Privacy Policy - Man With Van Elephantandcastle

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Elephantandcastle collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal, transport, and related moving services. It applies to all Man With Van Elephantandcastle customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, communicates with us, or receives services arranged by us. We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who we are

Man With Van Elephantandcastle is a removals and transport service provider operating for customers in the area. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as a data controller for the personal information we collect and use to manage enquiries, bookings, payments, service delivery, customer support, and legal compliance.

2. Information we collect

We collect only the personal data needed to provide our services properly and safely. The information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name and, where needed, title
Contact details such as phone number and email address
Service details such as moving date, pickup and delivery locations, property access notes, inventory details, and special handling requirements
Billing and payment information such as payment status, transaction references, and invoicing details
Communication records including enquiries, complaints, feedback, and correspondence
Operational and booking records relating to quotes, scheduling, route planning, and job completion
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you interact with us online, where applicable

In some cases, you may provide us with information about other people connected to the move, such as an alternative contact person, property manager, or recipient. If you do so, you should ensure that you have their permission or another lawful basis for sharing their details with us.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations
To arrange, confirm, and manage bookings
To deliver moving, loading, unloading, and transport services
To handle payments, invoices, and refunds where applicable
To communicate with you about service changes, timing, or access requirements
To manage complaints, disputes, and customer support requests
To maintain business records, improve services, and support operational planning
To meet legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance obligations
To protect against fraud, misuse, or security risks

We do not use your personal data for unrelated purposes in a way that would be incompatible with the reason it was collected.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the context, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract ??? processing is necessary to provide a quote, manage a booking, or carry out the moving service you requested
Legal obligation ??? processing is necessary to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, or other legal requirements
Legitimate interests ??? processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving operations, maintaining records, protecting against fraud, and managing customer service, provided your rights do not override those interests
Consent ??? in limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for certain optional communications or specific data uses

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

5. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us operate our business and provide our services. These parties act as processors when they handle data on our behalf and under our instructions. Examples may include:

Payment providers who process transactions securely
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who support invoicing, tax, and financial records
IT and hosting providers who support data storage, email, and system maintenance
Customer management or booking tools used to organise service requests and job records
Insurance providers, legal advisers, and professional advisers when needed for claims, advice, or compliance
Subcontractors or drivers who assist in delivering the service, where necessary for the move

We require processors to protect your data, use it only for agreed purposes, and maintain appropriate security measures. We may also disclose data to public authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, customers, staff, or property.

6. International transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. This may include using approved contractual protections or relying on other lawful transfer mechanisms permitted under data protection law.

7. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Retention periods may depend on the type of information and the reason it is held. For example:

Booking and service records may be retained for a period needed to manage the service, resolve disputes, and maintain business records
Financial and accounting records are typically kept for the period required by tax and accounting law
Correspondence and complaint records may be retained for as long as needed to handle enquiries and establish or defend legal claims

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

8. Security of your data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and restricted sharing with only those who need the data for legitimate business purposes. However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and we encourage customers to share information carefully and only when necessary.

9. Your rights

Under data protection law, 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 request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to erasure ??? to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
Right to restriction ??? to request limited use of your data in certain situations
Right to object ??? to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable
Right to data portability ??? to request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format
Right to withdraw consent ??? where processing is based on consent

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner???s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve the matter promptly and fairly.

10. Children???s data

Our services are intended for adults and businesses arranging removals or transport. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidentally provided in the course of service delivery, and then only where necessary and appropriate. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without proper justification, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or how we handle personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your information is handled.

12. Summary of our approach

Man With Van Elephantandcastle is committed to using personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, process it for clear business and legal purposes, share it only with trusted processors or where required by law, and keep it only as long as necessary. We respect your rights and aim to handle every customer???s data with care, integrity, and accountability.