Privacy policy

This policy covers portugal-removals.co.uk and the removals service operated under the name Portugal Removals. We are the data controller for the information described here.

What we collect

• Enquiry details — your name, phone number, email address, pickup and drop-off addresses, preferred moving date and any notes sent through the quote form.
• Survey information — notes, measurements and, where you agree to a video survey, a record of what was discussed.
• A valued inventory — a description and value for every item being shipped. This is required by customs and cannot be avoided on an international move.
• Identity and residency documents — passport details, your Portuguese NIF, and proof of address at both ends, as required for customs clearance and Transfer of Residence relief.
• Website analytics — anonymous usage data via Google Analytics.

Why an international move needs more than a domestic one

A UK removal needs your addresses and a date. A move to Portugal needs identity documents, a tax number and an itemised valuation of your possessions, because customs authorities in two jurisdictions require them. We ask for these because the move cannot legally happen without them, not because we want a fuller file on you.

That documentation is sensitive. Taken together it describes what you own, what it is worth, where it is now and where it will be. We hold it on access-controlled systems, share it only with the parties listed below, and delete it when the retention period ends.

Who we share it with

• HMRC and Portuguese customs authorities — the declarations and inventory.
• Our customs agent — where one is engaged to file on your behalf.
• Shipping lines and port agents — for consignments to Madeira and the Azores.
• Our destination partners in Portugal — for delivery, and for storage at the Portuguese end.
• Our insurers — only where a claim arises.
• Our accountants — financial records.

We do not sell your information and we do not pass it to third-party marketers. Because the destination is outside the UK, your information necessarily travels to Portugal — and for island consignments through the shipping chain — in order for the move to happen at all.

Why we hold it

• To prepare a quote, at your request, before any contract exists.
• To perform a removal you have booked.
• To meet customs and export control obligations, which is a legal requirement.
• To meet accounting and tax record-keeping requirements.

How long we keep it

Enquiries that do not become bookings are deleted once they are of no further use. Customs documentation and job records are retained for the period required by customs, insurance and accounting rules, and then deleted.

Your rights

You can ask for a copy of what we hold, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it where no continuing obligation requires us to keep it, or object to how we use it. Note that we cannot delete customs records within their statutory retention period.

To make a request, email hello@portugal-removals.co.uk. If you are unhappy with our response you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Cookies

Google Analytics cookies to measure usage, and reCAPTCHA on the quote form to prevent automated abuse. No advertising or tracking cookies. Blocking cookies in your browser will not stop the site working.

Changes

If this policy changes we will update this page. Material changes affecting an active booking will be communicated to you directly.