Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Merton

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And A Van Merton collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing services to customers in Merton and the surrounding area. It applies to all Man And A Van Merton customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and businesses that use our moving, transport, collection, delivery, or related services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is intended to help you understand what data we collect, why we process it, the legal reasons we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your information.

1. Who We Are

Man And A Van Merton provides removal and transport services for residential and commercial customers. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the data controller for personal information collected in connection with our services. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed.

We only process personal data where we have a valid legal basis and only to the extent necessary to deliver our services, manage customer relationships, meet legal obligations, and protect our legitimate business interests.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process a range of personal information depending on how you interact with us and which services you request. The data we collect may include:

• Identity information such as your name, title, and business name where applicable.
• Contact information such as your email address, telephone number, and service address.
• Service details including moving dates, item descriptions, access information, delivery instructions, inventory notes, and property details relevant to the job.
• Billing and payment information such as invoicing details, payment status, and transaction references.
• Communication records including emails, messages, notes from calls, and any information you provide when requesting a quote or booking a service.
• Technical data where relevant, such as limited device or usage information if you contact us through digital channels.
• Special category data only if you voluntarily provide it and only where necessary, for example access needs, which may reveal health-related information. We treat this information with extra care and only use it for the specific purpose for which it was provided.

We aim to collect only data that is necessary and relevant. We do not intentionally collect more information than we need.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide quotes, confirm bookings, and arrange moving or transport services.
• To plan, carry out, and manage services safely and efficiently.
• To communicate with you about your booking, updates, delays, or service requirements.
• To issue invoices, process payments, and manage accounting records.
• To maintain internal records, service history, and customer support notes.
• To respond to enquiries, complaints, or claims.
• To improve service quality, staff training, and operational planning.
• To meet legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
• To prevent fraud, misuse, or other unlawful activity.

We will not use your data for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data under one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your information when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, completing moving services, and handling payment arrangements.

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. Examples include improving services, keeping business records, managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, and protecting our property, staff, and clients.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data to comply with laws and regulations, including tax, accounting, health and safety, and insurance requirements.

Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent, for example if you voluntarily provide certain optional information or request specific communications. You may withdraw consent at any time where processing depends on it.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process personal data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as where emergency support is needed during a service.

5. Retention of Personal Data

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 requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

• Customer and booking records are usually kept for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards for administration, queries, or claims.
• Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
• Communication records may be retained for as long as necessary to manage service history, resolve disputes, or demonstrate compliance.
• Operational notes are kept only as long as relevant to service delivery and quality control.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer identify you. We review retention regularly to ensure data is not kept for longer than necessary.

6. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, but only where necessary for our business operations or legal compliance. These may include:

• Payment service providers and banking partners.
• Accounting, bookkeeping, and tax support providers.
• IT and cloud storage providers used to secure business records and communications.
• Scheduling, communications, or administration tools used to manage bookings.
• Insurance providers, legal advisers, or dispute resolution services where required.
• Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities when disclosure is legally required.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely, use it only for specified purposes, and comply with applicable data protection obligations. We do not sell personal data.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and restricted use of data to authorised personnel only.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risk and review our safeguards regularly. If a personal data incident occurs and it is required by law, we will take appropriate steps to assess, contain, and report it.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These may include:

• The right of access to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
• The right to restrict processing where certain conditions apply.
• The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• The right to data portability for data processed by automated means and based on consent or contract, where applicable.
• The right to withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your information has been mishandled. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults or for those acting on behalf of an adult customer. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental and necessary for service delivery, for example where family household details are relevant to a booking. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without a valid reason, 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 our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

11. Summary of Our Commitments

In summary, Man And A Van Merton is committed to processing personal data lawfully, securely, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We respect your rights and aim to make our handling of personal information straightforward and responsible.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Man And A Van Merton customers in the area. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal information may be processed in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection laws.