Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Shoreditch

Man And A Van Shoreditch is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Shoreditch 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. This policy applies to all Man And A Van Shoreditch customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request or use our moving, delivery, transport, packing, or related services.

We aim to handle personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. We only collect data that is necessary for our legitimate business activities and for delivering services safely and efficiently.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and which services you request. The categories of data may include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number and email address.
Address details including collection and delivery locations, billing address, and access notes.
Service information such as booking date, job requirements, item descriptions, and moving instructions.
Payment and transaction information where needed to process invoices, payments, refunds, and account records.
Communication records including emails, calls, messages, complaint details, and service feedback.
Technical data if you interact with digital systems we may use, such as device type, browser type, and basic usage data.
Special category data only where you choose to provide it and it is necessary for a service request, such as accessibility requirements or health-related access considerations.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary information. If you provide data about third parties, such as a recipient’s name or access instructions, you are responsible for ensuring you have the right to share it with us.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for specific purposes related to our business operations and customer service. These purposes include:

Arranging, confirming, and carrying out moving or transport services.
Communicating with customers about bookings, schedules, changes, and service updates.
Preparing quotations, invoices, and payment records.
Managing customer accounts and internal records.
Handling complaints, claims, and service disputes.
Improving service quality, planning routes, and managing workloads.
Meeting legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations.
Protecting our business, staff, vehicles, and property from fraud or misuse.

We will never use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with those listed above unless we have a valid legal basis or your consent where required.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide a quote, make a booking, manage a move, deliver goods, or complete a service requested by you.

Legal Obligation

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

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This includes improving our services, handling customer enquiries, preventing fraud, and maintaining security.

Consent

Where required, we will ask for your consent before processing certain types of data, such as optional marketing communications or some special category information. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing already carried out lawfully.

Vital Interests

In rare cases, we may process personal information to protect someone’s vital interests, for example in an emergency affecting health or safety.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We only share information when necessary and only with appropriate safeguards in place.

Typical processors and recipients may include:

Payment processors that help us accept and manage payments securely.
Accounting and invoicing providers that support financial record keeping and tax compliance.
IT and data storage providers that support secure systems, email services, and document storage.
Operational partners or subcontractors where needed to complete a service request efficiently.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where a claim, incident, or complaint requires review.
Legal and regulatory bodies where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect our rights.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely, use it only for authorised purposes, and protect it from unauthorised access, alteration, or loss. We do not sell personal data.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary according to the type of information and the reason for processing.

As a general approach:

Booking and service records are retained for a reasonable period to manage queries, complaints, and business records.
Financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required by law.
Correspondence and complaint records may be kept for as long as needed to resolve issues and protect our legal position.
Data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of.

Where retention is based on legitimate business needs or legal requirements, we will not keep data longer than necessary. If data is anonymised so that it can no longer identify you, it is no longer considered personal data and may be retained for analytics or service improvement.

6. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and careful management of shared information.

Although we take reasonable steps to safeguard data, no system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and there is a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will respond in line with applicable legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

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

Right of access – you can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and receive a copy of it.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit the way we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can request transfer of data you provided, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

8. Third-Party Data and Shared Information

Sometimes you may provide us with information about another person, such as a family member, neighbour, business contact, or delivery recipient. In such cases, you should ensure that the person understands their data may be shared with us for service-related purposes. We will process such information only as necessary and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it in accordance with applicable law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual protections, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. Any updates will take effect when published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

11. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all Man And A Van Shoreditch customers in the area, whether they contact us for a one-off move, recurring transport assistance, business relocation support, or related service enquiries. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be collected and processed in the ways described above.

We are committed to respecting privacy and maintaining a lawful, secure, and transparent approach to data handling. Our goal is to ensure that every customer’s personal information is treated with care, used responsibly, and retained only as long as necessary.