Privacy Policy - Man With Van Harlington

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Harlington collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removal, transport, delivery, and related services. It applies to all Man With Van Harlington customers in the area, including prospective customers, active customers, and anyone who enquires about our services. We are committed to handling personal information 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

Man With Van Harlington is a service provider offering van-based moving, collection, delivery, and transport services. In the context of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal data we collect and use in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how your personal information is processed.

2. Information we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact information such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as collection and delivery addresses, move dates, item descriptions, access instructions, and service preferences.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records.
Communication records including enquiries, quotes, complaints, and messages exchanged with us.
Technical and usage data where relevant, such as basic website or device information if you contact us through digital channels.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is clearly necessary and you choose to provide it. Special category data includes information about health, religion, political views, or similar sensitive details. If such information is shared with us, we will only process it where a lawful basis exists and where additional safeguards are in place.

3. How we collect data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quote or make an enquiry;
book or use our moving and transport services;
communicate with us by phone, email, or other channels;
complete forms or provide delivery instructions;
make a payment or request an invoice; or
submit feedback, comments, or a complaint.

We may also receive information from third parties where necessary for delivering our services, such as from landlords, estate agents, businesses, or payment providers acting on your behalf. Where we receive data from another source, we will process it in line with this Privacy Policy.

4. How we use your personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes and assess service requirements;
to arrange, carry out, and manage removals or deliveries;
to communicate with you about bookings, timings, access, and service updates;
to process payments, invoices, and refunds where applicable;
to respond to questions, complaints, or claims;
to maintain business records and comply with legal obligations;
to protect against fraud, misuse, or security incidents; and
to improve our service quality and customer experience.

We will only use your information where we have a lawful reason to do so and where the use is relevant to the services we provide.

5. Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. The lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

Contract is used when processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. For example, we need your contact details, addresses, and service instructions to deliver the moving or transport service you requested.

Legal obligation

Legal obligation applies where we must process data to comply with laws, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

Legitimate interests may be used for activities such as managing customer relationships, improving services, preventing fraud, and keeping business records, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.

Consent

Consent may be relied upon in limited situations, for example where we need to process optional information that is not required for the service. When we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

6. Sharing your personal data

We may share personal information with carefully selected third parties, but only when necessary and appropriate. These may include:

Payment processors who handle transactions securely;
IT and system providers who support our booking, storage, or communication systems;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers;
Subcontractors or service partners involved in delivering a booking;
Regulators, authorities, or law enforcement where required by law.

We require processors and service partners to protect your data, process it only on our instructions, and comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell personal data.

7. International transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include approved contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms. Our aim is to ensure your data receives a level of protection consistent with UK GDPR requirements.

8. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the reason for holding it.

In general:

booking and service records may be retained for a reasonable period after completion of the service;
financial and tax records may be kept for the period required by law;
complaint and dispute records may be kept while the matter is active and for a further period where needed; and
unnecessary or outdated data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

When determining retention, we consider the nature of the data, the sensitivity of the information, the purpose for processing, and legal requirements. This helps ensure we do not keep personal information longer than needed.

9. 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 restricted data handling procedures. While no system is completely risk-free, we take reasonable and proportionate steps to safeguard the information we hold.

10. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These 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 – you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances;
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
Right to data portability – you can ask for data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used format where applicable;
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.

To exercise your rights, you may make a request in a clear written form. We may need to verify your identity before acting on the request. We aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

11. Marketing

We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If we use your data for marketing, you have the right to object at any time. We will always respect your preferences and will not use personal data for marketing in a way that is unfair or intrusive.

12. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers arranging transport or removals. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing or service purposes unless it is necessary and provided by an adult acting on their behalf.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practice, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

14. Contacting us about privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how we use your personal data, or your rights, you may raise a privacy query through the usual service communication channels. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been handled.

In summary, Man With Van Harlington processes personal data only where necessary, uses it for legitimate and lawful business purposes, retains it for appropriate periods, and applies safeguards to protect it. We remain committed to handling personal information with care, transparency, and accountability for all customers in the area.