Privacy Policy - Man And Van Hammersmith

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Hammersmith collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man And Van Hammersmith customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, make bookings, receive moving services, or otherwise interact with our business. We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Man And Van Hammersmith provides removal and transport services for homes, flats, offices, and other properties. In the course of delivering these services, we may process personal data relating to customers, prospective customers, and other individuals connected to a booking. This policy explains the ways in which such data is handled.

We are the data controller for the personal data covered by this policy, which means we determine the purposes and means of processing that data.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant to our services and business operations. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and, where needed, the names of people involved in the move.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and moving address.
Booking information including service dates, moving requirements, property access details, and inventory or item descriptions.
Payment-related information where necessary to process invoices, deposits, or completed payments.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and service-related correspondence.
Service history such as previous bookings, preferences, complaints, and feedback.
Technical data that may be collected automatically through digital tools, such as IP address or device information, if you interact with us online.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it voluntarily or a legal basis applies. If such data is shared with us accidentally, we will handle it with appropriate care and limit its use to the minimum required.

3. How We Collect Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quotation or estimate;
make or amend a booking;
communicate with us by phone, email, text, or other messaging methods;
provide access instructions, delivery details, or inventory lists;
submit feedback, reviews, or complaints;
enter into a contract for moving services.

We may also receive information from third parties where appropriate, such as building managers, estate agents, landlords, tenants, or payment providers, where this is necessary to complete a service or manage a booking.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract – to take steps at your request before entering into a contract and to perform the service you have booked.
Legal obligation – to comply with accounting, tax, fraud prevention, and other statutory requirements.
Legitimate interests – to operate and improve our business, manage bookings, prevent misuse, respond to enquiries, and maintain service records, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent – where we rely on your consent for specific optional uses, such as certain marketing activities, you may withdraw consent at any time.

Where we process data on the basis of legitimate interests, we balance our interests against your privacy rights and process only what is necessary and proportionate.

5. How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations, confirm bookings, and deliver moving services;
to communicate with you about service arrangements, changes, and completion details;
to manage payments, refunds, and invoicing;
to maintain accurate records of services provided;
to handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests;
to improve our operations, planning, and service quality;
to meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
to protect against fraud, abuse, or other unlawful activity.

We only use your data in ways that are compatible with the purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful reason to use it differently.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. These parties are only permitted to use your data as instructed or as required by law.

Processors and service partners may include:

Payment service providers for handling transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers for tax and financial record management.
IT and cloud storage providers for secure hosting, data storage, and system support.
Communication service providers for sending service-related messages and maintaining records.
Operational subcontractors where needed to complete a move or related service.

We require processors to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data and to process it only on documented instructions, unless they are legally required to do otherwise.

We may also disclose personal data if necessary to comply with law, enforce our agreements, or protect the rights, property, or safety of our customers, staff, or the public.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, and operational requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the nature of the relationship with you.

In general:

booking and service records are retained for a period necessary to manage administration, customer support, and dispute handling;
financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
communication records may be retained for operational continuity and to resolve queries;
data no longer needed is securely deleted or anonymised.

When deciding how long to keep data, we consider legal obligations, the potential for claims, business needs, and the nature of the information. We do not keep data indefinitely.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate safeguards to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These safeguards may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and limited permissions for those who need to process the data.

While no system can be completely secure, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to reduce risks and to respond appropriately if a data incident occurs.

9. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect it, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual measures. Any such transfer will be handled in line with applicable data protection law.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions, but we will always respond appropriately and within the required timeframes.

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – you may ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you believe your rights have not been respected, you may also have the right to raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue promptly.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging moving services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for direct service purposes. If we become aware that a child’s data has been collected without proper basis, we will take appropriate steps to delete or protect it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their data is handled.

13. Summary of Our Commitments

Man And Van Hammersmith is committed to processing personal data in a fair, transparent, and secure manner. We collect only the data needed to provide our services, use it for clear and lawful purposes, share it only with appropriate processors or where required by law, and keep it only as long as necessary. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to respect your rights at every stage of our service relationship.

Key Principles

Lawfulness – all processing is based on a valid legal ground.
Data minimisation – we collect only what we need.
Purpose limitation – we use data only for specified, legitimate purposes.
Accuracy – we take steps to keep data correct and up to date.
Storage limitation – we do not retain data longer than necessary.
Integrity and confidentiality – we protect data through suitable safeguards.

This policy applies to all Man And Van Hammersmith customers in the area.