Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Stjohnswood

Last updated: This Privacy Policy explains how Man And A Van Stjohnswood collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man And A Van Stjohnswood customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, makes a booking, receives a service, or otherwise interacts with us in connection with our moving and transport services.

1. Introduction

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. This Privacy Policy is designed to meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It explains what data we collect, why we collect it, the legal basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have.

By using our services, communicating with us, or providing information to us, you acknowledge the practices described in this policy. We only process personal data that is necessary for delivering our services, meeting legal obligations, and operating our business responsibly.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity data such as your name, title, and any relevant business or household contact name.
Contact data such as address, email address, phone number, and moving location details.
Service data such as booking information, property access notes, moving requirements, inventory details, and service preferences.
Payment data such as payment status, transaction references, and billing records. We do not store full card details unless necessary and securely processed through a payment provider.
Communication data including messages, call notes, complaints, and customer service correspondence.
Technical data where relevant, such as device or browser information if you interact with our digital systems.
Usage and operational data such as service history, scheduling records, and internal job tracking information.

We generally collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, complete forms, communicate with us, or use our services. We may also receive data from third parties where necessary to deliver a service, such as landlords, estate agents, property managers, or business clients acting on your behalf.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and confirm bookings.
To plan and carry out moving, transport, loading, and related services.
To communicate with you about appointments, changes, or service updates.
To manage payments, invoices, and financial records.
To respond to enquiries, feedback, or complaints.
To maintain internal records and improve our services.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To prevent fraud, misuse, and other unlawful activity.

We process only the data that is relevant and proportionate to the purpose for which it was collected. We do not use your personal data for unrelated purposes without a lawful basis.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. We rely on the following lawful bases:

a) Contract

We process your personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations, arranging collections and deliveries, managing bookings, and completing services you have requested.

b) Legal Obligation

We process certain information where we are required to do so by law, including for accounting, tax, record-keeping, insurance, and regulatory purposes.

c) Legitimate Interests

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

d) Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where specific optional communications or certain types of data use require it. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or service providers on our behalf. These parties only process data under our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately. Examples may include:

IT and cloud service providers that support our systems, email, data storage, and backups.
Payment processors that handle secure payment transactions.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial administration and tax compliance.
Scheduling or operational software providers that help manage bookings and job records.
Professional advisers such as legal, insurance, or audit advisers where needed.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or request from a lawful authority. In addition, data may be shared with third parties involved in the service, such as a client’s authorised representative, only when necessary and appropriate.

We do not sell your personal data. Any third party that processes data for us must follow contractual obligations regarding confidentiality, security, and lawful handling.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the context in which it was collected.

Quotation and booking data: retained for a reasonable period to manage service history and follow-up, unless a longer period is required.
Invoice and payment records: retained in line with tax and accounting requirements.
Customer correspondence: retained for as long as needed to resolve enquiries, complaints, or disputes.
Operational records: retained for business administration, audit, and service quality purposes.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention procedures. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

7. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and restricted sharing with processors. While no system is completely secure, we take data protection seriously and review our safeguards regularly.

8. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exceptions, these include:

Right of access — to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure — to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction — to ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability — to request a copy of 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.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to raise any concerns directly so we can try to resolve them first.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is stored or processed outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it in accordance with data protection law. This may include the use of approved contractual protections or adequacy arrangements where applicable.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business or household customers arranging removals or transport services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and provided by an authorised adult.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business operations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

12. Summary of Key Points

In summary, Man And A Van Stjohnswood collects only the personal data needed to provide services, manage bookings, process payments, and meet legal obligations. We rely on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and, where needed, consent. We retain data only as long as necessary, share it only with trusted processors or where legally required, and respect your rights under data protection law.

We are committed to treating your information with care, fairness, and respect.