Privacy Policy - Surrey Man And Van

This Privacy Policy explains how Surrey Man And Van collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Surrey Man And Van customers in the area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business customers who use our removals, man and van, delivery, and related services.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Personal data is information that identifies, or could identify, a living person. This policy sets out what we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights available to you.

1. Information We Collect

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

Identity details such as your name, title, and, where needed, proof of identity.
Contact details such as your telephone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service information including dates, collection and delivery addresses, move requirements, access notes, item lists, and service preferences.
Payment and billing information such as invoicing details, transaction records, and payment status. We do not intentionally store full card details unless required by a secure payment provider.
Communications such as emails, text messages, call notes, and messages sent through booking or enquiry channels.
Operational data such as job allocation details, route information, and evidence of service completion where relevant.
Website and technical data if you interact with digital services, including device details, IP address, and usage logs where applicable.

In some cases, we may also process special category data if it is voluntarily provided and necessary for a particular request, for example, access requirements or health-related information needed to carry out a move safely. We will only do this where there is a lawful reason and appropriate safeguards in place.

2. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and confirm bookings;
to plan, deliver, and manage removal and transport services;
to contact you about your booking, access, timing, or service changes;
to issue invoices, receive payments, and manage accounts;
to handle complaints, claims, and customer support requests;
to maintain service records and internal business administration;
to improve our services, processes, and customer experience;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, and insurance requirements;
to prevent fraud, abuse, or misuse of services; and
to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary.

We do not use your data for unrelated purposes without informing you or ensuring another lawful basis applies.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only when permitted by law. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases include:

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as preparing quotations, managing bookings, delivering services, and processing payments.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, record keeping, fraud prevention, training, and improving operational efficiency.

Legal Obligation

We may process and retain data to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, tax, insurance, and regulatory obligations.

Consent

Where consent is required, for example for certain optional marketing activities or processing of particular sensitive information, we will ask for it clearly and separately. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Vital Interests

In rare circumstances, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, such as during an emergency related to a move or access issue.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to deliver services, manage operations, or comply with the law. These parties act either as processors or independent controllers.

Payment providers who securely handle transactions and payment verification.
Accounting and bookkeeping processors who support invoicing, tax records, and financial administration.
IT and cloud service providers who host systems, email, data storage, and backup services.
Customer communication tools used for booking confirmations, service updates, and record keeping.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where required for service incidents or liability matters.
Professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, and tax advisers.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary for legal proceedings.

Where we use processors, we ensure they are bound by written data processing terms that require them to protect personal data, act only on our instructions, and implement appropriate security measures. We do not sell your personal data.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and why we hold it.

Booking and service records are generally retained for a reasonable period to manage customer support, disputes, and operational history.
Financial and tax records are kept for the period required by law.
Complaint and claims records may be retained for longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.
Marketing data is retained until you opt out or withdraw consent, where consent is the lawful basis.

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

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include restricted access, secure storage, access controls, staff confidentiality expectations, and careful selection of processors. However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and we continuously review our safeguards.

7. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate protections are in place. This may include using countries recognised as providing adequate protection or implementing approved contractual safeguards.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights regarding your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions. They include:

Right of access – to request confirmation of whether we process your data and obtain a copy of it.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – to ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to data portability – to request a copy of data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used format, where applicable.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you believe your data protection rights have been infringed, you also have the right to raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

9. Marketing Communications

We may send service-related messages that are necessary for bookings or customer administration. Where we send marketing communications, we will do so only in accordance with applicable law. You may opt out of marketing at any time, and we will respect your preferences.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is unavoidably included in service arrangements or communicated by a parent, guardian, or authorised adult. If we become aware that we have collected data inappropriately, we will take steps to delete it where required.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing it periodically to remain informed about how we protect your information.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Surrey Man And Van is committed to processing personal data responsibly, securely, and only for legitimate purposes. We collect only what we need, use it fairly, retain it for appropriate periods, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. This policy applies to all Surrey Man And Van customers in the area and is designed to support transparency, accountability, and respect for your privacy rights.