Privacy Policy - Man And Van Hounslow

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Hounslow collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving, transport, loading, unloading, and related services. It applies to all Man And Van Hounslow customers in the area, including private customers, households, landlords, tenants, businesses, and anyone who requests or receives our services. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man And Van Hounslow acts as the data controller for personal data collected in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how your personal data is processed. We only collect information that is necessary to provide and manage our services, communicate with customers, maintain accurate records, meet legal obligations, and improve our operations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the service requested. This may include:

Identity information such as your name, title, and any business or company name.
Contact information such as your phone number, email address, billing address, and service address.
Service details including move dates, collection and delivery locations, inventory lists, access details, and special instructions.
Payment information such as transaction records, payment confirmation, and invoicing details.
Communication records including enquiries, quotes, booking notes, complaints, and feedback.
Technical and usage data if you interact with us digitally, such as device information, browser type, and basic website interaction data.
Marketing preferences where you have indicated whether you wish to receive service updates or promotional communications.

We do not deliberately collect more information than is necessary. In some cases, we may also process limited special category data if you choose to disclose it to us, for example where it is relevant to access needs or service delivery. We only do this where there is a valid legal basis and appropriate safeguards.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, confirm bookings, and deliver removal and transport services.
To communicate with customers about service arrangements, timings, access, and changes.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain financial records.
To manage customer accounts and service history.
To handle complaints, disputes, and service queries.
To comply with tax, accounting, insurance, and legal requirements.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, and liability.
To improve service quality, train staff, and monitor operational performance.

We will only use your data where the law allows us to do so and where the use is relevant to the services we provide.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for every type of processing. The lawful bases we rely on are:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, arranging service delivery, and managing payment.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data to comply with legal duties, including tax obligations, accounting requirements, insurance obligations, and record-keeping requirements.

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 managing customer relationships, improving operations, preventing fraud, and defending legal claims.

Consent

Where consent is required, such as for certain optional marketing communications, we will ask for your clear permission. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Vital Interests and Public Interest

These bases are unlikely to apply in most routine service situations, but may be relied on if necessary in exceptional circumstances involving safety or legal emergency.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and only with trusted third parties who help us operate our business. These parties act either as processors or, in limited situations, as separate controllers. We require all processors to handle personal data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection law.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment processors that handle card or electronic payments.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing, financial records, and tax compliance.
IT and cloud storage providers that support secure data storage, email, and business systems.
Customer administration tools used for booking management, scheduling, and communication.
Insurance providers where information is required to assess or manage a claim.
Professional advisers such as solicitors, auditors, or compliance consultants when necessary.

We may also disclose information if required by law, regulation, court order, or lawful request by public authorities. Where possible, we will limit the information shared to only what is necessary.

6. International Transfers

If a processor stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will take appropriate measures to ensure your personal data remains protected. This may include using standard contractual safeguards or relying on approved transfer mechanisms permitted under data protection law.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including service delivery, legal compliance, dispute resolution, and accounting. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Customer and booking records are generally retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a further period where needed for administration or dispute handling.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage service history and respond to complaints or claims.
Marketing preferences are kept until you update your preference or withdraw consent.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymise it.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unlawful access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limiting access to those who need the information for legitimate business purposes.

Although no system is completely secure, we take data protection seriously and review our practices regularly to reduce risk.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and legal conditions. They include:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
The right to erasure to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
The right to restrict processing to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability to receive certain information in a structured, commonly used format where legally applicable.
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have not been respected. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a customer’s move or household arrangement and only in a limited, appropriate way. Where children’s data may be involved, we expect it to be provided by an adult responsible for the booking or service.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operational practice, or the way we process personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And Van Hounslow is committed to treating your personal data with care, transparency, and respect. We collect only what is necessary, use it only for lawful and clearly defined purposes, retain it only for as long as required, and share it only with trusted processors or when the law requires us to do so. We aim to ensure that every customer in the Hounslow area receives a service that is not only reliable and efficient, but also privacy-conscious and compliant with data protection standards.