Privacy Policy - Man With Van Ealing

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Ealing collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Man With Van Ealing customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request or receive moving, transport, delivery, packing, loading, unloading, or related removal services. We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Man With Van Ealing provides local van and removal services for customers in and around Ealing. For the purposes of data protection law, we act as the data controller when we determine why and how personal data is processed. This means we are responsible for ensuring that your information is collected and used in a way that respects your privacy rights.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name, title, and business name where applicable.
Contact details such as email address, telephone number, and service address.
Booking and service details including dates, times, inventory information, access notes, and special instructions.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records.
Communication records including messages, call notes, and correspondence related to your booking or enquiry.
Service-related information such as delivery requirements, parking notes, and any details needed to complete the job safely and efficiently.
Technical information if you interact with us electronically, such as device identifiers or basic usage data, where relevant.

We do not seek to collect unnecessary personal information. If you provide additional details voluntarily, we will only use them where there is a lawful and relevant reason to do so.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may collect personal data in the following ways:

Directly from you when you request a quote, make a booking, or communicate with us.
From third parties acting on your behalf, such as a family member, employer, landlord, or business contact.
From service partners or processors that help us manage payments, scheduling, administration, or communications.
Automatically through systems used to support service operations, where applicable and lawful.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where a lawful basis exists under UK GDPR. Depending on the context, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes managing quotations, bookings, scheduling, moving arrangements, invoicing, and service delivery.

Legal Obligation

We may process certain data to comply with legal requirements, including record-keeping, tax compliance, accounting obligations, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing operations, improving services, handling customer enquiries, preventing fraud, and maintaining business records. We always consider whether the processing is proportionate and necessary.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where you have explicitly agreed to receive certain marketing communications or where consent is required by law. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

5. How We Use Your Personal Data

We may use your personal data to:

Provide and manage removals and van services.
Respond to enquiries and issue quotes.
Arrange bookings and service appointments.
Communicate about changes, delays, or service updates.
Process payments and maintain accounting records.
Protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.
Meet regulatory, legal, and tax obligations.
Improve our service quality, planning, and customer experience.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

6. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for service delivery, administration, or legal compliance. These third parties may act as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the service. Processors only act on our instructions and are required to protect your data.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment service providers.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers.
IT and hosting providers.
Customer communication or scheduling tools.
Operational support services that help us manage bookings or records.

We may also disclose data where necessary to:

Comply with a legal duty.
Protect our rights, property, or safety.
Prevent or investigate suspected fraud or security incidents.
Support an insurance claim or dispute resolution process.

We do not sell personal data. Any sharing is limited to what is required for legitimate business purposes, legal compliance, or service provision.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, tax, and record-keeping obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the nature of the service provided.

In general:

Booking and service records may be kept for an appropriate period to manage disputes, repeat services, and operational records.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Enquiry data may be retained for a shorter period if no service is booked.
Data subject to consent-based processing is kept only until consent is withdrawn or no longer needed.

When personal data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner.

8. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures are designed to reflect the nature and sensitivity of the information we handle.

While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to reduce risks by limiting access, using trusted service providers, and maintaining internal controls. Security is an ongoing responsibility, and we review our practices periodically.

9. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your data in certain circumstances.
Restrict how we process your data in certain situations.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Data portability where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

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

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary and provided by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult in connection with a service request. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without proper authority, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. International Transfers

Where any service provider processes data outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal data in line with applicable data protection law. These safeguards may include standard contractual protections or equivalent legal mechanisms.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our data practices. Any changes will apply from the date they are published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle personal data.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With Van Ealing respects your privacy and treats your personal data with care. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, keep it only as long as necessary, and apply appropriate safeguards when sharing it with trusted processors. All Man With Van Ealing customers in the area are covered by this policy, and we aim to process personal information in a way that is transparent, secure, and consistent with GDPR principles.