Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Fulham

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And A Van Fulham collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man And A Van Fulham customers in the area, including anyone who requests, receives, or enquires about our moving, delivery, loading, unloading, packing, or related services. We are committed to handling personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purpose of data protection law, Man And A Van Fulham is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. This means we decide why and how your personal information is processed when you use our services or communicate with us. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to ensure that all personal data is processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity data: name, title, and any identifying details you provide when making a booking or enquiry.
Contact data: phone number, email address, and service address details.
Booking and service data: moving dates, property details, service instructions, inventory notes, access details, and any special handling requirements.
Payment data: billing information, payment confirmation, and transaction records. We do not store more payment data than is necessary.
Communication data: messages, calls, emails, and any feedback or complaints you send to us.
Technical and usage data: limited information such as device details, browser type, and service interaction data if collected through digital systems used to manage bookings or communications.
Special category data: generally, we do not seek to collect sensitive personal data. If such data is accidentally provided, it will only be processed where a lawful basis exists and where it is necessary and appropriate to do so.

We collect only the data needed to deliver our services safely and efficiently. Where possible, we keep personal data to the minimum required.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may obtain personal data directly from you when you:

request a quotation or booking;
contact us by phone, email, or other communication methods;
provide delivery or access instructions;
make payments or confirm services;
submit feedback, a query, or a complaint.

We may also receive data from third parties where appropriate, such as payment providers, service partners, or individuals authorised to arrange services on your behalf.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when permitted by law. The main lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract: processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, including providing quotes, booking services, carrying out removals, and managing payments.
Legal obligation: processing is necessary to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as record-keeping, tax, or accounting duties.
Legitimate interests: processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service administration, internal quality control, fraud prevention, and responding to customer enquiries.
Consent: where required, we may rely on your consent for specific processing activities. If we do, you can withdraw consent at any time.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so and provide suitable notice where required.

5. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data to:

provide and manage our services;
respond to enquiries and prepare quotes;
schedule, deliver, and complete bookings;
communicate service updates and important notices;
process invoices and payments;
maintain business records;
handle complaints, disputes, and claims;
improve the quality and efficiency of our services;
protect against unlawful activity or misuse of services.

We may also use aggregated or anonymised information for operational analysis, provided it no longer identifies you.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. These parties only handle data where necessary and are required to protect it appropriately. Examples include:

Payment processors: to process transactions and manage billing.
IT and cloud service providers: to store data, manage systems, and support secure communications.
Administration and booking tools: to help organise customer records, scheduling, and service delivery.
Professional advisers: such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary for business, compliance, or dispute resolution purposes.
Regulators or public authorities: where disclosure is required by law or to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where a processor is used, we ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place. We do not sell personal data. We do not allow processors to use your information for their own purposes.

International Transfers

If any service provider stores or processes data outside the UK, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual protections or equivalent lawful mechanisms.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it is held. In general:

booking and service records are retained for a period necessary for business administration and dispute handling;
financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required by law;
enquiry data may be kept for a shorter period if no service is booked;
data no longer needed is securely deleted or anonymised.

When retention is no longer required, we aim to dispose of data securely and responsibly.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and system safeguards. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risks and protect the information we hold.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These include:

Right of access: you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: in certain circumstances, you may request deletion of your data.
Right to restrict processing: you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
Right to data portability: you may request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format where this right applies.
Right to withdraw consent: if processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

You will not usually have to pay a fee to exercise your rights. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time required by law.

10. Complaints and Further Rights

If you are concerned about the way your personal data has been handled, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly and fairly. Your rights are important, and we will do our best to support you in exercising them.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals or related services. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal data unless it is necessary for a service arrangement and provided appropriately by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data without a lawful basis, we will take steps to delete or safeguard it as required.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our processing practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And A Van Fulham is committed to respecting privacy, keeping data secure, and only using personal information where there is a clear lawful basis. We collect only what is needed, retain it for only as long as necessary, and ensure that any processors we use are subject to appropriate safeguards. This policy applies to all Man And A Van Fulham customers in the area and is designed to give clear, fair, and transparent information about how personal data is managed.