Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Dartford

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Dartford collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With A Van Dartford customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, receives moving assistance, or communicates with us in connection with our van and removals services.

We are committed to handling personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We use your information fairly, transparently, and only for legitimate business purposes. This policy is written to help you understand what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it for us, and what rights you have.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage bookings, and meet legal obligations. Depending on your interaction with us, this may include:

Identity details such as your name.
Contact details such as your phone number and email address.
Address information including collection and delivery addresses.
Booking information such as service dates, moving requirements, item descriptions, and access details.
Payment-related information such as transaction records and billing details.
Communication records including emails, messages, and notes from calls.
Service history including previous bookings, quotes, and complaints.
Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and device information if you interact with us online.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it to us, and only where it is necessary and lawful to do so. Special category data may include information about health, religion, ethnicity, or other sensitive personal details. If such information is shared, we will treat it with extra care and only process it where a valid legal condition applies.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and carry out removals, delivery, and van services.
To schedule and manage bookings.
To communicate with you about your service.
To process payments and maintain financial records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and feedback.
To maintain internal records and improve service quality.
To meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your data for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was collected. If we need to use it for a new purpose, we will make sure we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, will inform you.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a valid lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following bases:

Contract

We process your information where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes providing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out the service, and handling payments.

Legal Obligation

We process certain data where required by law, including tax records, accounting records, and other compliance-related information.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This may include managing our operations, improving services, preventing fraud, maintaining security, and keeping business records. We always consider whether our interests are proportionate and respectful of your privacy.

Consent

In some situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where specific optional marketing or non-essential communications are involved. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These third parties act as processors when they process data on our behalf and according to our instructions. They may include:

Payment processors for handling transactions.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers for secure data storage and system support.
Communication service providers for sending emails, texts, or other service messages.
Vehicle or operational support providers where needed to deliver the service.

We may also disclose data to professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary, and to public authorities where required by law. We do not sell your personal data.

When we use processors, we require them to protect your data, use it only for the agreed purpose, and apply appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We remain responsible for ensuring that your data is handled lawfully and securely.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the reason for holding it.

Booking and service records are retained for a period needed to manage service history and resolve queries.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by accounting and tax law.
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable time to support customer service and business administration.
Complaints and dispute records are kept as long as necessary to deal with the matter and protect our legal position.

When data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, confidentiality practices, and limited staff access based on business need.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If we become aware of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

7. Your Rights

You have rights over your personal data under data protection law. These rights may include:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restrict processing in certain situations.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable.
The right to withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have not been respected. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them.

8. Marketing and Communications

We may send service-related communications where necessary for booking, updates, or customer support. We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. If we rely on legitimate interests for limited communications, you still have the right to object.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a booking and provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected information improperly, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or the way we handle personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

11. Summary of Key Points

This policy explains how Man With A Van Dartford handles personal data for customers in the area. We collect only what is needed to provide quotes and services, we rely on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent, and we keep data only as long as necessary. We may use trusted processors, but we do not sell your data. You have important rights over your information, and we are committed to respecting them.

By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.