Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Stockwell

Man And A Van Stockwell is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Stockwell area and surrounding local service area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you request a quote, make a booking, receive a service, or otherwise interact with us. It applies to all Man And A Van Stockwell customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business customers who use our removal and transport services.

This policy is designed to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. It sets out the information we handle, the reasons we process it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to you.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our relationship with you, and meeting our legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where needed, business name.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service details including requested dates, delivery or collection locations, inventory details, property access information, and any special handling instructions.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records. We do not retain full card details if payment is processed securely by a third-party payment provider.
Communication records including emails, text messages, call notes, complaints, and service updates.
Technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, IP address, and usage logs, where applicable.
Documentation for claims or disputes such as photographs, delivery notes, signed forms, or correspondence relevant to a service issue.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for the service, for example, accessibility information. If you do provide sensitive information, we treat it with extra care and limit its use strictly to what is needed.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data only for specific and legitimate purposes. These may include:

Providing quotations and confirming bookings.
Planning, carrying out, and completing removal or transport services.
Communicating about your booking, delays, access requirements, or changes to service details.
Processing payments, issuing invoices, and maintaining financial records.
Handling customer support requests, complaints, and claims.
Maintaining internal records and service quality controls.
Meeting tax, accounting, insurance, and legal obligations.
Preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. We do not sell personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing a quote at your request, confirming a booking, and delivering the service you have asked us to provide.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process information where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include service improvement, internal administration, fraud prevention, and responding to enquiries or complaints.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you have asked us to send optional marketing messages or where you provide information that is not strictly necessary for the contract. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

4. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy and in line with legal and operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Booking and customer records are typically retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards to deal with queries, complaints, or repeat bookings.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Complaint and claims records may be retained longer where needed to defend legal claims, resolve disputes, or meet insurance requirements.
Marketing records are retained until you opt out or withdraw consent, where applicable.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention procedures.

5. Processors and Data Sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. These parties only receive the information necessary to perform their services and are required to protect it appropriately.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processors that securely handle card or online payments.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing and financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers that host or support secure systems, email, or data storage.
Customer communication tools used to manage bookings, notifications, or service updates.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or auditors when required.

We may also disclose information where necessary to comply with the law, enforce our terms, protect our rights, or respond to lawful requests from public authorities.

Where processors are used, we take steps to ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place and that data is processed only in accordance with our instructions.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, limited staff access, and regular review of data handling practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have important rights under data protection law. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these include the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erase your data in certain circumstances.
Restrict how we use your data in certain cases.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability for information you provided to us in certain situations.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your data is handled. If you believe your rights have been violated, you may complain to the relevant data protection authority. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging transport or removal services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to providing a service requested by an adult, for example, when household details are included in a booking. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

9. International Transfers

Where any of our processors or service providers store or access data outside the United Kingdom, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect that information in accordance with applicable data protection law. These safeguards may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal protections.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our business operations. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

11. Summary of Key Points

Man And A Van Stockwell collects only the personal data needed to provide bookings, transport services, payment handling, and customer support. We process information on the lawful bases of contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and, in limited cases, consent. Data is retained only for as long as necessary, shared only with trusted processors and authorities where required, and protected using appropriate security measures. You have rights over your personal data, including access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, and withdrawal of consent where applicable.

Last updated: This Privacy Policy applies to all customers of Man And A Van Stockwell in the area and is intended to provide clear, fair, and lawful information about our data practices.