Privacy Policy - Man And Van Plumstead

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Plumstead collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Man And Van Plumstead customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, receives a service, or otherwise interacts with us in connection with our moving, delivery, transport, and related services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man And Van Plumstead acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. This means we determine why and how your personal data is processed. We only process personal data where we have a valid lawful basis and where it is necessary for our operations, customer service, legal obligations, or legitimate business interests.

2. Personal Data We Collect

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

Identity information such as your name and, where needed, business name.
Contact details such as address, email address, and phone number.
Service information such as booking dates, pickup and delivery addresses, item lists, property access details, and special handling requirements.
Payment information such as transaction details and payment status.
Communication records such as emails, messages, call notes, and customer service correspondence.
Technical information if you interact with us through digital systems, such as IP address, device type, and usage data collected for security and operational purposes.
Other information you provide voluntarily in relation to your move, delivery, or service request.

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless you choose to provide it and it is necessary for a specific service arrangement, for example where access needs or health-related considerations must be taken into account for safety reasons.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, confirm a booking, communicate with us, or use our services. We may also receive data from third parties where necessary to deliver the service you requested, such as payment providers, subcontracted service partners, or someone acting on your behalf. In some cases, we may collect limited information from public sources or property-related records if needed to verify an address or arrange a service.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data when we have a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract — to take steps at your request before entering into a contract and to perform the contract when providing moving or transport services.
Legal obligation — to comply with tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety, and other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests — to operate and improve our services, prevent fraud, manage business records, respond to customer enquiries, and protect our business, staff, and customers, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Consent — where required, such as for certain optional communications or particular processing activities where consent is the appropriate basis.

Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. How We Use Personal Data

We use your data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and manage bookings.
To plan and deliver removals, transport, and associated services.
To communicate with you about your service.
To process payments and maintain financial records.
To keep accurate customer and business records.
To handle complaints, queries, and service issues.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To protect against misuse, fraud, or unauthorised access.

We will always aim to keep data use proportionate and relevant. We do not sell your personal data.

6. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with carefully selected third parties where this is necessary for the delivery of our services or for legal and operational purposes. These third parties may act as processors on our behalf or as independent controllers in their own right.

Processors we may use include:

Payment processors that handle card or online transactions.
IT and cloud service providers that host data, support scheduling, communications, or storage systems.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help manage invoices and financial records.
Administrative support services that assist with customer management or document handling.
Subcontracted movers or logistics partners where needed to complete your requested service.

When we use processors, we require them to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with data protection law. We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, staff, customers, or property.

7. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses personal data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protective measures designed to keep your data secure and lawfully transferred.

8. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to fulfil service obligations, comply with legal requirements, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

In general:

Booking and service records are retained for the period needed to manage the service and follow-up support.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Communication records are retained for a reasonable period to manage enquiries, complaints, and business continuity.
Security-related records are retained only as long as necessary for prevention, investigation, or compliance purposes.

When data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

9. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our procedures. While no system is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a level of security suitable for the nature of the data we process.

10. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the legal basis for processing and the circumstances of the request.

Right of access — you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure — in certain cases, you may ask us to delete your data.
Right to restriction — you may request that we limit how we use your data in some circumstances.
Right to data portability — where applicable, you may request a copy of certain data in a structured format.
Right to object — you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. Some rights may be limited where we have a lawful reason to continue processing or where the law requires us to retain data.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is unavoidably included in service-related communications or instructions provided by an adult customer. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child in error, we will take appropriate steps to delete or protect it.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is handled.

13. Complaints

If you believe your personal data has been handled improperly, you have the right to raise a concern with the relevant data protection authority. You may also raise concerns directly with us so that we can review and address the matter appropriately. We aim to respond to legitimate privacy concerns promptly and in a fair manner.

Summary: This policy explains how Man And Van Plumstead processes customer data lawfully, securely, and transparently, including collection, retention, processors, and your GDPR rights.