Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Crofton Park

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Crofton Park collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man With A Van Crofton Park customers in the area, including people who request quotes, book services, receive moving assistance, or otherwise interact with our business.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy sets out the types of data we collect, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep information, who may process data on our behalf, and the rights available to individuals.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect data that is necessary to provide our services, manage customer relationships, maintain records, and meet legal or operational obligations. The data we collect may include:

Identity details such as name and title.
Contact details such as telephone number, email address, and postal address.
Service information such as moving dates, item lists, property access details, parking notes, and delivery instructions.
Billing and payment details such as invoice records, transaction references, and payment status.
Communication records such as messages, enquiry notes, complaint details, and customer support correspondence.
Operational information such as service history, job scheduling details, and internal notes needed to complete a booking.
Website or device information if you interact with our digital systems, including basic technical data collected for security and performance purposes.

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, for example in relation to access needs or service instructions, we will handle it carefully and only use it where there is a lawful basis to do so.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes and arrange moving or van services;
to manage bookings, schedules, and service delivery;
to communicate with customers about enquiries, changes, and updates;
to prepare invoices, process payments, and maintain accounting records;
to handle complaints, disputes, and service follow-up;
to maintain business records and support internal administration;
to improve service quality, efficiency, and customer experience;
to protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or security incidents;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data where we have a valid reason to do so and where that use is compatible with the original purpose for which the data was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must identify a lawful basis for each type of processing activity. Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotations, confirming bookings, carrying out van and moving services, and managing payments.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, such as keeping accounting records, responding to lawful requests, or meeting tax and business record requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include maintaining customer records, improving our operations, preventing fraud, and managing service quality. When we rely on legitimate interests, we assess whether processing is proportionate and respectful of privacy.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communications or non-essential uses of information. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that has already taken place lawfully.

4. Sharing Data and Processors

We do not sell personal data. However, in order to operate effectively, we may share information with trusted third parties who process data on our behalf. These processors only act under our instructions and are required to protect your data.

Examples of processors may include:

payment service providers that handle secure transactions;
accounting or bookkeeping systems used for invoicing and financial records;
email, messaging, or customer communication platforms;
IT support, cloud storage, or data backup providers;
scheduling, booking, or operational management tools;
professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also share personal data where required by law, where it is necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims, or where a public authority is entitled to request it.

When processors are used, we take appropriate steps to ensure they provide sufficient guarantees regarding confidentiality, security, and compliance with data protection law. Access is limited to what is necessary for the task being carried out.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods can vary depending on the type of information and the reason it is held.

In general:

quotation and booking records are retained for a period needed to manage customer relationships and business administration;
financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting laws;
communications and complaint records are kept for as long as needed to resolve matters and support legitimate business interests;
security or incident-related records are kept only as long as necessary to investigate and address the issue.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in a safe manner.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, limited staff access, password protection, and regular review of data handling practices.

While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to maintain safeguards that are proportionate to the risks involved. We also expect any processors we use to apply equivalent security standards.

7. Your Rights

You have a number of rights under data protection law. Subject to certain conditions and exemptions, these rights include:

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 data.
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
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 – you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where consent is the lawful basis, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will review your request and respond within the time limits set out by law. In some cases, we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

8. International Transfers

Where personal data is processed or stored outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect it. These safeguards may include contractual protections or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under data protection law.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging moving and van services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children as a primary purpose of our business. If we become aware that children’s information has been provided to us unintentionally, we will take reasonable steps to deal with it appropriately.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. The most recent version will apply to personal data collected after the update takes effect. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

11. Summary of Key Principles

Man With A Van Crofton Park processes personal data only when necessary, uses it for clear and lawful purposes, keeps it secure, and retains it only for as long as needed. We aim to be transparent about our practices and to respect the privacy rights of every customer in the area. If you use our services, your data will be handled in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection law.