Privacy Policy - Man With A Van London

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van London collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With A Van London customers in the area, including prospective customers, existing customers, and anyone who enquires about or uses our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man With A Van London acts as the data controller for personal data collected through our services and communications. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and only process personal data where we have a valid legal basis to do so.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the data necessary to provide and manage our moving, transport, and related services. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking information including moving dates, locations, service preferences, and special instructions.
Payment-related information such as billing records and transaction references.
Service correspondence including emails, messages, complaints, and feedback.
Operational information needed to complete a move safely and efficiently, such as access details, parking notes, and item descriptions.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic website or communication logs used for security and service improvement.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it to us, for example if a health-related access requirement affects the moving service. If such information is provided, we will treat it with extra care and only process it where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to deliver our services and manage our relationship with you. This may include:

processing enquiries and quotations;
confirming and managing bookings;
planning and carrying out removals and transport services;
communicating updates before, during, and after a service;
handling payments, invoices, and refunds where required;
responding to complaints, claims, or requests;
maintaining business records and meeting legal obligations;
protecting our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud or misuse.

We may also use limited data to improve our services, monitor performance, and keep accurate internal records. Any such use will be proportionate and aligned with data protection principles.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing quotes, bookings, service delivery, invoicing, and customer support.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as accounting, tax, record-keeping, insurance, and dispute handling obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include business administration, service improvement, fraud prevention, and maintaining secure operations.

Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, for example for optional communications or where special category data is provided voluntarily. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and only with trusted third parties that help us run our business. These parties act as processors when they process data on our instructions, or as independent controllers where they determine their own purposes. Examples may include:

IT and communications providers that support email, data storage, and office systems;
payment providers that process card or transfer transactions;
accounting or bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records;
professional advisers such as legal or insurance advisers;
subcontractors or operational partners engaged to help deliver a booked service;
regulatory, law enforcement, or public authorities when disclosure is required by law.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, use it only for authorised purposes, and protect it using appropriate technical and organisational measures. We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held.

Booking and service records are retained for a period reasonably required to manage the service, resolve disputes, and maintain business records.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Correspondence and complaints may be retained for as long as needed to handle the issue and defend legal claims.
Enquiry data may be retained for a limited time if no booking is made, unless a longer period is needed for follow-up or legal reasons.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised. We regularly review our records to ensure we do not keep data longer than necessary.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate security measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, password protection, secure storage, and staff awareness of data protection responsibilities. While no system can be completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and maintain confidentiality.

8. International Transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other approved transfer mechanisms. We will only make such transfers where necessary and lawful.

9. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights over your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these may include:

the right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
the right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
the right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten;
the right to restrict processing in certain situations;
the right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means;
the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
the right to withdraw consent where consent is used as the lawful basis;
the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been mishandled.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a customer’s moving arrangement and permitted by law. If we become aware that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it or obtain the appropriate permission.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With A Van London is committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to handle your information with care, security, and respect at all times.