Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Finchley

Man And A Van Finchley is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers, prospective customers, and website or service users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and safeguard personal information in connection with our removals, transport, delivery, and related moving services. This policy applies to all Man And A Van Finchley customers in the area, including anyone who enquires about, books, or receives our services.

We aim to handle personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Please read this policy carefully to understand what information we collect, why we use it, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over it.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and the services you request. The information we collect is generally limited to what is necessary to provide our services safely and effectively.

Information you provide directly

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact information such as phone number and email address.
Service details including pickup and delivery addresses, access requirements, moving dates, item lists, and special handling instructions.
Billing and payment information such as invoicing details, transaction records, and payment confirmation.
Communications you send to us, including enquiry forms, messages, complaints, and feedback.

Information collected automatically

Technical information such as IP address, device type, browser type, and basic usage data if you interact with our digital systems.
Service interaction data such as appointment history, quote requests, and records of completed jobs.

Information from third parties

In some cases, we may receive information from third parties acting on your behalf, such as landlords, letting agents, employers, property managers, or payment providers, where this is necessary to arrange or complete a booking. We only collect such information where it is relevant to the service.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotes.
To manage bookings and deliver moving services.
To plan routes, schedules, and vehicle requirements.
To communicate service updates, delays, or changes.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests.
To maintain internal records, quality control, and service improvement.
To meet legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your information where there is a valid legal reason to do so. We do not sell personal data, and we do not use it for unrelated purposes incompatible with the original reason for collection.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract – when processing is necessary to provide a quote, take steps before entering into a contract, or perform a service you have requested.
Legal obligation – when we must retain or disclose data to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, or other statutory requirements.
Legitimate interests – when processing is necessary for our business operations, such as managing bookings, improving services, keeping records, and protecting against fraud, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent – where required by law for certain optional communications or specific types of data use. You may withdraw consent at any time if we rely on it.

Where we process special category data, if ever required in exceptional circumstances, we will do so only where an additional condition under data protection law applies and where it is necessary for the relevant purpose.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, but only where necessary and only under appropriate safeguards. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide.

Common categories of processors

IT and cloud service providers that help store, secure, or manage data.
Accounting and invoicing providers that assist with record-keeping and financial administration.
Payment processors that handle card or electronic transactions.
Customer communication tools that support booking confirmations or service updates.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where required for incident management.
Professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, legal advisers, or consultants.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our rights, staff, customers, or property. If a third party receives your data, they are expected to use it only for the specific service they provide and to keep it secure.

Strong safeguards are applied when we select processors, including review of security practices, limited access rights, and contractual commitments to process data only on our instructions where appropriate.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods depend on the type of record and the legal or operational need for keeping it.

Quotation and enquiry records are typically kept for a limited period to manage follow-up, service planning, and business records.
Booking and service records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards to address queries or disputes.
Invoice, accounting, and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Claims, complaints, and incident records may be retained longer where necessary to defend legal claims or manage insurance matters.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived in a controlled manner. We do not retain personal data indefinitely.

6. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in full or in part depending on the circumstances and any legal exemptions.

Your 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 data.
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, where applicable.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format or ask for it to be transferred, where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits set by law unless an extension is permitted due to complexity or the number of requests.

7. Security of Your Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and data minimisation practices.

Although no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we regularly review our safeguards to reduce risks and protect customer information as effectively as possible.

8. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate protection is in place, such as recognised adequacy arrangements or standard contractual safeguards, where required by law. Any transfer will be limited to what is necessary for the relevant service or processing activity.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operational practices, or the services we provide. Any revised version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

In summary, Man And A Van Finchley only collects personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing moving and transport services, managing administration, and meeting legal duties. We process data under clear lawful bases, keep it only as long as needed, share it only with appropriate processors or where legally required, and respect the rights of all customers in the area.

Our approach is designed to be transparent, secure, and compliant with applicable UK data protection law.