Privacy Policy - Man With Van Leamouth

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

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services, manage bookings, communicate with customers, and meet legal obligations. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where relevant, company name.
Contact information such as your phone number, email address, billing address, collection address, and delivery address.
Booking and service details such as moving dates, property access information, inventory lists, special handling requirements, and service preferences.
Payment information such as transaction records and partial payment details needed to process invoices and confirm payments. We do not intentionally store full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Communication records including emails, text messages, call notes, quote requests, complaints, and customer service correspondence.
Technical information where applicable, such as basic device or browser data collected through our booking systems or website tools used to improve functionality and security.
Special instructions that may relate to access arrangements, fragile items, or timing requirements needed to complete a move safely and efficiently.

We generally collect personal data directly from you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, book a service, or communicate with us. In some cases, we may also receive information from third parties such as landlords, estate agents, business partners, or payment providers when this is necessary to fulfil a service you have requested.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, schedule bookings, and deliver moving services.
To communicate with you before, during, and after the service.
To manage payments, refunds, and invoicing.
To plan routes, assess access, and ensure safe handling of items.
To respond to questions, complaints, and service issues.
To maintain internal records and improve our operations.
To comply with legal, accounting, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access to our services.

We only process personal data to the extent necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. We do not sell personal data to third parties.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, 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 your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing a quote, confirming a booking, arranging a move, and completing related administrative tasks.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records when required to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, or other legal obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may use personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This may include customer service, service improvement, record keeping, operational planning, and fraud prevention.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where optional communications or specific processing activities require it. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who support our business operations. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service provided. We take appropriate steps to ensure they handle personal data securely and in compliance with data protection law.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

Payment service providers that process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help manage invoices, taxes, and records.
IT and cloud storage providers that host emails, documents, booking systems, and backup services.
Communication platforms used to send messages, confirmations, and service updates.
Insurance providers and claims administrators where required to manage incidents or cover.
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or consultants where necessary for legal or business purposes.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public. Where information is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved transfer mechanism.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law. The retention period depends on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Quotation and booking records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage customer service, disputes, and business administration.
Invoice, payment, and accounting records are typically retained for the period required by tax and financial regulations.
Customer correspondence may be retained for a period needed to resolve issues, maintain service history, or support future bookings.
Incident, insurance, or claims-related records may be kept for longer where necessary to defend or pursue legal claims.

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

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, limited staff access, and safe disposal procedures. While we work to protect your data, no system is completely secure, and you should also take reasonable steps to keep your own information safe when communicating with us.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

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

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain situations.
Right to restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging moving and related services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children in a way that is not necessary for the service. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate permission or legal basis, we will take steps to delete or protect it as required.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or internal practices. Any updates will take effect when published in the revised version. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we handle personal data.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With Van Leamouth is committed to respecting your privacy and handling your personal data responsibly. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate and lawful purposes, share it only where necessary with trusted processors, and keep it only for as long as required. If you are a customer in the area, this policy applies to you and explains how your information is protected throughout your engagement with our services.