Privacy Policy - Man With A Van Swiss Cottage

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected by Man With A Van Swiss Cottage. It applies to all Man With A Van Swiss Cottage customers in the area, including anyone who requests a quote, books a service, communicates with us, or otherwise engages with our moving and transport services.

We are committed to handling personal information in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only process personal data where we have a valid legal basis and we apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard it.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide and manage our services, to comply with legal obligations, and to operate our business effectively. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and any relevant business name.
Contact information such as your address, telephone number, and email address.
Service information such as moving dates, pickup and delivery locations, property access details, inventory lists, and special handling instructions.
Payment-related information such as payment confirmations, billing records, and transaction details.
Communication records including emails, call notes, messages, and complaint or feedback correspondence.
Technical data such as IP address, device information, browser type, and basic website usage data where applicable.
Verification details where needed to confirm identity, prevent fraud, or protect our legal interests.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. If such information is incidentally shared with us, we will handle it with heightened care and only use it where a lawful basis applies.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotes and respond to enquiries.
To arrange, manage, and deliver moving and transport services.
To communicate with customers about bookings, changes, delays, and service updates.
To process payments, issue invoices, and maintain accounting records.
To deal with complaints, claims, disputes, or insurance matters.
To comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.
To improve our services, customer experience, and internal operations.
To protect our business, customers, and staff from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We will only use personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that another compatible purpose is required or permitted by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the context, we rely on one or more of the following bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into a contract with you or to perform our obligations under a contract. This includes providing quotations, confirming bookings, delivering moving services, issuing invoices, and managing service-related communications.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal 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 operations, preventing fraud, improving services, maintaining security, and handling internal record-keeping.

Legal Obligation

We process certain information where required by law, including tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory compliance obligations. This may involve retaining invoices, transaction records, and other documentation for legally required periods.

Consent

Where required, we will rely on your consent. For example, if we need to use optional information for a specific purpose that is not otherwise covered by contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interests, we will request consent and explain how it can be withdrawn.

Vital Interests

In very limited circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency involving health or safety during a service.

4. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties that help us deliver our services or operate our business. These recipients may act as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We only share data when necessary and under appropriate safeguards.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

Payment service providers that process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that assist with financial records and tax compliance.
IT and cloud storage providers that host data, maintain systems, or support communications.
Administrative support providers that help with scheduling, document management, or customer service.
Insurance providers or claims handlers where required to manage incidents or claims.
Professional advisers such as legal, financial, or compliance advisers.

All processors are required to act only on our instructions, keep personal data confidential, and implement appropriate security measures. We do not sell your personal data.

We may also disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or a lawful request from a public authority, or if disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, customers, staff, or property.

5. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under data protection law. We only transfer data where necessary and where adequate protection can be maintained.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Enquiry and quotation records are typically retained for a limited period after the enquiry is closed, unless ongoing communication continues or a dispute arises.
Booking and service records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Complaint, claim, or dispute records may be retained longer where necessary to resolve issues or defend legal claims.
Technical and security logs are retained for a limited time unless a longer retention period is required for security or legal reasons.

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

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. Your rights may include:

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – you may request that certain data be provided in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within the time limits set by law.

8. Data Security

We take the security of personal data seriously. We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to help protect information against unauthorised access, alteration, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, and limited data access on a need-to-know basis.

However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will assess the risk and, where required, notify the appropriate authorities and affected individuals in line with legal obligations.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidentally included in service instructions or correspondence and only where necessary for service delivery. If we become aware that we have collected such data inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or service changes. The latest version will apply to your use of our services from the date it becomes effective. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their data is handled.

11. Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all Man With A Van Swiss Cottage customers in the area, including individuals and businesses that enquire about, book, receive, or otherwise use our services. By engaging with our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection law.

We are committed to processing personal data lawfully, transparently, and with respect for your privacy. Where data processing is necessary, we ensure it is limited to what is relevant, proportionate, and appropriate for the service or legal requirement involved.

This policy is intended to provide a clear and compliant explanation of our data practices for customers in the Swiss Cottage area.