Privacy Policy - Man And Van Bow

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Bow collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Man And Van Bow customers in the area, including anyone who requests, receives, enquires about, or pays for our moving, delivery, packing, collection, or related services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We take privacy seriously and aim to collect only the information we need, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as necessary.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process several types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and which services you use. This may include:

Identity information such as your name and title.
Contact information such as your address, email address, and telephone number.
Service information such as moving details, collection and delivery addresses, access instructions, inventory lists, and special handling requirements.
Payment information such as billing details and transaction records.
Communication records such as emails, text messages, call notes, and complaint or enquiry details.
Technical data such as basic device, browser, or usage information if you interact with any digital systems used to manage bookings or requests.
Risk and safety information such as details needed to plan safe lifting, transport, or site access.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, or it is required for a specific lawful reason. If such information is provided, we will handle it with extra care and only where permitted by law.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to provide and manage our services and to support legitimate business operations. The main purposes include:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
booking and delivering moving or transport services;
planning routes, schedules, and staffing;
communicating service updates, confirmations, and changes;
processing invoices, payments, and refunds where applicable;
handling complaints, claims, and customer support matters;
maintaining business records and service histories;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
protecting our customers, staff, contractors, and property;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We do not sell personal data. We only use data in ways that are compatible with the purposes for which it was collected.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Performance of a Contract

We process data when it is necessary to provide a quote, make a booking, perform moving services, issue invoices, or communicate about the service you requested.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain records to comply with tax law, accounting requirements, insurance obligations, health and safety rules, or lawful requests from authorities.

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. This may include service management, customer support, business administration, security, and fraud prevention.

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for certain optional communications or the use of specific types of data, we will ask for it clearly and you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s life or physical safety, such as where urgent action is needed during a service-related incident.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us deliver our services or run our business. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the situation.

Processors may include:

payment service providers and invoicing systems;
IT hosting, cloud storage, and email service providers;
customer relationship or booking management tools;
professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers;
insurance providers and claims handlers;
subcontractors or drivers engaged to support service delivery;
delivery, collection, or logistics partners where needed.

We require processors to handle data securely, only on our instructions, and in accordance with applicable data protection law. Where a third party acts as an independent controller, it will be responsible for its own privacy practices.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, court order, or lawful request from a public authority, or to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, or the public.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The exact retention period depends on the type of information and the purpose of processing.

In general:

booking and service records are retained for a period necessary to manage the service, address follow-up matters, and maintain business records;
invoice and payment records are kept for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaints, claims, and incident records may be retained longer where needed for legal defence or insurance purposes;
communications may be kept for a reasonable period to support customer service and dispute resolution.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it or anonymise it securely. We apply retention limits and review data periodically to ensure it is not held longer than necessary.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, password protection, staff confidentiality obligations, and restricted data sharing.

Although we take reasonable steps to safeguard data, no system is completely secure. We therefore encourage users to provide only the information necessary and to notify us promptly of any concerns about their data.

7. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing, you have rights under data protection law in relation to your personal data. These may include:

Right of access - to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification - to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
Right to erasure - to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
Right to restriction - to ask us to limit how we use your data;
Right to data portability - to receive certain data in a portable format where applicable;
Right to object - to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Right to withdraw consent - where processing is based on consent;
Right to complain - to raise concerns with the relevant data protection authority.

We will respond to requests in line with applicable law. Some rights may not apply in all cases, for example where we must retain information to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If you believe your data has been used incorrectly, you may ask us to review the matter and provide clarification.

8. Data from Third Parties

We may receive personal data from third parties where necessary to arrange or deliver services. This may include details provided by a customer, property manager, agent, insurer, or service partner. We will only use such data for legitimate service-related purposes and will handle it in line with this policy.

9. International Transfers

Where data is stored or processed by service providers outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by law. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections or transfers to countries with adequate data protection standards.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, services, or business operations. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage users to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And Van Bow is committed to processing personal data responsibly, lawfully, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear service and business purposes, share it only with appropriate processors or where legally required, and retain it only as long as necessary. We also recognise and respect the rights of every customer in the area whose personal data we hold.

This policy applies to all Man And Van Bow customers in area. By using our services, you can expect your information to be treated with care, confidentiality, and respect.