Privacy Policy - Man With Van Richmond Upon Thames

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Richmond Upon Thames collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal, transport, packing, loading, unloading, and related services. It applies to all Man With Van Richmond Upon Thames customers in area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and businesses using our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to anyone who:

requests a quote or booking;
communicates with us by phone, email, or online forms;
uses our moving, packing, storage coordination, or delivery services;
is named on a booking, inventory, invoice, or delivery instruction;
visits our premises, if applicable, or interacts with our staff during a move.

By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process your personal data as described in this policy. Where you provide us with information about another person, you confirm that you have authority to do so and that they understand how their information will be used.

2. Data we collect

We collect only the information needed to deliver our services, manage customer relationships, comply with legal obligations, and improve our operations. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity details: name, title, and, where necessary, company name or job title.
Contact details: address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details: moving date, collection and delivery addresses, property access notes, inventory details, special handling requirements, and service preferences.
Billing and payment information: invoice details, payment status, and limited transaction records. We do not store more payment information than is necessary.
Communications: messages, call notes, complaints, estimates, feedback, and correspondence relating to your booking.
Technical data: basic website or device information if you submit forms or interact with digital services, such as IP address or browser type, where applicable.
Proof and verification data: documents or details required to confirm identity, authority, access rights, or delivery instructions, where needed.
Special category data: we do not generally seek sensitive personal data. If such information is provided incidentally, for example within access instructions or notes, it will be handled carefully and only where necessary.

We do not intentionally collect information that is unnecessary for a moving service. Please avoid sharing sensitive information unless it is required for the service to be delivered safely and correctly.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes and manage bookings;
to plan and complete removals, deliveries, and related services;
to communicate about scheduling, access, delays, and service changes;
to prepare invoices, process payments, and manage accounts;
to respond to enquiries, feedback, and complaints;
to maintain records for business, audit, and legal purposes;
to protect our staff, customers, property, and operations;
to improve our services, training, and internal processes;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and that this is lawful.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We process personal data only when we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases may include:

Contract: where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform our contract with you.
Legal obligation: where we must keep records or provide information to comply with tax, accounting, transport, employment, insurance, or other legal duties.
Legitimate interests: where processing is needed for our legitimate business interests, such as managing operations, preventing fraud, keeping records, improving services, and handling customer queries, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Consent: where we rely on your permission for specific optional activities, such as certain marketing communications, if applicable. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Where special category data is processed exceptionally, we will identify a specific condition under Article 9 of UK GDPR and ensure additional safeguards are in place.

5. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for our business operations and service delivery. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

IT and cloud service providers that host data, store files, or support communications systems;
accounting and invoicing providers that assist with bookkeeping and financial management;
payment service providers that process customer payments securely;
customer relationship management tools used to manage bookings and enquiries;
communications providers that support email, telephone, or messaging services;
professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary;
subcontractors or operational partners involved in delivery of the service, when needed to complete a move.

We require processors to act only on our instructions, to use appropriate security measures, and to keep personal data confidential. Where data is shared with independent controllers, such as HMRC, insurers, or law enforcement, that sharing will be limited to what is necessary and lawful.

We do not sell personal data. We do not transfer personal data outside the UK unless appropriate safeguards are in place and the transfer is compliant with applicable data protection law.

6. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the reason for holding it.

In general:

booking and service records are kept for the period needed to manage the service and deal with any follow-up issues;
invoices and financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaints and dispute records may be retained longer where needed to resolve claims or defend legal rights;
marketing consent records are kept while consent remains valid or until you opt out;
technical and operational logs are retained for a limited period for security and troubleshooting.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

7. Security of your data

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff training, and limiting data access to those who need it for their role.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a personal data breach occurs and we are legally required to do so, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals without undue delay.

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or exceptions, depending on the circumstances.

Your rights may include:

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 personal data in certain cases.
Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you can ask for certain data to be provided in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
Right to complain: you may raise concerns with the UK data protection supervisory authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To exercise your rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

9. Marketing preferences

If we send optional marketing communications, we will do so only where permitted by law. You may opt out at any time. We will respect your choice and stop sending marketing messages where required. Service-related messages, such as booking confirmations, invoices, or essential operational updates, are not marketing and may still be sent where necessary.

10. Children’s data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary as part of a household move or similar service arrangement. Where such data is included, we expect the relevant adult customer to ensure that providing it is appropriate and lawful.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

12. Summary of our commitments

Man With Van Richmond Upon Thames is committed to processing personal data lawfully, securely, and transparently. We collect only what is needed to provide moving services, use lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent where appropriate, retain data only for necessary periods, and work with processors that are bound by data protection obligations. We also respect your rights and aim to handle every customer’s information with care and accountability.