Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Clapton

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Clapton collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the moving, delivery, packing, and related services we provide. It applies to all Man With A Van Clapton customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man With A Van Clapton acts as the data controller for personal data we collect and process in the course of providing our services. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your information. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to ensure that all personal data is handled with care, security, and respect.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the service requested and the way you interact with us. The categories of information may include:

Identity information: your name, title, and, where relevant, company name;
Contact details: address, email address, telephone number, and collection or delivery addresses;
Service information: details relating to your booking, moving requirements, item inventory, access instructions, and delivery preferences;
Payment information: billing details, transaction records, and payment status;
Communication records: messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and correspondence;
Technical information: basic website or device usage data if you contact us online, such as IP address or browser type, where applicable;
Special circumstances data: any personal details you choose to provide that may be necessary for handling fragile, sensitive, or time-critical moves.

We only collect information that is relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes described in this policy. We do not intentionally collect more data than required to deliver our services efficiently and safely.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for a number of legitimate business and operational purposes, including:

providing moving and transport services;
processing bookings, quotes, and service requests;
communicating with you about your move or delivery;
co-ordinating schedules, routes, and service logistics;
issuing invoices, processing payments, and managing accounts;
responding to enquiries, complaints, and support requests;
maintaining records for legal, tax, and insurance purposes;
protecting against fraud, misuse, or security incidents;
improving our services, internal processes, and customer experience.

Where we need to use personal data for a purpose that is not compatible with the original reason it was collected, we will only do so when a lawful basis applies and, where required, with appropriate notice or consent.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where permitted by law. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases under UK GDPR may include:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging quotes, confirming bookings, completing removals, and handling payment matters.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This can include service improvement, customer communications, record management, business administration, and security.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information when required to comply with legal, accounting, tax, or regulatory obligations. This may include retaining invoices or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information that is not necessary for the service. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These processors are only allowed to use your information under our instructions and for the specific services they provide to us. Examples may include:

Payment processors for handling card or online payment transactions;
Accounting or bookkeeping providers for financial administration and statutory record-keeping;
IT and cloud service providers for secure data storage, email, and system support;
Booking and customer management tools used to organise services and customer records;
Professional advisers such as insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary;
Subcontractors or logistics partners who assist with transport or delivery operations, when required for service fulfilment.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, to enforce our legal rights, or to protect the safety, rights, or property of our customers, staff, or business. We do not sell personal data.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we take appropriate steps to ensure your information remains protected. This may include using UK-approved contractual safeguards or relying on adequacy decisions where available. We aim to ensure that international transfers, if any, are carried out in a secure and lawful manner.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, tax, insurance, and operational requirements. The length of time we keep information depends on the type of data and the reason for processing it.

Booking and service records: kept for a period necessary to manage the service, handle disputes, and maintain business records;
Financial records: retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
Complaint or claim records: retained for as long as needed to address the issue and manage potential liabilities;
Communication records: kept only as long as necessary for customer service, administration, or evidence of instructions.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it as appropriate. Retention periods may vary depending on legal obligations and the nature of the transaction.

8. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure systems, staff awareness, password protection, and appropriate data handling procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we strive to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risk.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Depending on the circumstances, these may include:

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 information;
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data in certain situations;
Right to restrict processing – you may ask us to limit how we use your data;
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data to you or another organisation;
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable data protection law. In some cases, we may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. Some rights are subject to legal limits or exceptions.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 18 unless it is necessary in the context of a household move or provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have received personal data from a child without appropriate lawful basis, 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 our practices, legal obligations, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

12. Contact and Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data is handled, you may raise them with us so we can review the matter. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

Summary of our approach: we collect only the data needed to provide our services, process it under lawful bases such as contract, legitimate interests, consent, and legal obligation, share it only with trusted processors, keep it only as long as necessary, and respect your rights under data protection law.