Privacy Policy - Man And Van Balham

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Balham collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing services to customers in the Balham area. It applies to all Man And Van Balham customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about services, request quotes, book removals, use storage or moving-related services, or communicate with us in connection with a move. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure way in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Man And Van Balham is the data controller for personal data collected in connection with our services. This means we decide why and how personal data is used. We only collect data that is relevant to providing moving and related services, managing customer relationships, meeting legal obligations, and improving our operations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us. The information we collect may include:

Identity information, such as your name and title.
Contact information, such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking details, such as service dates, property access information, move size, and item descriptions.
Billing information, such as payment status and invoice records.
Communication records, including enquiries, complaints, instructions, and correspondence.
Service-related preferences, such as access requirements, time preferences, or special handling instructions.
Technical information if you contact us electronically, such as basic device or message metadata where relevant for security and service delivery.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is necessary. Special category data is generally not required for our services. If such information is shared with us by mistake, we will handle it carefully and only where there is a valid legal reason to do so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide moving, collection, delivery, packing, or related services.
To manage bookings, quotations, and service arrangements.
To communicate with customers about service details, changes, or follow-up matters.
To process payments, issue records, and manage accounts.
To handle complaints, disputes, and customer support requests.
To improve service quality, planning, and operational efficiency.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We only use data for purposes that are compatible with the original reason it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to use it differently.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for every use of personal data. Depending on the situation, Man And Van Balham may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract: when processing is necessary to provide a quote, enter into a service agreement, or complete a move you have requested.
Legal obligation: when we need to keep records or disclose information to comply with applicable laws, tax requirements, or official requests.
Legitimate interests: when processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving services, managing operations, preventing fraud, or resolving disputes, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Consent: in limited situations where consent is required, such as certain optional communications or specific types of processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We assess each processing activity to ensure the chosen lawful basis is appropriate and documented. We do not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more suitable.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to meet the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Customer service and booking records are kept for as long as needed to manage the service and any follow-up issues.
Payment and invoicing records may be retained for a longer period to meet tax and bookkeeping obligations.
Communication records may be kept where necessary to evidence instructions, respond to complaints, or resolve disputes.
Data that is no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

When determining retention periods, we consider the amount, nature, sensitivity, and potential risk of the data, as well as legal requirements. We aim to keep data no longer than necessary and review it regularly.

6. Sharing Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services or meet legal obligations. These third parties may act as processors, meaning they process data on our behalf and under our instructions. Examples may include:

Payment service providers that help process transactions.
Accounting or bookkeeping providers that support financial record-keeping.
IT and cloud service providers that store or secure business data.
Communication service providers that help us manage messages or service updates.
Professional advisers such as legal or tax advisers where needed.

Where processors are used, we ensure they are subject to appropriate data protection obligations and only process personal data for specified purposes. We do not sell personal data. We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, or public authority request.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and data minimisation practices. Although no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain an appropriate level of protection based on the nature of the data and the risks involved.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, these may include:

Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
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 restriction – to ask us to limit processing in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable data protection law. We may need to verify your identity before taking action to protect your privacy and security. These rights are important and may be exercised free of charge, subject to legal exceptions.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure an appropriate level of protection is in place. This may include using approved legal safeguards or transferring data only to countries recognised as providing adequate protection under applicable law. We do this to ensure your information remains protected wherever it is processed.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging moving or related services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental and necessary in connection with a customer’s household move. If we become aware that data has been collected inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operations, or data handling practices. Any updates will take effect when published in the revised version. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically so they remain informed about how their personal data is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Transparent, lawful, and responsible data handling

Man And Van Balham is committed to protecting personal data and using it only for clear and lawful purposes. We collect only what is needed, keep it only for as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. Our approach is based on accountability, security, and respect for your rights. If you are a customer in the Balham area, this policy applies to you whenever you use our services or contact us in relation to them.