Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Rotherhithe

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Rotherhithe collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With A Van Rotherhithe customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, makes a booking, receives a moving service, or communicates with us in connection with our 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. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to customers, prospective customers, service users, and other individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our moving and transport services. It also applies where personal data is provided by a customer on behalf of another person, such as a family member, tenant, landlord, business contact, or third party involved in a move.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect data that is relevant and necessary for providing our services, managing customer relationships, and meeting legal obligations. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and, where relevant, the name of a business or organisation.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as moving date, pickup and delivery locations, inventory details, access instructions, and special handling requirements.
Payment-related information such as invoicing details, transaction records, and payment status. We do not store more payment data than is necessary for processing and accounting.
Communication records such as messages, call notes, complaint records, and service feedback.
Technical data where relevant, such as limited website or device information if you contact us through digital channels.
Proof or verification data where needed for fraud prevention, service confirmation, or legal compliance.

We do not intentionally collect special category data, such as information relating to health, religion, or political views, unless you voluntarily provide it and it is necessary for a specific service request. If such information is provided, it will be handled with appropriate safeguards and only where permitted by law.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes, arrange bookings, and deliver moving services;
to communicate with you about your request, booking, or service changes;
to manage planning, scheduling, route coordination, and operational delivery;
to process payments, issue invoices, and maintain financial records;
to handle complaints, service issues, and customer support matters;
to protect our business from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
to comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, quality standards, and internal processes.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so or are required by law.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only where a lawful basis under UK GDPR applies. Depending on the circumstances, the lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract: processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform our contract with you.
Legal obligation: processing is necessary to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, or other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests: processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as running our services efficiently, preventing fraud, managing customer records, and improving service quality, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Consent: in limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for specific optional communications or the handling of certain sensitive information.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we assess whether the processing is proportionate and necessary, and we balance our interests against your privacy rights. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Sharing your data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us operate our services. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our instructions, or as separate controllers when they determine their own purposes. We only share data where necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards.

Typical processors and recipients may include:

IT and cloud service providers that store or support customer records;
accounting, invoicing, and bookkeeping service providers;
payment service providers and banks;
customer communication platforms or telephone service providers;
subcontracted movers or logistics partners assisting with a booking;
professional advisers such as insurers, lawyers, or auditors;
public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where disclosure is legally required.

All processors are required to protect personal data, act only on our instructions where applicable, and implement suitable technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the context in which it was collected.

Typical retention approach

Quote and enquiry records are usually kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends, unless needed for follow-up or legal reasons.
Booking and service records are generally retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained in line with statutory obligations.
Complaint and dispute records may be retained longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.

When personal data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or destroyed. If data is anonymised so that individuals can no longer be identified, it is no longer treated as personal data.

7. Data security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and appropriate technical safeguards.

Although we take data protection seriously, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to reduce risks and respond promptly to any suspected breach.

8. Your rights under data protection law

Under UK GDPR, you have certain rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply in different situations, subject to legal exceptions and limitations.

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 data.
Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: you can request that we limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you can request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format where legally applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

9. Children’s data

Our services are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a service arrangement and provided by an adult with appropriate authority. Where children’s data is involved, we handle it with care and only for the limited purposes required.

10. International transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect it. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent lawful transfer mechanisms. We only transfer data where appropriate and necessary for service delivery or business operations.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. 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 data is used.

12. Summary

Man With A Van Rotherhithe collects only the personal data needed to provide moving services, communicate with customers, and meet legal duties. We rely on contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and sometimes consent as our lawful bases. Data is retained only as long as necessary, shared with trusted processors under safeguards, and protected using reasonable security measures. Customers have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object, and port their data where applicable.