Privacy Policy - Man And A Van Barnet

Man And A Van Barnet is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Barnet area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Man And A Van Barnet customers in the area, including individuals who request quotes, make bookings, communicate with us, or use our moving services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man And A Van Barnet acts as the data controller for the personal information we collect and process about our customers. This means we decide how and why your personal data is used when arranging and delivering our services.

This policy applies to personal data collected in connection with our removals, courier-related transport, loading and unloading support, and associated service administration.

2. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary to provide our services, manage customer relationships, and meet our legal obligations. The information we may collect includes:

Identity information such as your name and, where relevant, the name of a business or organisation.
Contact information such as your telephone number and email address.
Service and booking details including pickup and delivery addresses, preferred dates, item lists, access details, and service instructions.
Payment and transaction records such as invoice details, payment status, and bookkeeping information.
Communication records including messages, enquiries, complaints, and notes from phone or written correspondence.
Technical information where relevant, such as basic website usage data or device-related records used for security and service improvement.
Special category data only where you choose to provide it and it is necessary for a specific request, for example if you mention health, accessibility, or mobility needs that affect service delivery.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. Please avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive details unless they are relevant to the service you want us to provide.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and respond to enquiries.
To arrange, manage, and carry out moving services.
To communicate with you before, during, and after a booking.
To issue invoices, receive payments, and keep financial records.
To handle customer complaints, claims, or service issues.
To maintain accurate internal records and service history.
To comply with tax, accounting, and legal obligations.
To protect our business, staff, and customers from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We never use your information in a way that is incompatible with these purposes. Any further use will only occur if it is permitted by law and appropriate safeguards are in place.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

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

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, taking bookings, arranging collections and deliveries, and handling billing and related administration.

Legal Obligation

We process data where required to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including accounting, tax, fraud prevention, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided that these do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include service management, customer support, internal record-keeping, business security, and improving our operations.

Consent

Where we rely on consent, we will ask for it clearly and separately. This may apply in limited cases, such as when you provide optional sensitive information or agree to a specific communication preference. You may withdraw consent at any time, where consent is the lawful basis used.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example in an emergency involving safety or wellbeing.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our services. These organisations act as processors when they handle data on our behalf, and they are required to process it only according to our instructions and applicable law.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

IT and cloud storage providers that help us store and protect records.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with invoicing, tax, and financial administration.
Payment processors that handle transaction-related information securely.
Customer communication tools used for booking management or service updates.
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers where necessary.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, regulatory request, or to protect our legal rights.

We do not sell your personal data. We also do not permit processors to use your information for their own unrelated purposes.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. This may include UK adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer protections.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held.

Quotation and enquiry records may be kept for a reasonable period to manage follow-up queries and business records.
Booking and service records may be retained to support service history, complaints handling, and legal protection.
Payment and invoice records are generally retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaint or dispute records may be retained longer where needed to defend legal claims or resolve ongoing issues.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer identify you.

8. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to legal limits, but we will always assess requests carefully and respond appropriately.

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 – you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in some situations.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can ask for certain data in a structured, commonly used format where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. If you believe your rights have been infringed, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

9. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures are designed to reflect the nature of the information we hold and the risks involved in processing it.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to minimise risk by limiting access to data, using trusted service providers, and maintaining reasonable security practices.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or operational practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

11. Summary of Our Commitment

Man And A Van Barnet respects your privacy and handles personal data responsibly, fairly, and lawfully. We collect only what is necessary, use it for clear purposes, share it only with trusted processors where needed, and keep it only as long as required. This policy is intended to reassure all Man And A Van Barnet customers in area that their information is treated with care and in line with data protection law.