Privacy Policy - Man With Van Haroldwood

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Haroldwood collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With Van Haroldwood customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request, book, or receive moving, transport, delivery, loading, unloading, or related services. We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We respect your privacy and aim to collect only the information needed to provide our services safely, efficiently, and professionally. This policy describes the categories of data we may collect, the reasons for processing it, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep it, the types of processors we may use, and the rights available to you.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process personal data directly from you, from third parties you authorise, or automatically when you contact us or use our services. The exact information collected depends on the nature of your enquiry, booking, and move.

Information you provide to us

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking information including preferred dates, addresses, property access details, and service requirements.
Payment-related information where needed to arrange or confirm payment, though we do not intentionally store full card details unless handled by a secure payment provider.
Special instructions relating to fragile items, parking, access restrictions, or other moving requirements.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and customer service correspondence.

Information collected during service delivery

Move details such as the goods transported, number of items, estimated volume, and logistical information.
On-site notes relevant to service completion, including access issues, delivery confirmations, or damage reports.
Images or documentation where necessary for evidence of condition, instructions, or proof of work completed.

Information collected automatically

Technical data such as device type, browser type, and general usage patterns if you interact with digital systems we use.
Location-related information when needed to organise routes, logistics, and service delivery, but only to the extent necessary.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to provide our services and manage our business responsibly. The main purposes include:

processing enquiries and quotations;
managing bookings and scheduling;
carrying out removals, transport, and related services;
communicating with you about your job, schedule, or requirements;
issuing invoices, handling payments, and maintaining financial records;
dealing with complaints, claims, or disputes;
keeping records for legal, tax, and insurance purposes;
improving service quality, training, and operational efficiency;
meeting regulatory, contractual, and safety obligations.

We will only use your personal data for the purpose for which it was collected unless we reasonably determine that another compatible purpose applies.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out the move, and managing payment and service administration.

Legal obligation

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

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include service improvement, fraud prevention, record keeping, and responding to customer enquiries.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where you choose to receive certain types of optional communications or where additional information is needed beyond the standard service arrangement. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis used.

4. Sharing Your Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information only when necessary and proportionate for running our business and delivering services. This may include sharing with:

Service processors who act on our behalf, such as accounting providers, payment processors, booking or administration systems, IT support, document storage providers, and communication tools;
Insurance providers if a claim, incident, or dispute must be handled;
Professional advisers such as accountants, legal advisers, or auditors;
Regulatory, law enforcement, or public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, property, or safety.

Where processors are used, they are required to handle your data securely and only in accordance with our instructions and applicable law.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the record and the reason it is held.

Quotation and booking data may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up, disputes, and business records.
Invoice and payment records are generally retained for statutory accounting and tax periods.
Service correspondence may be retained where needed to evidence instructions, service delivery, or complaint handling.
Claim or dispute records may be kept for longer where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We do not keep personal data indefinitely.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or misuse. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, and staff awareness practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risks involved.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

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 cases.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit processing in certain situations.
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 also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been breached. We encourage you to raise any concerns so we can address them promptly.

8. Processors and Third-Party Services

We may use trusted processors to support operations. These processors may handle data on our behalf but are not allowed to use it for their own purposes. Typical processors may include:

accounting and bookkeeping providers;
payment and invoicing systems;
cloud storage or document management services;
customer communication and scheduling tools;
IT maintenance and support providers.

We only choose processors that provide suitable safeguards and that are contractually obliged to protect personal data.

9. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will take appropriate steps to ensure your information remains protected. This may include using approved contractual safeguards or relying on adequacy decisions where available.

10. 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 handling practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is used.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With Van Haroldwood is committed to processing personal data in a way that is lawful, transparent, and respectful of your rights. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted parties where required. If you are a customer in the area, this policy applies to your interaction with our services and explains how your information is managed from enquiry through to completion and record retention.

In short: we aim to keep your information secure, use it fairly, and respect your privacy rights at every stage.