Privacy Policy - Man And A Van South Kensington

Man And A Van South Kensington is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when we provide removals, transport, packing, and related services to customers in South Kensington and the surrounding area. This policy applies to all Man And A Van South Kensington customers in area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services.

We aim to handle personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process your data as described in this policy.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to deliver our services effectively, safely, and in a professional manner. Depending on the nature of the job, we may collect the following categories of personal data:

• Identity information such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
• Contact information such as phone number, email address, and service address.
• Service details including the type of move, property access information, delivery instructions, inventory notes, and preferred dates and times.
• Billing and payment information such as payment status, transaction references, and invoicing details.
• Communication records such as emails, text messages, phone notes, and booking correspondence.
• Operational information such as parking restrictions, stair access, item descriptions, and special handling requirements.
• Technical information if you use digital communication channels, such as limited device or usage data generated by our systems.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided voluntarily and is necessary for a particular service arrangement, such as accessibility requirements. If such information is provided, we will handle it with additional care and only for the specific purpose for which it was shared.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to manage our services efficiently and to meet our legal and operational responsibilities. The main purposes for processing include:

• responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
• confirming bookings and arranging service delivery;
• planning routes, access, staffing, and vehicle allocation;
• communicating with you before, during, and after a move;
• issuing invoices and handling payments;
• managing complaints, disputes, or claims;
• maintaining internal records and service quality;
• meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
• preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and such use is permitted by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process your data when it is necessary to provide a quotation, carry out a removal, deliver goods, manage a booking, or otherwise perform our contractual obligations to you. Without certain information, we may be unable to provide the service.

Legitimate Interests

We may process your data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This can include service planning, record keeping, customer support, fraud prevention, business improvement, and maintaining operational security.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain data where required to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, insurance, regulatory, and record-keeping obligations.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, particularly where processing is optional and not essential to the service. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We do not sell personal data. However, we may share information with trusted third parties when necessary to operate our business and provide services. These third parties act as data processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the relationship.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

• payment service providers;
• accounting and bookkeeping systems;
• email and communication platforms;
• customer record and booking management systems;
• IT hosting, security, and data backup providers;
• professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors;
• subcontracted movers or drivers where necessary to complete a job;
• public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where legally required.

Where we use processors, they are required to protect personal data, act only on our instructions, and implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party handling your data does so securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

In general, we may retain:

• booking and service records for a period needed to manage the customer relationship and handle follow-up matters;
• financial and invoice records for the period required by tax and accounting law;
• communication records for a reasonable time to support customer service, dispute resolution, and quality assurance;
• claim or complaint records for as long as necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer be linked to an identifiable individual.

6. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exceptions, but we will always review requests carefully and respond appropriately.

Right of Access

You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and obtain information about how we process it.

Right to Rectification

If any personal data we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you may ask us to correct or update it.

Right to Erasure

In some circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data. This right does not apply where we must retain data for legal, contractual, or legitimate business reasons.

Right to Restrict Processing

You may ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain situations, such as while we verify accuracy or review an objection.

Right to Data Portability

Where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.

Right to Object

You may object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interests, including certain types of profiling or direct marketing where applicable.

Right to Withdraw Consent

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect processing already completed lawfully.

Right to Complain

If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, you may raise the matter with us. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

7. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate safeguards to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited data sharing on a need-to-know basis. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and protect your information.

8. International Transfers

Where data processors or service providers store or access data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable law.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or the way we operate. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

We only collect personal information needed to provide moving and related services in South Kensington and nearby areas. We use it lawfully, retain it for no longer than necessary, share it only with trusted processors or when required by law, and respect your rights at every stage. Man And A Van South Kensington is committed to treating your data responsibly, securely, and transparently.