Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Merton

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, shared, and protected by Man With A Van Merton. It applies to all Man With A Van Merton customers in the area, including individuals and businesses that use our removal, delivery, packing, and related van services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Man With A Van Merton provides local and long-distance transport services, including household moves, office moves, furniture collection, item delivery, and related logistics support. In this Policy, references to “we,” “us,” and “our” mean Man With A Van Merton as the data controller for the personal data we process in connection with our services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary to provide and manage our services, handle enquiries, meet our legal obligations, and improve service quality. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and moving or collection address.
Service details including move date, inventory information, access notes, and special handling requirements.
Billing and payment information such as invoicing details and payment status. We do not knowingly retain unnecessary card information.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaints or feedback.
Technical data where relevant, such as basic website usage information, device type, or IP address if you interact with our online systems.
Other information you choose to provide when requesting a quote, booking a service, or making a complaint.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is required for a specific purpose and you choose to provide it, or unless we are legally permitted to process it. You should avoid sharing sensitive personal information unless it is necessary for your move or service request.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes, confirm bookings, and deliver moving or transport services.
To plan routes, allocate vehicles and staff, and manage logistics.
To communicate with you about your booking, schedule changes, access requirements, or service issues.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records.
To respond to enquiries, feedback, complaints, or claims.
To comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.
To monitor and improve our services, operations, and customer experience.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

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.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging a quote, confirming a booking, completing a move, or processing payment.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain data to comply with laws relating to tax, accounting, insurance, transport, and business record-keeping.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests. This may include managing bookings, improving services, handling complaints, preventing fraud, and maintaining internal records.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where optional marketing or certain non-essential communications are involved. You may withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as where there is an emergency affecting health or safety.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We only share the minimum data needed and require appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

Examples of processors and third-party service providers may include:

Accounting and invoicing providers that help manage financial records and tax compliance.
Payment processors that securely handle transactions.
IT and cloud service providers that store or support business systems.
Communication tools used to send booking updates or respond to enquiries.
Insurance providers, claims handlers, or legal advisers where necessary to protect our business or resolve disputes.
Subcontracted service providers assisting with deliveries or removals where operationally necessary.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, regulation, court order, or lawful request from a public authority.

6. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses personal data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections, to keep your information secure and legally protected.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the nature of the data and the reason it is held.

Booking and service records are typically kept for the duration of the contract and for a reasonable period afterwards to handle queries, claims, or disputes.
Invoice and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Correspondence and complaint records may be kept longer where needed to resolve issues or demonstrate compliance.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or withdraw consent, where applicable.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

8. Data Security

We take 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 confidentiality obligations, and regular review of business processes. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions.

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

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the timeframe required by law.

10. Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data has been handled, you may raise the issue with us so we can review and address it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection matters.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use online tools that place cookies or similar technologies, they may be used for basic functionality, security, performance analysis, or improving user experience. Where required, we will provide appropriate notice and choices in line with applicable law.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this Policy periodically.

13. Summary of Key Principles

Man With A Van Merton processes customer data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what is needed, use it for clear business and legal purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. We respect your rights and aim to protect your information at every stage.