Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Southkensington

Man And A Van Southkensington is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the South Kensington area and the surrounding local service area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Man And A Van Southkensington customers in area, including individuals who request quotations, book services, receive moving assistance, or communicate with us in relation to our services.

We believe that privacy should be handled transparently and responsibly. This policy is intended to help you understand what data we process, why we process it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your personal information.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The information we collect is limited to what is necessary for providing moving, transport, and related services.

Information you provide directly

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as phone number and email address.
Service details including pickup and delivery addresses, moving dates, property access notes, item descriptions, and special handling requirements.
Billing and payment information where needed to process transactions or issue invoices.
Communication records such as messages, phone call notes, complaints, feedback, and service requests.
Identity or verification details where necessary for fraud prevention, contract administration, or lawful business operations.

Information collected automatically

When you interact with us by phone, email, or online channels, we may also collect limited technical or usage data. This can include:

Device and browser information.
Approximate location information based on service area and enquiry details.
Log data relating to communications or booking activity.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily, or unless we are otherwise permitted by law. If you choose to disclose sensitive information to help with your move, we will only use it where needed and with appropriate safeguards.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data to operate our services efficiently, fulfil obligations to customers, and comply with legal requirements. The main purposes include:

Providing quotes and responding to enquiries.
Planning and delivering removals, van hire, loading, unloading, and related services.
Managing bookings, scheduling, route planning, and job administration.
Issuing invoices, processing payments, and handling refunds where applicable.
Communicating service updates, changes, and confirmations.
Maintaining records for customer service, dispute resolution, and internal reporting.
Protecting against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.
Complying with tax, accounting, transport, and other legal obligations.

We only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a compatible and lawful reason exists to use it for another purpose.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations at your request, arranging a move, completing the service, and managing associated payments.

Legal obligation

We may process information to comply with legal obligations such as tax records, accounting requirements, fraud prevention, or regulatory duties.

Legitimate interests

We may process certain data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests. Examples include service improvement, record keeping, customer support, operational planning, and security monitoring.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you have asked us to use optional information or agree to a specific form of communication. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests and public interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in ordinary customer service activity, but may be relevant in exceptional circumstances where safety or legal necessity arises.

4. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Quotation and enquiry data may be retained for a reasonable period to manage follow-up queries, service continuity, and business records.
Booking and transaction records are usually retained for the duration needed to complete the contract and for a further period required by law.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required under tax and accounting rules.
Customer correspondence and complaint records may be retained to resolve disputes and improve service quality.
Security or incident-related records may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to investigate or defend claims.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete it, anonymise it, or otherwise ensure it is disposed of in a safe manner.

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or who independently use data for their own legal purposes. We only share data when necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers who handle card or electronic payment processing.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers who support data storage, communication tools, and system maintenance.
Customer management or scheduling tools used to organise bookings and service delivery.
Professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, or auditors where necessary.

Where we use processors, they are required to process personal data only on our instructions, maintain confidentiality, and apply appropriate security measures. We do not sell personal data.

In limited situations, personal data may be disclosed to public authorities, courts, regulators, or law enforcement where required by law or to protect our legal rights.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage practices, staff awareness, and regular review of business systems.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to reduce risks and to handle personal data responsibly. We also expect any processors we work with to maintain strong security standards.

7. International Transfers

If any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. Such safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual protections, or other lawful mechanisms recognised under data protection law.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing.

Right of access – you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – in certain cases, you can ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit processing in specific situations.
Right to data portability – you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing where relevant.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your data has been handled incorrectly. We encourage customers to contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service-related changes. Any updates will take effect when published, and we recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data. The latest version will always apply to the processing of personal data collected from customers in the South Kensington area and surrounding service region.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And A Van Southkensington processes personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only the information needed to provide our moving and transport services, use it for legitimate and specified purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and share it only with suitable processors or when legally required. We respect your rights and aim to handle all customer data with care, confidentiality, and accountability.