Privacy policy

This policy explains what personal information Stafford Removals Ltd collects when you use our website or ask us about a move, what we do with it, who we share it with and the rights you have over it.

Who we are

Stafford Removals Ltd (“we”, “us”) is a removals, storage and house clearance company based at Unit 1, Mayo Farm, Brazenhill Lane, Haughton, Stafford, ST18 9JP. We are the controller of the personal information described in this policy, which means we decide how it is used and are responsible for looking after it.

If you have any questions about this policy or your information, contact us:

• By post: Stafford Removals Ltd, Unit 1, Mayo Farm, Brazenhill Lane, Haughton, Stafford, ST18 9JP
• By phone: 01785 823878
• By email: mike@staffordremovals.com

The information we collect

When you ask for a quote

Our quote form asks for the service you need, the postcodes or addresses you are moving from and to, your preferred date, the size of the move, whether you would like packing, any notes you add, and your name, email address and phone number.

When you send us a message

Our contact form asks for your name, email address, phone number (optional) and your message.

When you use live chat

If you chat with us using the chat window on our website, we receive your messages and any details you give us, such as your name or email address. The chat service also records technical information, such as your IP address, browser type and the page you were on, so the conversation can work.

When you call, email or book with us

We keep a record of what you tell us so we can quote and plan your job. If you book with us, this can include the addresses involved, access and parking details, an inventory of items being moved, stored or cleared, and the details we need to invoice you.

When you visit our website

Our web server keeps short-term logs of requests, which include your IP address, browser type and the pages requested. We use these to keep the site secure, fix faults and stop spam. If you agree to analytics cookies, we also collect information about how you use the site through Google Analytics. See our cookie policy for details.

How we use it, and our legal basis

Data protection law requires us to have a lawful reason for each use of your information. Ours are:

• To answer your enquiry, prepare a quote and arrange your job. This is necessary to take steps you have asked for before entering into a contract with us, and then to carry out that contract.
• To reply to general questions sent by form, chat, email or phone. This is in our legitimate interests in running our business and answering the people who contact us.
• To keep accounting and tax records. This is necessary to meet our legal obligations.
• To keep the website secure and stop spam and misuse. This is in our legitimate interests in protecting our website and the people who use it.
• To understand how our website is used through Google Analytics. We only do this with your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

We do not use your information for marketing, we do not add you to a mailing list, and we do not sell or rent your information to anyone.

Who we share it with

We use a small number of trusted service providers to run our website and business. They only process your information on our instructions and are required to keep it secure.

• KaiForgeDigital builds and hosts our website and runs the system that delivers our online forms to us by email. It also counts visits to our pages, without using cookies.
• Resend sends the messages from our website forms to our inbox. Their privacy policy explains how they handle this data.
• Krystal Hosting provides our email service, so messages from our website forms and emails you send us are stored on their servers.
• tawk.to provides our live chat service. Their privacy policy explains how they handle chat data.
• Google provides Google Analytics, if you accept analytics cookies, and the map on our Contact page. Google’s privacy policy explains how they handle this data.

We may also share information where the law requires us to, for example with HMRC, or with our insurers if there is a claim relating to your job.

Our News page shows posts from our Instagram account. These posts are copied onto our own website, so viewing the page does not send any information to Instagram unless you click through to a post.

Transfers outside the UK

Some of our providers, such as Google, tawk.to and Resend, may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, the transfer is protected by the safeguards UK law requires, such as the UK–US Data Bridge or the UK’s standard contractual clauses.

How long we keep it

• Enquiries and quotes that do not lead to a booking: up to 12 months, then deleted.
• Customer records, including invoices: 6 years from the end of the financial year in which the job was completed, as required for tax purposes. For storage customers, this runs from when the storage ends.
• Live chat conversations: up to 12 months.
• Website server logs: up to 30 days.
• Google Analytics data: 14 months.

How we protect it

Our website uses HTTPS, so information you send through our forms or live chat is encrypted on its way to us. Access to your information is limited to the people who need it to deal with your enquiry or job.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
• ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete;
• ask us to delete your information;
• ask us to restrict how we use your information, or object to us using it;
• ask us to transfer information you have given us to you or another organisation;
• withdraw your consent to analytics cookies at any time.

Some of these rights only apply in certain circumstances. For example, we may need to keep invoices for tax purposes even if you ask us to delete them. To use any of these rights, contact us using the details above. We will respond within one month and there is normally no charge.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last changed.