Privacy Policy - Man With Van Shirley

Man With Van Shirley is committed to protecting the privacy of all customers, prospective customers, and website or service users in the Shirley area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when providing moving, van, removals, and related services. It applies to all Man With Van Shirley customers in the area, including individuals and businesses who request a quote, make a booking, or otherwise interact with our services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man With Van Shirley acts as a data controller in relation to the personal data we collect and use for our own business purposes. This means we determine why and how your personal information is processed. In some situations, we may also work with third parties that process data on our behalf, in which case they act as data processors.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage our business, and meet legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Booking and service details such as moving dates, property addresses, inventory information, access instructions, and service preferences.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records. We do not usually store full card details where a secure payment provider is used.
Communication records including emails, messages, phone notes, and service enquiries.
Usage and technical data if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address, browser type, and device information.
Any other information you choose to provide when you contact us, ask for a quotation, or raise a service issue.

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, we will only use it where permitted by law and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
To arrange, confirm, and deliver moving or van services.
To manage customer accounts, invoices, and payments.
To communicate about bookings, scheduling, delays, or service updates.
To handle complaints, claims, and customer support matters.
To improve our services, operations, and customer experience.
To maintain records for accounting, tax, and legal compliance.
To prevent fraud, misuse, and other unlawful activity.

We will only use your personal data where we have a valid lawful basis under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Our lawful bases for processing personal data may include the following:

4.1 Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations, confirming bookings, carrying out removals or transport services, and managing related payments.

4.2 Legal Obligation

We may process your information where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.

4.3 Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include improving our services, preventing fraud, managing customer communications, and protecting our business assets. When relying on this basis, we consider the impact on your privacy and take appropriate safeguards.

4.4 Consent

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before processing your personal data. For example, this may apply to certain types of marketing or optional communications. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this will not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Information

We only share personal data when necessary and with appropriate controls. In some cases, we may share data with:

Service providers and processors who support our business operations.
Accountants, auditors, or legal advisers where required for professional services or compliance.
Payment processors to manage secure transactions.
Insurance providers or claims handlers where a claim or incident must be assessed.
Regulatory bodies or public authorities where we are required to do so by law.

We do not sell your personal data. Any third party that processes data on our behalf must follow our instructions and is required to protect your information appropriately.

6. Data Processors

We may use processors to help us provide and support our services. These processors may include providers of IT systems, secure storage, invoicing software, payment services, customer communications tools, and administrative support. Processors only handle personal data on our instructions and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

We take care to choose processors that provide suitable technical and organisational measures, including confidentiality controls, secure access systems, and data protection commitments. Where data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in line with applicable law.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Quotation and booking records are typically retained for a reasonable period to manage customer relationships and business administration.
Invoice, payment, and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Correspondence and complaints may be kept long enough to resolve issues and protect our legitimate interests.
Technical or security records are retained only as long as needed for operational and safety purposes.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in different circumstances and may be subject to legal limitations.

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 certain cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
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 ask for certain data to be provided 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 line with applicable data protection law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.

9. Security of Your Data

We take the security of personal data seriously and use reasonable measures to help protect it from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and operational safeguards. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we use online systems that rely on cookies or similar technologies, these may be used to support functionality, measure performance, and improve user experience. Where required, we will provide appropriate information about such technologies and obtain consent when necessary.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 18 unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and lawfully provided by an adult or authorised representative.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

13. Summary of Key Principles

Man With Van Shirley only processes personal data when it is necessary, fair, and lawful. We aim to be transparent about what we collect, why we collect it, who may receive it, and how long it is kept. We also respect your privacy rights and work to ensure that all processing is proportionate to the services we provide.

This Privacy Policy is intended to ensure that customers in the Shirley area can understand how their information is handled in a clear and responsible way. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.