Privacy Policy - Man And Van Bermondsey

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Bermondsey collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving, transport, delivery, loading, unloading, and related services. It applies to all Man And Van Bermondsey customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, businesses, and anyone else who uses our services within Bermondsey and surrounding locations.

We are committed to handling personal data in a fair, lawful, transparent, and secure way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is intended to explain what data we collect, why we collect it, the lawful basis we rely on, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have in relation to your personal information.

1. Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage customer relationships, comply with legal obligations, and protect our business and customers. Depending on the type of service requested, we may collect the following categories of data:

Identity information: your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details: address, email address, telephone number, and moving or collection address.
Service details: information about the move, including property access, inventory details, preferred dates, special handling instructions, and volume of items.
Billing and payment information: invoice details, payment status, and limited payment-related records. We do not store full card details unless explicitly required by a secure payment provider.
Communication records: emails, messages, notes from phone calls, and service-related correspondence.
Operational information: records about bookings, service completion, customer feedback, and any claims or complaints.
Technical data: basic website or device data if you interact with digital services, such as IP address, browser type, or cookies, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to provide it to us and it is necessary for a specific request. Special category data may include information about health, disability, or other sensitive matters. If such information is disclosed to help us provide an appropriate moving service, we will handle it carefully and only when necessary.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for legitimate business purposes connected to our services. These purposes include:

processing quotes and bookings;
planning and carrying out removal, transport, and delivery services;
communicating about schedules, access needs, delays, and service changes;
issuing invoices and managing payments;
keeping business records;
handling complaints, disputes, insurance matters, or claims;
meeting tax, accounting, and legal obligations;
improving service quality and operational efficiency;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unsafe activity;
sending service-related messages that are necessary to perform a contract or respond to your enquiry.

We do not sell your personal data. We also do not use your data for profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract: when processing is necessary to provide a quote, confirm a booking, perform a move, deliver items, or take steps before entering into a contract.
Legal obligation: when we must keep records for tax, accounting, insurance, regulatory, or other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests: when processing is needed to operate and improve our business, communicate with customers, manage risk, and maintain service quality, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent: in limited cases, such as where you ask us to use optional categories of data or where consent is required by law. You may withdraw consent at any time.

If we process special category data, we will only do so where an additional lawful condition applies and where it is necessary for the purpose concerned.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who process data on our behalf or who need the information to support the service. These parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the nature of the arrangement.

Examples of processors and recipients may include:

IT and cloud service providers: for secure storage, email, scheduling, and business administration tools.
Payment service providers: to handle transactions securely.
Accountants and bookkeepers: for financial records and tax compliance.
Insurance providers and claims handlers: where a claim, incident, or liability issue needs review.
Subcontracted drivers or moving teams: where needed to complete a booking or assist with a service.
Legal or regulatory bodies: where disclosure is required by law, court order, or lawful request.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely and only according to our instructions. We use appropriate contractual and technical safeguards to protect your information.

We may also share limited information with third parties if necessary to prevent fraud, protect safety, enforce agreements, or defend legal claims. Where possible, we only disclose the minimum amount of data needed for the specific purpose.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, or as long as we are legally required to keep it. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer booking records: retained for as long as necessary to complete the service and manage follow-up queries.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by law, usually several years.
Complaints, claims, and dispute records: retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and protect legal rights.
General correspondence: retained only as long as needed for business administration and communication purposes.

When information is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymise, or securely destroy it. In some cases, we may retain data for a longer period where a legal claim is possible or where another lawful reason applies.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, data minimisation, staff awareness, and restricted sharing on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security, but we do take reasonable and proportionate steps to safeguard the data we hold.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have certain rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and any legal 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 data.
Right to erasure: you can ask us to delete your data in certain situations.
Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in some cases.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct business-related communications where applicable.
Right to data portability: you can ask for certain data to be provided in a structured, commonly used format where the legal conditions are met.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise your rights, you should make a clear request and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will aim to respond within the time limits required by law.

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 infringed.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is used.

9. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data processed by Man And Van Bermondsey in connection with our services in Bermondsey and the surrounding area. By using our services, requesting a quote, or communicating with us about a booking, you acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this policy.

We will always aim to keep your personal data lawful, fair, transparent, relevant, and secure. Where possible, we will limit collection to the data needed to provide a professional and reliable moving service while respecting your privacy rights.