Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Harlington

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Harlington collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data when providing moving, delivery, transport, and related services. It applies to all Man With A Van Harlington customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business customers who use our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or interacting with us in connection with a booking, you acknowledge that your information may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy. We aim to collect only the information we need, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as necessary.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity data: your name, title, and any relevant business or household name.
Contact data: address, postcode, email address, and telephone number.
Booking and service data: details of the move, collection, delivery, property access information, dates, item descriptions, and service preferences.
Payment data: billing details, payment status, and transaction records. We do not store card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Communication data: messages, emails, call notes, and other correspondence relating to an enquiry or service request.
Technical data: limited information such as device type, browser type, and general usage data if you interact with digital forms or communications.
Special category data: we do not generally seek special category data. However, you may choose to provide information that reveals personal circumstances, such as accessibility needs or health-related access requirements, when relevant to delivering the service.

We usually collect data directly from you when you request a quote, confirm a booking, provide delivery instructions, or communicate with us. In some cases, information may also be provided by third parties acting on your behalf, such as estate agents, landlords, tenants, family members, or business representatives, where appropriate and lawful.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes, arrange bookings, and deliver moving and transport services;
to manage customer accounts and service records;
to communicate with you about your booking, schedule changes, or service requirements;
to process payments, refunds, and invoicing;
to handle complaints, disputes, and insurance-related matters;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, planning, and operational efficiency;
to maintain security, prevent fraud, and protect against misuse;
to keep internal records for business administration and quality control.

We will only use your personal data where we have a valid legal reason to do so. We do not sell personal data and we do not use it in ways that are incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, arranging collections and deliveries, handling payment, and fulfilling service instructions.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include managing customer relationships, maintaining records, protecting our business, improving services, and dealing with enquiries or complaints.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax rules, accounting requirements, insurance obligations, or lawful requests from authorities.

Consent

Where required, we may rely on your consent. For example, if we ever need to process optional information that is not necessary for the service, we will ask for your clear permission. You can withdraw consent at any time, where consent is the lawful basis used.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example if emergency assistance is needed during a service.

Where special category data is involved, we will only process it when a lawful condition under data protection law applies and when it is necessary and proportionate to do so.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where this is necessary to deliver our services, operate our business, or meet legal obligations. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the arrangement.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and hosting providers that store data securely and support communication systems;
accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records and tax compliance;
payment service providers that process transactions securely;
customer management or booking software providers that help manage appointments and records;
professional advisers such as solicitors, insurers, or auditors where necessary;
subcontractors or partner service providers assisting with service fulfilment, where appropriate.

When we use processors, we require them to handle personal data securely, only on our instructions, and in line with data protection law. We do not allow processors to use your information for their own unrelated purposes.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to defend legal claims, to protect our rights or property, or to prevent fraud or criminal activity.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, and insurance requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the purpose of processing.

Booking and service records: retained for a reasonable period after the service ends to manage follow-up, queries, and disputes.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by law.
Complaint or claim records: retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and any related legal obligations.
General correspondence: retained only as long as necessary for customer service and administration.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely destroy it. In some cases, we may retain minimal records where necessary to comply with a legal obligation or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

6. Data Security

We take 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, password protection, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our data handling practices.

While we work hard to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data breach occurs that is likely to affect your rights and freedoms, we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or exemptions in some cases. They include:

Right of access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: you can request deletion of your data where lawful grounds apply.
Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit processing in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability: you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where relevant.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns about how your data is handled. If you are not satisfied with the way we have dealt with your personal data, you may seek guidance from the relevant data protection authority.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a booking or service arrangement and provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without appropriate authorisation, we will take steps to delete it where required.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. The latest version will apply from the time it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review it periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

10. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or how your data is processed, you may contact us through the normal service channels used for your booking or enquiry. We will deal with requests in accordance with applicable data protection law and within the required timeframes.

Man With A Van Harlington is committed to respecting your privacy and handling personal data responsibly. This policy is designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and lawful processing for every customer in the Harlington area who uses our services.