Privacy Policy - Man With Van Whetstone

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Whetstone collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving, delivery, removal, and related services. It applies to all Man With Van Whetstone customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, businesses, and any other service users who engage our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man With Van Whetstone is the data controller for personal information collected in connection with our services. This means we determine why and how your personal data is used. We take our obligations seriously and ensure that all processing activities are limited to what is necessary and proportionate for the services we provide.

2. Information We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact information including your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as pickup and delivery addresses, moving dates, item descriptions, access instructions, and special handling requirements.
Payment-related information such as billing details and transaction records, where relevant.
Communication records including emails, messages, notes from phone calls, and any feedback or complaints.
Technical information if you visit any digital channels we use, such as IP address, device type, browser information, and usage data, where applicable.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data unless it is voluntarily provided by you and is necessary for a specific service request. If such information is received, we will process it only where a lawful basis exists and where it is relevant to the service.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide moving and transportation services.
To prepare quotations and confirm bookings.
To communicate with you about service arrangements, changes, and completion of work.
To process payments and maintain financial records.
To manage customer support, disputes, and complaints.
To maintain internal records, service quality, and business administration.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use personal data for purposes that are compatible with the original reason it was collected, unless we have a valid legal reason to use it differently.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Performance of a Contract

We process your information when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes arranging a move, confirming service details, delivering goods, and handling payment-related administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where required to comply with laws, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may use personal data where necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include managing operations, improving services, responding to enquiries, preventing fraud, and maintaining security. We balance these interests against the impact on individuals before relying on this basis.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to process certain optional information. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell personal data. However, we may share information with trusted third parties where necessary for the operation of our services and where permitted by law. These may include:

Payment processors to handle transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers to manage financial records.
IT and system support providers who help maintain data storage, communication tools, or security systems.
Professional advisers such as legal or insurance advisers when required.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or in response to lawful requests.

Where a third party processes data on our behalf, they act as a processor and are required to protect your information, use it only for the agreed purpose, and comply with data protection obligations.

6. Processors

We may appoint data processors to assist with the delivery of our services and business operations. These processors may handle data such as contact details, booking records, payment information, or technical records. We require all processors to maintain appropriate technical and organisational security measures.

Examples of processor functions may include:

Secure data storage and cloud hosting.
Billing and invoicing systems.
Customer communication tools.
Administrative support platforms.
Data backup and security services.

We only work with processors that provide sufficient guarantees regarding data protection and confidentiality.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period may vary depending on the nature of the data and the service provided.

In general:

Service and booking records are kept for a reasonable period to manage administration, disputes, and customer history.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Correspondence and complaint records are kept for as long as needed to handle the matter and demonstrate compliance.
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

We review our retention practices regularly to ensure that data is not held for longer than necessary. Retention periods are based on legal need, operational need, and business risk.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality requirements, and regular review of internal procedures.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard all data we process. If a personal data breach occurs and it is legally required, we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

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 circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
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.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. We will respond to valid requests in accordance with the law and within the required time limits.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement made by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected data in circumstances where we should not have done so, we will take appropriate steps to address it.

11. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it, such as approved contractual clauses or transfers to countries with an adequacy decision, where applicable. Any such transfer will be handled in line with data protection law.

12. Complaints and Supervisory Authority

If you are concerned about how your personal data is handled, we encourage you to raise the matter so it can be reviewed. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, operational practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your personal data is used.

By using the services of Man With Van Whetstone, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. This policy is intended to provide a clear and lawful explanation of our data practices and to support trust, transparency, and compliance in all customer relationships.