Privacy Policy - Man And Van Hammersmith

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Hammersmith collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing removals, transport, packing, and related services. It applies to all Man And Van Hammersmith customers in the Hammersmith area and surrounding locations where our services are offered. 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 This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to all Man And Van Hammersmith customers in area, including individuals who request quotations, make bookings, receive moving or delivery services, or communicate with us in connection with our services. It also applies to people acting on behalf of a customer, such as family members, landlords, agents, business representatives, or any other person who provides information to help arrange a service.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide and manage our services effectively. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information: name, title, and any relevant business or company name.
Contact details: address, email address, telephone number, and service location details.
Booking information: service date, collection and delivery addresses, inventory details, property access notes, and moving requirements.
Payment information: billing details, payment confirmation, and transaction records. We do not store card details unless a secure payment provider requires processing for the transaction.
Communication records: enquiries, emails, messages, call notes, complaints, and feedback.
Service performance data: records relating to cancellations, delays, damage claims, and customer support matters.
Technical data: limited information generated through our systems, such as IP address or browser type, where relevant for security or service administration.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is shared with us, we will only process it where a lawful basis applies and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and manage bookings;
to carry out removals, transport, packing, and related services;
to communicate about appointments, changes, delays, and completion of services;
to process payments, issue invoices, and keep accounting records;
to manage customer support, complaints, and damage or claim investigations;
to maintain internal records, service quality, and operational planning;
to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or legal risk;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

We will only use personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for a compatible purpose and that this is permitted under data protection law.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where we have a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:

Contract: to prepare for and perform the service you have requested, including quotations, booking management, delivery, and payment processing.
Legal obligation: to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, and other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests: to manage our business efficiently, respond to enquiries, improve services, prevent fraud, resolve disputes, and maintain security, provided that these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent: where we rely on your permission for optional uses of data, we will ask for clear consent and explain what it covers. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

Where we process special category data, we will only do so where an additional condition under data protection law is met.

5. Sharing Personal Data 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, or as independent controllers where they determine their own purposes for using the data.

Examples of processors may include:

IT and cloud storage providers;
email, messaging, and communications platforms;
accounting and invoicing service providers;
secure payment processing providers;
customer management or scheduling software providers;
professional advisers who support our operations under confidentiality obligations.

Where processors act for us, they are only permitted to use personal data in accordance with our instructions and for the specific purpose of delivering the service. We require appropriate security measures and contractual protections to safeguard data.

We may also share personal data where necessary with:

insurers or claims handlers;
legal, tax, or regulatory authorities;
service partners involved in fulfilling your booking;
law enforcement or other public bodies where required by law.

We do not sell personal data.

6. International Transfers

In some cases, our processors or service providers may store or access data outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally approved transfer mechanisms. We take reasonable steps to ensure your data remains protected regardless of where it is processed.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including any legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

As a general approach:

booking and service records are retained for a period necessary to manage the relationship and any follow-up issues;
financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaint and claim records are retained long enough to defend or resolve the matter;
communications may be kept for operational, customer service, or evidential purposes.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it in a proportionate manner.

8. Data Security

We take the security of personal data seriously and use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access to information on a need-to-know basis.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we work to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or exemptions depending on the circumstances. They 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 data.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: 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 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 data protection law and within the required timeframes where applicable.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults arranging household or business removals. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal data unless it is necessary for a specific service arrangement and provided by an adult with authority to do so. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority, we will take steps to remove it where required.

11. Automated Decision-Making

We do not use automated decision-making or profiling in a way that produces legal or similarly significant effects on individuals. If this changes, we will update this policy and provide the information required by law.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is handled.

13. Summary of Key Principles

Transparency

We explain what data we collect, why we use it, and how long we keep it.

Necessity

We collect only the data needed to provide services and meet legal duties.

Security

We use proportionate safeguards to protect personal data from misuse.

Accountability

We work with processors under appropriate agreements and remain responsible for lawful processing.

By using Man And Van Hammersmith services, you acknowledge that personal data may be processed as described in this Privacy Policy. We aim to handle all customer information with care, respect, and compliance, ensuring that data is used only where necessary and lawful.