Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Charlton

Man With A Van Charlton is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when providing our moving, delivery, transport, and related services. It applies to all Man With A Van Charlton customers in the area, including anyone who makes an enquiry, requests a quotation, books a service, or otherwise interacts with us.

We aim to process personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only collect information that is necessary for legitimate business purposes and we do not sell personal data.

1. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as pickup and delivery addresses, moving dates, property access information, item descriptions, and special handling requirements.
Payment and billing information such as payment confirmation, invoice details, and transaction records.
Communication records such as emails, messages, notes from calls, and any feedback or complaints you provide.
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you interact with our online systems, including IP address, browser type, and usage logs where applicable.
Marketing preferences where you choose to receive updates or offers.

We may also receive information from third parties where necessary to carry out our services, such as referral partners, payment providers, or subcontracted service partners. Where this occurs, we only use the information for the relevant service purpose.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We process personal data to operate our business and deliver services efficiently. This may include the following purposes:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
Managing bookings and scheduling services.
Carrying out removals, transport, deliveries, and associated work.
Processing payments, issuing invoices, and maintaining records.
Communicating about service updates, changes, or issues.
Handling complaints, disputes, and customer support requests.
Meeting legal, accounting, and tax obligations.
Maintaining internal administration, service quality, and business records.
Improving our services and managing business performance.
Sending marketing communications where permitted and appropriate.

We only process data that is relevant and necessary for the stated purpose. We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reason it was originally collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process your personal data when it is necessary to provide a quotation, manage a booking, carry out a service, or take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, fraud prevention, and regulatory requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may use personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This can include maintaining service records, improving customer experience, managing operations, protecting our business, and dealing with customer enquiries.

Consent

Where required by law, we rely on your consent, particularly for certain marketing communications or optional processing. If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare cases, we may process personal data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency involving safety or welfare.

4. How We Share Personal Data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary for the operation of our services. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide. We require appropriate safeguards and only share information that is necessary.

Payment processors that handle card or online transactions.
IT and hosting providers that support our business systems, email, data storage, and security tools.
Administrative and accounting providers that assist with invoicing, bookkeeping, and tax compliance.
Subcontractors or operational partners who support service delivery where needed.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, or accountants.
Regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where disclosure is required by law.

All processors are selected carefully and are required to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to use it only for the agreed purpose. We do not allow processors to use your data for their own unrelated purposes.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. The length of time may vary depending on the type of information and the nature of the service provided.

Enquiry records may be kept for a limited period after the enquiry ends in case of follow-up or dispute.
Booking and service records may be kept for a longer period to support customer history, complaints handling, and business administration.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Marketing preferences are kept until you opt out or withdraw consent.

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised so that it can no longer identify you. We regularly review our retention practices to ensure we are not keeping information for longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and data minimisation practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject under the UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, these may include:

Right of access — you can ask for 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 — you can ask us to delete personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction — you can ask us to limit how we use your data in some 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.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. Your rights are important, and we will not treat you unfairly for making a privacy request.

8. Marketing Communications

Where permitted, we may send you marketing messages about our services if you have given consent or if we are otherwise allowed to do so under applicable law. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time. If you opt out, we will stop sending such messages, though we may still contact you about service-related matters, legal notices, or completed transactions.

9. International Transfers

In some cases, personal data may be stored or processed outside the UK if a service provider uses systems located abroad. When this happens, we ensure suitable safeguards are in place so that your data remains protected to an appropriate standard. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal protections.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary to provide a service requested by an adult customer and lawful to do so. If we become aware that data has been collected improperly from a child, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is handled.

12. Complaints

If you are concerned about how your personal data has been handled, you may raise the issue with us so we can review it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With A Van Charlton values privacy and handles personal data responsibly. We collect only the information needed to provide our services, use it for lawful business purposes, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as necessary. We work with processors carefully, respect your rights, and apply this policy to all customers in the area. Our approach is designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with data protection law.