Privacy Policy - Acton Man And Van

This Privacy Policy explains how Acton Man And Van collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our moving, delivery, packing, loading, unloading, and related services. It applies to all Acton Man And Van customers in our service area, including anyone who requests a quotation, books a service, communicates with us, or uses our services in any way.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy should help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process different types of personal data depending on the service requested and the way you interact with us. The information may include:

Identity details, such as your name and the names of other individuals connected to the booking;
Contact details, such as telephone number, email address, and postal address;
Service details, including collection and delivery addresses, move date, property access details, inventory information, and special handling requirements;
Payment information, such as payment status, billing records, and partial payment details used for invoicing and accounting;
Communication records, including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, feedback, and service updates;
Technical information, where relevant, such as basic website or device data if you submit an enquiry online;
Special category data, only where you voluntarily provide it and where it is necessary to support the service, for example access needs or health-related mobility considerations.

We do not intentionally collect more data than is necessary for providing our services. If you choose to share additional information with us, we will only use it when there is a lawful basis to do so and where appropriate safeguards are in place.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for legitimate operational and legal purposes connected with our moving services. This includes:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
Managing bookings and scheduling removals;
Planning routes, loading arrangements, and manpower requirements;
Carrying out the move or delivery safely and efficiently;
Preparing invoices, receipts, and internal records;
Handling complaints, claims, or disputes;
Meeting legal, tax, and accounting obligations;
Maintaining service quality, training, and internal administration;
Preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
Improving our services and customer experience.

We will only use your data for the purposes described here or for purposes that are compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use data for a new and unrelated purpose, we will ensure that we have a lawful basis to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for every processing activity. Acton Man And Van relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking your details, arranging the move, communicating about the booking, and delivering the service you requested.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, recordkeeping, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include service administration, business security, responding to customer queries, and preventing misuse of our services. We always assess whether the processing is proportionate and necessary.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, especially for optional communications or the processing of sensitive information you provide voluntarily. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

We treat special category data with extra care and will only process it where a specific legal condition applies, such as your explicit consent or another permitted basis under UK GDPR.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties only where necessary to operate our business and provide our services. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We require appropriate contractual protections and only work with providers that can offer suitable security and confidentiality measures.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processors for handling secure transactions;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration;
IT and cloud service providers for storage, email, scheduling, and data backup;
Communication tools used for customer messaging and booking management;
Professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where needed;
Subcontracted movers or logistics partners where support is required to complete the service.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, court order, or other legal obligation. We do not sell your personal data. Any sharing is limited to what is necessary and proportionate for the relevant purpose.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Retention periods depend on the nature of the information and the reason it was collected.

Booking and service records are generally retained for a period needed for administration, customer support, and dispute handling;
Invoice and tax records are retained for the period required by applicable law;
Communication records may be retained for a reasonable period to manage service issues and ensure accurate records;
Unused enquiries may be deleted sooner if they do not lead to a booking and there is no continuing reason to keep them.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. In some cases, we may retain data for longer if necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access restrictions, secure storage, password protection, staff awareness, and appropriate supplier controls.

While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risks and to ensure personal data is handled responsibly. If a data breach affecting your rights and freedoms occurs, we will respond in accordance with legal requirements.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have important rights regarding your personal data. These may include:

The right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
The right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
The right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
The right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
The right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests;
The right to data portability – to receive certain data in a usable format where applicable;
The right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent;
The right to complain – to the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been breached.

Some rights are subject to conditions and legal exceptions. For example, we may need to keep certain records to meet legal obligations or defend a claim, even if you request deletion.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults arranging removals or deliveries. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is incidentally provided by an adult customer in connection with a move. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without an appropriate reason or lawful basis, we will take steps to delete it.

9. International Transfers

Where service providers store or access data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal data to the required legal standard. This may include approved contractual protections and assessment of the receiving country’s data protection framework.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data processing practices. The most current version will apply to all customers in our service area from the date it takes effect. We encourage you to review it periodically so you remain informed about how your data is handled.

11. Summary of Our Approach

In summary, Acton Man And Van only collects personal data that is necessary to provide moving services, communicate effectively, comply with the law, and manage our business responsibly. We process your data on lawful bases including contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and, where appropriate, consent. We limit access to trusted processors, keep data only as long as needed, and respect your rights under data protection law.

By using our services, requesting a quote, or making a booking, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy applies to you as a customer in our area.