Privacy Policy - Man With Van St Mary Cray

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van St Mary Cray collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving, delivery, loading, unloading, and related services. It applies to all Man With Van St Mary Cray customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who request or receive services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to anyone who:

requests a quote or makes an enquiry;
books or receives a service;
communicates with us by phone, email, text, or online forms;
is named on a booking, inventory, invoice, or delivery instruction;
has personal items collected, moved, delivered, stored temporarily, or handled as part of our service.

By using our services, you acknowledge that some personal data is necessary for us to perform the service safely and efficiently.

2. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is relevant and necessary for carrying out our services, managing our relationship with you, and meeting legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity and contact details

Name;
Address;
Email address;
Telephone number;
Business name and role, where relevant.

Service and booking information

Collection and delivery addresses;
Date and time of service;
Property access details;
Move size, item descriptions, and special handling needs;
Instructions relating to parking, entry, loading, and unloading;
Records of quotes, bookings, and service changes.

Financial and transaction data

Payment status;
Invoice details;
Refunds, credits, and account records;
Limited payment-related information processed through payment providers.

Communication and support records

Messages and correspondence;
Notes taken during calls or service coordination;
Complaints, claims, and feedback;
Records of service issues, delays, or damage reports.

Technical data

Basic website or device information if you interact with digital systems used to manage requests;
IP address, browser type, and interaction data where required for security or performance monitoring.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided by you and is strictly necessary for the service or legal compliance. Special category data may include health information or details that reveal racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, or other sensitive information. If such information is shared, we will only use it where there is a lawful basis to do so and appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes and confirm bookings;
to deliver moving and related services;
to plan routes, staffing, equipment, and vehicle use;
to communicate about service arrangements and changes;
to handle payments, invoices, and refunds;
to respond to complaints, claims, and enquiries;
to maintain business records and demonstrate what services were provided;
to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will never use personal data in ways that are incompatible with the purposes described here without first ensuring a valid legal basis.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Depending on the situation, 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 managing quotes, bookings, collections, deliveries, and payment-related administration.

Legal obligation

We may process and retain certain records to meet legal obligations such as tax compliance, accounting requirements, insurance documentation, and record-keeping duties.

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. This may include business administration, service quality improvement, fraud prevention, dispute handling, and internal record management.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information or agree to receive certain communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

If special category data is ever processed, we will do so only where an additional condition under GDPR applies, such as explicit consent or another lawful condition permitted by law.

5. Sharing your data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, known as processors or service providers, where necessary for business operations and service delivery. These parties only process data on our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately.

Typical processors may include:

payment service providers for processing card or online payments;
accounting and bookkeeping services for invoices and tax records;
IT support, cloud storage, and software providers used to manage bookings and records;
communication platforms used for emails, phone systems, or messaging;
insurance providers and claim handlers where a dispute or claim is being managed;
professional advisers such as legal or financial advisers, where needed.

We may also share data with:

subcontractors or moving crews involved in your service;
regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where required by law;
courts or legal representatives in connection with disputes or claims.

We do not sell personal data. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved contractual protections.

6. Retention of personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and in line with legal, tax, and business requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

General retention approach

Quote and booking records may be kept for a reasonable period after the service in case of follow-up questions or disputes;
Invoice, payment, and accounting records are typically retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
Correspondence and complaint records may be retained for as long as needed to resolve matters and defend legal claims;
Technical and security records are kept only as long as necessary for monitoring and protection purposes.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

7. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and limited access based on business need. No system is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and protect your information.

8. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limits or exemptions, but we will always consider requests carefully.

Your rights include:

Right of access – you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
Right to erasure – in some circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data;
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases;
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Right to data portability – you can request a copy of certain data in a reusable format;
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain – you can raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been mishandled.

If you make a rights request, we may ask for information to verify your identity before responding.

9. Children’s data

Our services are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in a family move or related service and provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or operational practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

11. Summary of our commitment

We process personal data only when necessary, use it fairly, protect it carefully, and keep it only for as long as needed. Man With Van St Mary Cray is committed to respecting privacy and ensuring that every customer in the area is treated with transparency, security, and compliance when using our services.