Privacy Policy - Man And Van St Johns Wood

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van St Johns Wood collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our removal, delivery, packing, and related moving services. This policy applies to all Man And Van St Johns Wood customers in the area, including residential and commercial customers who enquire about, book, or receive 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. We aim to collect only the information we need, use it for clear purposes, and keep it secure for no longer than necessary.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity information: name, title, and any information you provide when making an enquiry or booking.
Contact details: telephone number, email address, and moving address or service location.
Service details: information about the items to be moved, access conditions, dates, preferred times, and special handling requirements.
Billing and payment information: invoice details, payment confirmation, and limited financial information needed to process transactions.
Communication records: emails, call notes, text messages, complaint records, and other correspondence.
Technical data: basic information such as IP address, browser type, device data, and cookies where applicable to our online services.
Operational information: job sheets, delivery notes, photographs used for service records, and information required for insurance or dispute resolution.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for the service, such as information about accessibility needs. If we do receive such information, we handle it with extra care and only where appropriate and lawful.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To manage bookings and carry out moving services.
To communicate about timing, access, changes, cancellations, and service updates.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To maintain safety, quality control, and operational planning.
To handle complaints, claims, disputes, and insurance-related matters.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To improve our services, internal processes, and customer experience.

We will only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that we need to use it for another compatible lawful purpose.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process 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 handling enquiries, preparing quotes, confirming bookings, completing removal services, and managing payments.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information because we are required to do so by law, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, or regulatory obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service improvement, fraud prevention, internal administration, customer support, and dispute management. We always consider the impact on your privacy before relying on this basis.

Consent

Where required, we will rely on your consent, for example in relation to certain optional communications or cookie preferences. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Sharing Your Information and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties, but only where necessary for the running of our business and the delivery of services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the context.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

Payment providers: to process card or electronic payments.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers: to support invoicing, tax, and financial record management.
IT and cloud service providers: to store secure business records, manage email, and operate internal systems.
Customer communication tools: to send booking confirmations or service updates.
Insurance providers and claims handlers: where required for assessment of damage, loss, or liability.
Professional advisers: including legal and administrative advisers where needed for compliance or dispute resolution.

We require processors to act only on our instructions, protect personal data, and use appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell personal data.

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements. The exact retention period depends on the type of information and the reason we hold it.

Quotation and enquiry records: retained for a limited period to manage follow-up and service administration.
Booking and service records: retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Accounting and tax records: retained for the period required by law.
Complaint or claim records: retained for as long as necessary to resolve the issue and defend legal rights.
Consent records: retained to demonstrate compliance with data protection obligations.

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

6. Security of Personal Data

We take appropriate measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, data minimisation, and regular review of our systems and procedures.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risk and nature of the data we process.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis relied upon:

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 data.
Right to erasure: in certain cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction: you can request that we limit processing in certain situations.
Right to data portability: you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time periods required by law, and we may decline a request where an exemption applies.

If you are dissatisfied with how we handle your personal data, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Where we use digital tools or online systems, we may use cookies or similar technologies for functionality, analytics, and performance purposes. Where required, we will seek consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can manage cookie settings through your browser or device preferences.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement made by a parent or guardian. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to remove it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or operational requirements. Any updated version will apply from the time it is made available.

This policy is intended to provide clear information about how Man And Van St Johns Wood handles personal data for customers in the area. By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.