Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Belgravia

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Belgravia collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal and transport services. It applies to all Man With A Van Belgravia customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request quotes, make bookings, or use our moving services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for arranging and delivering our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The type of information collected may include:

Identity details such as name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number and email address.
Service details such as pickup and delivery addresses, move dates, property access information, and inventory details.
Payment details such as billing information and transaction records, where applicable.
Communication records such as emails, message logs, and notes from phone conversations.
Operational data such as booking history, service preferences, and customer instructions.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, browser type, and basic usage data.

We do not seek to collect more information than is needed for the specific purpose explained at the time. If we ever need special category data or other sensitive information, we will only process it where there is a lawful reason to do so and where it is necessary for a particular service or legal requirement.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to provide a reliable and efficient moving service. The main purposes for processing include:

Preparing quotations and confirming bookings.
Planning and carrying out removals and transport services.
Communicating with customers before, during, and after a service.
Managing invoices, payments, refunds, and account records.
Responding to complaints, queries, and service requests.
Maintaining security, preventing fraud, and protecting our staff, vehicles, and property.
Meeting tax, accounting, insurance, and other legal obligations.
Improving our operations, customer experience, and internal procedures.

We will only use your data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose. If we need to use it for a new purpose, we will ensure that this is permitted under data protection law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes, booking services, arranging collection and delivery, and handling related customer administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where required to comply with laws and regulations, including accounting, tax, insurance, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data for our legitimate business interests where these are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This can include service management, business improvement, fraud prevention, and internal administration. When we rely on this basis, we consider whether the processing is necessary and whether your privacy rights are protected.

Consent

Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, we will ask for it clearly and separately. For example, if we ever need to send optional marketing communications, we will only do so where you have given permission. You may withdraw consent at any time.

4. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We do not sell personal data. However, in order to deliver our services effectively, we may share information with selected third parties who act as data processors or independent controllers, depending on the purpose. These may include:

Payment providers who process transactions securely.
Accountancy and bookkeeping services that support financial records and tax compliance.
IT and cloud service providers who store or maintain business systems.
Communication service providers used for emails, messaging, and telephone support.
Insurance providers where required for claims, risk management, or policy administration.
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or consultants where necessary.
Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where we use processors, they are only permitted to process personal data on our instructions and must keep it secure. We aim to work only with providers that offer appropriate technical and organisational safeguards, including confidentiality, access controls, and data protection commitments.

5. Data Retention

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

Quotation and booking records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage service history and customer administration.
Financial and tax records are typically retained for the period required under law.
Customer correspondence may be kept for as long as needed to resolve queries, disputes, or service matters.
Operational records may be retained for business analysis, safety, and quality control, then deleted or anonymised when no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will take appropriate steps to delete, destroy, or anonymise it securely. We regularly review the data we hold to ensure it is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, access management, staff awareness, and appropriate handling procedures. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risks and to safeguard information throughout its lifecycle.

7. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by law. These safeguards may include recognised transfer mechanisms and contractual protections designed to maintain a similar level of privacy protection.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have rights under GDPR in relation to your personal data. These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal conditions or exemptions. Your rights may include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. In some cases, we may be unable to comply fully if we are legally required to keep certain data or if an exemption applies.

9. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how your personal data has been handled, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in the UK. We encourage customers to raise concerns so that we can address them promptly and fairly. We take privacy matters seriously and will work to resolve issues in a responsible manner.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

11. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to all customers of Man With A Van Belgravia in the area, whether services are requested for home moves, office moves, single-item transport, or related logistical support. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity, and confidentiality.

Man With A Van Belgravia is committed to respecting your privacy and handling your information responsibly. We only process what we need, for clear purposes, and for no longer than necessary.