Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Chessington

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With A Van Chessington collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with our removals, transport, delivery, and related services. It applies to all Man With A Van Chessington customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and businesses who engage our services. We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Man With A Van Chessington acts as the data controller for the personal information we collect and process when providing our services. This means we decide why and how your data is used. We take data protection seriously and aim to ensure that all personal information is handled with appropriate safeguards, limited access, and clear accountability.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the information that is reasonably necessary to provide and manage our services. Depending on your interaction with us, the information we may collect includes:

Identity details such as your name and title
Contact details such as address, phone number, and email address
Service details including collection and delivery addresses, property access information, and item descriptions
Booking information such as dates, times, service preferences, and special instructions
Payment information including billing details and transaction records
Communications between you and us, including enquiries, complaints, and feedback
Technical data such as basic website or device information if you contact us online
Operational records related to quotes, invoices, job completion, and service history

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is provided by you and is strictly necessary for a specific service request. If such information is ever needed, we will only process it where the law allows and with suitable protection.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes, schedule jobs, and carry out removals and transport services
To confirm bookings and communicate service updates
To process payments and issue invoices or receipts
To manage customer support, complaints, and follow-up enquiries
To keep business records and meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations
To improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of our services
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose and the law permits this.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where we have a valid lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the nature of the interaction, our lawful bases include:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, completing services, handling payment, and providing customer support connected to the service.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain certain information where we must comply with legal obligations, such as tax rules, accounting requirements, insurance purposes, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include maintaining service records, improving service delivery, responding to disputes, preventing fraud, and ensuring operational security.

Consent

Where consent is required by law, we will ask for it clearly and separately. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share personal data with trusted third parties only when necessary and only to the extent needed for legitimate business operations. These may include:

Payment providers for processing card or transfer payments
Accountants and tax advisers for financial and compliance purposes
IT and communication service providers who support our systems and record-keeping
Insurance providers where required for claims or risk management
Subcontractors or operational partners assisting in the delivery of booked services
Legal or regulatory authorities where disclosure is required by law

All processors are required to protect personal data, use it only according to our instructions, and maintain appropriate security and confidentiality measures.

6. Processors and Data Handling

When we use third-party processors, we ensure that they operate under written agreements that meet GDPR requirements. These processors may handle data on our behalf for hosting, payment processing, document storage, accounting, communication, or business administration.

We do not sell your personal data. We also do not allow processors to use your information for their own purposes. Any disclosure is limited, proportionate, and supported by contractual safeguards.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The length of time may vary depending on the category of information and the reason for processing.

Booking and service records are generally kept for a reasonable business period to manage queries, disputes, and customer history
Financial records may be retained for the period required by tax and accounting law
Communication records may be kept for as long as needed to respond to customer issues or maintain service evidence
Technical or operational data is kept only as long as necessary for security, functionality, or administrative purposes

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

8. 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, restricted permissions, staff confidentiality expectations, and safe disposal methods.

Although we take all reasonable steps to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs and is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will respond in line with legal obligations.

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 the legal basis for processing:

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 - you can ask us to delete your data in certain situations
Right to restriction - you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
Right to data portability - you can request your data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable
Right to withdraw consent - where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

You also have the right to raise a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your data protection rights have been breached. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any concerns promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults acting on their own behalf or on behalf of a household or business. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidental to a service arrangement and necessary for the job being carried out. If we become aware that we have collected child-related data without an appropriate basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. International Transfers

Where any third-party service provider stores or processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection law. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections or equivalent legal mechanisms.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, operational practices, or service arrangements. Any updates will apply from the date they are published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is used.

13. Our Commitment to You

At Man With A Van Chessington, we value trust, privacy, and professionalism. We only collect the information we need, use it for legitimate purposes, protect it carefully, and keep it only for as long as necessary. If you engage our services, you can expect your personal data to be treated with care, fairness, and respect throughout every stage of the service process.