Privacy Policy - Man And Van Poplar

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Poplar collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Man And Van Poplar customers in area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, communicates with us, or otherwise uses our removal and transport services.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, and transparently. This policy sets out what data we collect, why we collect it, the legal grounds we rely on, how long we keep it, which types of processors may handle it on our behalf, and the rights available to you as a data subject.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our business operations, and meeting our legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

• Identity details such as your name and, where relevant, your title.
• Contact details such as your phone number, email address, and service address.
• Booking and service information including move dates, property access details, inventory notes, and service preferences.
• Payment-related information such as billing records, transaction references, and invoice details.
• Communication records including emails, messages, notes of calls, and any feedback or complaints you provide.
• Technical and usage data may be collected indirectly if you interact with our digital systems, such as IP address, device information, and log data used for security and administration.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is voluntarily provided by you and is strictly necessary for a specific lawful purpose. If such data is ever needed, we will handle it with additional care and only where a lawful basis applies.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide quotes and arrange services;
• to confirm bookings and manage job schedules;
• to communicate with you before, during, and after the service;
• to process payments, refunds, and invoicing;
• to maintain records of work completed;
• to handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests;
• to improve service quality and business operations;
• to meet legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
• to protect against fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access;
• to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary.

We will only use your personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe another compatible purpose applies or we are required by law to do otherwise.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

3.1 Contract

We process personal data to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out removal or transport services, and managing related communications.

3.2 Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as tax rules, accounting obligations, record-keeping duties, and lawful requests from authorities.

3.3 Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include preventing fraud, maintaining service records, improving operations, ensuring network and information security, and responding to customer enquiries.

3.4 Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for a specific optional processing activity. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as data processors on our behalf or as independent controllers where required by law. These parties are only allowed to use your information for specified purposes and under appropriate contractual or legal safeguards.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

• Payment processors that handle card or transfer transactions securely.
• Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support invoicing, tax reporting, and financial administration.
• IT and cloud service providers that host systems, store data, and support security measures.
• Communication tools and administrative platforms used to manage bookings, messages, and customer records.
• Professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, or auditors where necessary.

We may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, or law enforcement agencies where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, users, or the public.

We do not sell personal data. Any international transfer of personal data will only occur where adequate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable data protection law.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. The retention period may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

• Customer and booking records are generally retained for the period needed to manage the service relationship and resolve any follow-up issues.
• Financial and tax-related records are retained for the period required under law.
• Communication and complaint records may be retained for a reasonable period to support service management and dispute handling.
• Security logs and system records are retained only as long as necessary for operational security and troubleshooting.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete it, anonymise it, or securely archive it where appropriate. In some cases, we may need to retain certain information for longer if required to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

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, staff confidentiality requirements, and regular review of our processes.

Although we take data security seriously, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We therefore encourage customers to take reasonable care when sharing information and to notify us promptly if they believe their data has been compromised.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have important rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal limits and verification of identity, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure of your data in certain circumstances.
• Restriction of processing in certain situations.
• Data portability for information you provided to us, where applicable.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where relevant.
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

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

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for independent service arrangements. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority or lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it where required.

9. Changes to This Policy

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

10. Summary of Key Principles

Man And Van Poplar processes personal data only when necessary, uses it for clear and lawful purposes, protects it with appropriate safeguards, and keeps it only for as long as needed. We aim to be transparent and respectful in our handling of your information, and we are committed to supporting your rights under GDPR.

This policy applies to all Man And Van Poplar customers in area.