processing; the written notes are kept with your booking record (see Section 9).

Video surveys. A video call survey, and any video or photographs you send us of your property, may be recorded or processed so that the items shown can be listed and measured for your quotation. This footage is used only to prepare and carry out your move.

Lawful basis. We rely on our legitimate interest in producing an accurate quotation and in holding a reliable record of your instructions. Before a survey we tell you that it may be recorded, in the booking confirmation we send by email and text message, and we ask you to confirm that you have read that notice.

Your choices. You can tell us at any time, including on the day, that you do not want the survey recorded and we will not record it; this does not affect your quotation. You can also ask for a copy of the transcript or for it to be deleted (see Section 11). Recordings are never used for marketing and are not shared outside the handling of your move.

6. Sharing your data

We share personal data only where necessary, with:

• Our staff and crew who are carrying out your move, including office, packing and driving teams for UK and European runs;
• Storage providers where you have engaged us for storage services;
• Our insurer and brokers for MoveProtect and other cover;
• Payment providers and our accounting software (Xero) to process payments and keep records;
• Fleet tracking providers (Velocity) to track our vehicles for security, scheduling and ETA updates;
• Speech-to-text and transcript-analysis providers (ElevenLabs and Anthropic), acting as our data processors, to transcribe survey recordings and extract the key points; they process the data only for that purpose and under contract;
• Messaging providers (SMTP2GO) to deliver our emails and text messages to you;
• HMRC, customs authorities and government bodies where we are legally required to share information;
• Professional advisors such as accountants and solicitors, where necessary;
• Law enforcement where required by law or court order, or to investigate or prevent crime.

We do not sell your personal data to anyone.

7. Cookies

Our website uses cookies. Some cookies are strictly necessary for the site to work and do not require your consent. Following changes introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (in force 5 February 2026), low-risk analytics and functional cookies do not require prior opt-in consent, but you have the right to opt out at any time.

We use cookies for:

• essential site functionality (e.g. remembering items in your enquiry);
• analytics, to understand how visitors use our site and improve it (Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager);
• advertising and conversion tracking (Google Ads), where you have given consent.
• enquiry attribution — a first-party cookie (gv_journey) that records the pages you view and how you reached our site, to help us understand which sources lead to enquiries. It is not shared with third parties for advertising.

The gv_journey cookie lasts up to 180 days. You can disable or clear cookies in your browser settings at any time. Disabling cookies may affect how some parts of the site work.

8. International data transfers

Most of your data is stored in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA). For European removals, we may need to share data with partners and authorities in the destination country (for example, Spain, France, Italy, Germany). Where we transfer data to a country that has not been designated as offering an adequate level of protection, we use appropriate safeguards under UK GDPR, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses. Survey recordings are transcribed and analysed by providers based in the United States; these transfers rely on the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework where the provider is certified, or on the safeguards above.

9. How long we keep your data

We keep your 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. Typical retention periods are:

• Quote and enquiry data: up to 2 years from the last contact;
• Survey audio recordings: deleted within 7 days of processing; the transcript and notes taken from it are kept with the booking record for the same period as the quote or booking they belong to;
• Booking, invoice and accounting records: 6 years (HMRC requirement);
• Insurance claims data: up to 7 years from claim closure;
• Customs records for European removals: as required by HMRC and destination customs authorities (typically up to 6 years);
• Marketing data: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it.

After these periods, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

10. How we keep your data secure

We have put in place appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:

• encrypted (HTTPS) connections to our website and admin systems;
• secure password-protected access to our CRM, with activity logging;
• regular database backups;
• access on a need-to-know basis for staff;
• secure handling of payment data through PCI-compliant providers (we do not store full card details ourselves).

No system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours and, where required, notify you directly.

11. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the following rights:

• Right of access — to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Right to rectification — to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") — to ask us to delete your data, subject to legal retention requirements;
• Right to restrict processing — to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances;
• Right to data portability — to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format;
• Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time;
• Rights in relation to automated decision-making — we do not currently use solely automated decision-making that produces significant effects on you;
• Right to withdraw consent — where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@gentlevanremovals.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month. We may need to verify your identity before disclosing personal data. We may extend the response period in complex cases or pause the clock if we reasonably need clarification from you (as permitted under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025).

12. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first at info@gentlevanremovals.co.uk. We operate an internal complaints procedure: we will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and provide a full response without undue delay, in line with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

13. Changes to this policy

We review this policy regularly and will update it when our practices change or when the law requires. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page shows the latest revision. Material changes will be notified on our website and, where appropriate, by email.

14. Contact us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact:

Gentlevan Removals
Parsons Barn Farm, Unit 2, Sibford Gower, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5AD
Email: info@gentlevanremovals.co.uk