Privacy Policy - Man With Van Hampstead

Man With Van Hampstead is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. 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. It applies to all Man With Van Hampstead customers in the area, including individuals and businesses that enquire about, book, or receive our moving and transport services.

By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review it carefully so you can understand what personal data we process, why we process it, and what rights you have in relation to that data.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing bookings, communicating with customers, and meeting legal and operational obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, company name.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking details including service dates, collection and delivery locations, inventory information, and access requirements.
Payment-related information such as invoicing details and transaction records. We do not store full card details where payments are handled by secure third-party providers.
Communication records including emails, phone call notes, messages, complaints, and customer service correspondence.
Technical information if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address, browser type, and basic device data where applicable.
Special instructions you provide for safe handling, fragile items, parking access, or property entry arrangements.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data unless it is clearly necessary for a service, required by law, or provided voluntarily by you. If such information is ever needed, we will process it with additional care and only where permitted under data protection law.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We process personal data for specific, legitimate, and lawful purposes. These include:

responding to enquiries and preparing quotes;
confirming and managing bookings;
planning and delivering moving and transport services;
communicating updates about your service;
issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining financial records;
handling customer service requests, complaints, and claims;
maintaining internal records, operational planning, and service quality;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
preventing fraud, misuse, and unauthorised access;
improving our services and understanding customer needs.

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 such use is permitted by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. We rely on the following legal bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, organising collection and delivery, and fulfilling moving services.

Legal Obligation

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

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, fraud prevention, internal reporting, and improving our operations.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you agree to certain types of optional communication. You can withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process personal data where it is necessary to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it only when necessary and only with trusted third parties that help us operate our business. These may include:

Payment processors that securely handle card or online payments;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers supporting our financial records and tax compliance;
IT and cloud storage providers that host systems, emails, or business software;
Communication service providers used for email, telephone, or messaging services;
Insurance providers and claims handlers where a claim or incident must be assessed;
Subcontractors or logistics partners assisting with service delivery where required;
Professional advisers such as legal or financial advisers;
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or a lawful request.

Where we use third parties to process personal data on our behalf, they act as processors and are bound by written contracts requiring them to protect your data, process it only on our instructions, and use appropriate security measures. We take reasonable steps to ensure that all processors meet applicable data protection standards.

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal protections, as required by law.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

In general:

customer booking and service records are retained for a period necessary to manage the service and resolve any disputes;
financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
communication records may be kept for a reasonable time to manage customer support and complaints;
certain data may be retained longer if required for insurance, legal claims, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance.

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

6. How We Protect Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our systems and procedures.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no system can be completely secure. You should therefore take care when sharing information with us and let us know promptly if you believe any of your data may have been compromised.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these 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 - in some cases, you can request deletion of your data.
Right to restrict processing - you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability - you can request transfer of certain data to you or another controller.
Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how we handle your personal data. If you believe your rights have been infringed, you may contact the relevant data protection authority in the UK. We would appreciate the opportunity to resolve any issue directly with you first.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use a website or digital booking platform, we may use cookies or similar technologies to support functionality, measure performance, and improve user experience. Where required, we will provide appropriate notice and choice regarding non-essential cookies. Any such technologies will be used in line with applicable law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in the context of a service request and provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or how we handle personal data. Any updates will take effect when published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed.

11. Contacting Us About Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or want to raise a concern about how your data is handled, you can contact us through the usual business channels provided at the point of service. We will respond to privacy requests in line with applicable legal requirements.

Summary: Man With Van Hampstead processes customer data lawfully, shares it with secure processors, retains it only as needed, and supports all GDPR rights for customers in the area.