Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Soho

Effective for all Man And A Van Soho customers in the Soho area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when you use our moving, delivery, and related services. It also explains your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to all Man And A Van Soho customers in area, including individuals, households, businesses, and anyone who arranges or receives a service from us in Soho and nearby locations served by our operations. It covers data we collect before, during, and after a booking, whether the request is made by phone, email, in writing, or through any other communication method.

2. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide and manage our services, handle enquiries, and meet legal and operational requirements. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and, where needed, the name of a business or household contact.
Contact data such as your phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service data such as move dates, item descriptions, access details, special handling instructions, and preferred service times.
Payment and transaction data such as payment status, invoice details, and limited billing records.
Communication data such as messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and other correspondence.
Operational data such as route information, job completion records, and service history.
Technical data in limited cases, if you communicate with us electronically, such as basic device or log information.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data unless it is required for a specific service, or you choose to provide it to help us complete your booking safely and effectively. If such information is needed, we will handle it with extra care and only for a clear purpose.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data to:

respond to enquiries and provide quotations;
manage bookings and deliver moving or transport services;
plan routes, allocate vehicles, and coordinate teams;
communicate updates about your service;
issue invoices, process payments, and maintain financial records;
deal with complaints, claims, or disputes;
comply with legal, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations;
improve our services, customer experience, and internal processes;
protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud or misuse.

We use your data only for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably need to use it for a compatible related purpose or a legal requirement.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using your personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. This includes handling enquiries, preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out transport services, and managing payment arrangements.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data to meet legal obligations, including tax, accounting, insurance, business recordkeeping, and lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include running our business efficiently, maintaining service records, preventing fraud, improving operations, and resolving disputes. When we rely on this basis, we assess the impact on your privacy and use only what is necessary.

Consent

In limited cases, we may ask for your consent, for example where processing is not covered by another lawful basis or where law requires consent. If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time, and we will stop the relevant processing unless another lawful basis applies.

5. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

In general:

booking and service records are kept for a reasonable period after completion of the job;
invoicing and financial records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law;
complaints, disputes, and claim-related records may be retained longer where needed to defend or resolve a matter;
data that is no longer needed is securely deleted or anonymised.

Where possible, we review records periodically to ensure we do not keep personal data longer than necessary. Retention is based on business need and legal duty, not convenience.

6. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to provide our services, operate our business, or comply with the law. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment providers who help process card or other payment transactions;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial administration;
IT and cloud service providers who support storage, communications, and system maintenance;
Booking or scheduling tools used to organise jobs and service records;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers where necessary;
Subcontractors or delivery partners who assist in completing a service you have requested.

Where a processor handles data on our behalf, they are only permitted to use it according to our instructions and must keep it secure. We require appropriate safeguards and contract terms to protect personal data.

We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of customers, staff, or the public.

7. International transfers

In some cases, service providers may store or process data outside the UK. If this happens, we will take appropriate steps to ensure your personal data receives a level of protection that is consistent with UK GDPR requirements, such as approved safeguards or adequacy arrangements.

8. Security of your data

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, staff awareness, and controlled use of third-party systems.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to minimise risks and review our practices regularly. If a data incident occurs that poses a risk to your rights or freedoms, we will take appropriate action in line with applicable law.

9. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a range of rights regarding your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and legal exceptions.

Right of access - you can ask for 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 - in certain cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restrict processing - you can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where applicable.
Right to data portability - you can request certain data in a reusable format where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent - where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly.

10. Children’s data

Our services are generally aimed at adults arranging moving or transport services. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal data unless it is necessary in connection with a household service and only to the extent required for safe and effective delivery.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operational practices, or service arrangements. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing it periodically so you remain informed about how we process personal data.

12. Summary of our commitment

Man And A Van Soho is committed to handling personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We limit collection to what is necessary, use data for clear purposes, protect it with appropriate safeguards, and retain it only as long as needed. Our approach is designed to respect privacy while providing reliable services to all Man And A Van Soho customers in area.