Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Chiswick

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Chiswick collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With A Van Chiswick customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, book services, receive removals or transport support, or otherwise interact with our business. 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.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only process data when we have a valid legal basis and only to the extent necessary for the purpose concerned. We also aim to keep all information accurate, secure, and retained only for as long as needed.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with us and which services you request. The categories of personal data may include:

Identity data such as your name and title.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service data including details of the moving, collection, delivery, or transport request, property access information, inventory descriptions, and scheduling preferences.
Billing and payment data such as invoice details and transaction records.
Communication data including messages, enquiries, complaints, and feedback.
Technical data where applicable, such as device or browser-related information if you contact us through digital channels.
Operational data such as job notes, route details, and records needed to complete the service safely and efficiently.

We may also receive information from third parties where necessary for service delivery, for example from a person acting on your behalf, a business customer, or a payment provider. We will only use that information where we are permitted to do so under data protection law.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for legitimate business and legal purposes connected with our services. These purposes include:

providing quotes and managing bookings;
planning and carrying out removals and transport work;
communicating with customers about bookings, arrival times, or service changes;
issuing invoices, managing payments, and keeping accounting records;
handling queries, complaints, and service-related disputes;
maintaining operational records and service quality;
meeting legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or other unlawful activity;
improving our processes, planning, and customer service standards.

We do not sell personal data. We do not use customer information for unrelated purposes without informing you and, where required, obtaining appropriate consent.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases:

a) Contract

We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, scheduling work, completing the service, and managing related administration.

b) Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with accounting, tax, insurance, safety, and other legal requirements.

c) Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include service planning, business record keeping, improving our operations, responding to customer queries, and preventing fraud or misuse.

d) Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on consent, for example where it is appropriate for optional communications or specific processing not covered by another lawful basis. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We carefully assess each processing activity to ensure the chosen legal basis is appropriate and documented.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services or meet legal requirements. These third parties may act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Typical processors and service providers may include:

payment processing providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
IT support and data storage providers;
communication and email service providers;
insurance-related service providers where required for claims or risk management;
subcontractors or operational partners assisting with service delivery;
professional advisers such as legal or tax advisers.

Where we use processors, they are required to act only on our instructions, keep data confidential, implement appropriate security measures, and comply with data protection law. We do not authorise processors to use your personal data for their own independent purposes.

We may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement bodies where required or permitted by law.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods depend on the type of record and the reason for processing.

In general:

quotation and enquiry records are kept for a limited period unless they become part of an active customer relationship;
booking and service records are kept for the duration needed to manage the contract and any follow-up issues;
invoice, payment, and accounting records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaints, dispute records, or claim-related records are retained for as long as reasonably necessary to resolve them and defend legal claims;
records held under legal obligation may be kept for the statutory period required.

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

6. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, confidentiality obligations, staff awareness, and safe disposal procedures.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no system can be completely secure. Where we rely on third-party processors, we take steps to ensure they apply suitable security standards.

7. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the legal basis for processing and the circumstances of your request.

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 personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – to receive certain information in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing, where relevant.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns quickly and fairly.

8. Data Accuracy and Your Responsibilities

We aim to keep personal data accurate and up to date. To help us do this, please inform us of any changes to your contact details, address, access arrangements, or service instructions. Accurate information is especially important for scheduling, safety, and service delivery.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place as required by law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, practice, or our services. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing it periodically to stay informed about how we process personal data.

11. Summary of Our Approach

Man With A Van Chiswick is committed to respectful, lawful, and transparent data handling. We collect only the information needed to provide our services, rely on appropriate lawful bases, use vetted processors where necessary, and keep records only for as long as required. We also recognise and support your rights under data protection law.

This policy is intended to ensure that all customers in the area understand how their personal data is managed and protected. If a processing activity is not covered here, we will handle it in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and the principles of fairness, necessity, and accountability.