Privacy Policy - Man And Van Acton

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Acton collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man And Van Acton customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, book services, communicate with us, or otherwise use our removal and van services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Man And Van Acton is a service provider offering moving, delivery, collection, and related transport services. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal data we collect and process about our customers, prospective customers, and website or service users where applicable.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our business, meeting legal obligations, and improving our operations. The type of information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service information such as moving date, item inventory, collection and delivery locations, access requirements, and service preferences.
Payment information such as transaction records and billing details, although full card information is typically handled securely by payment processors.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaint details.
Technical data where you interact with our digital services, such as IP address, browser type, device information, and usage logs.
Special category data is not usually required. If such data is ever shared with us incidentally, we will process it only where permitted by law and where necessary.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. We encourage customers to avoid sharing unnecessary personal details, especially sensitive information, unless it is essential for the service.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes, schedule services, and complete removals or van transport.
To communicate with you about bookings, arrival times, changes, and service updates.
To process payments, issue invoices, and manage accounts.
To respond to enquiries, feedback, disputes, and complaints.
To maintain internal records, service history, and business administration.
To meet legal and regulatory obligations, including tax and accounting requirements.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.
To improve service quality, operational planning, and customer experience.

We will only use your personal data for a purpose compatible with the reason it was collected, unless we are required or permitted by law to do otherwise.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes handling booking details, service arrangements, and payment processing.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as keeping accounting records, responding to lawful requests, or fulfilling tax requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, business management, record keeping, fraud prevention, and improving services. We always assess this carefully to ensure it is proportionate and respectful of privacy.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is legally required for a particular type of communication or optional processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of earlier processing.

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and deliver services. These parties act as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We only share the minimum information required and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

Processors may include:

Payment providers that securely handle transactions.
IT and cloud service providers that store or support our records and communications.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing and financial reporting.
Customer management or scheduling systems used to organise bookings and service delivery.
Professional advisers such as legal, tax, or insurance advisers when necessary.

We may also disclose data if required by law, to protect our rights or property, to prevent fraud, or to respond to legitimate requests from public authorities.

Where any processor handles data on our behalf, they are required to process it only under our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with applicable data protection obligations.

6. International Transfers

Some service providers may store or process data outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are used, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms. This helps protect your data to a standard consistent with UK GDPR requirements.

7. 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 information and our obligations. In general:

Booking and service records are retained for a reasonable period to manage service history, queries, and disputes.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Communication records may be kept to evidence instructions, resolve complaints, or maintain business records.
Technical logs are retained only as long as needed for security, diagnostics, and operational purposes.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in a controlled manner. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access restrictions, password controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices. However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, so customers should also take care when sharing information.

9. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these rights include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly. Exercising your rights will not usually affect the services we provide, though some requests may limit our ability to complete a booking or maintain required records.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal data unless it is required in connection with a service and provided by an appropriate adult or legal representative. If we learn that we have unintentionally collected data from a child without lawful grounds, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And Van Acton is committed to protecting personal data and using it responsibly. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We respect your rights and aim to process your information in a transparent, secure, and lawful way. This policy applies to all Man And Van Acton customers in the area.