Privacy Policy - Stratford Man And Van

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Stratford Man And Van customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in connection with our removals, man and van, packing, transport, delivery, and related services.

1. Introduction

Stratford Man And Van is committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. We recognise that when you request a quote, make a booking, or use our services, you trust us with personal information. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, the lawful bases we rely on under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have in relation to your data.

This policy applies to all customers, prospective customers, and service users within the Stratford area and surrounding locations where our services are offered. It also applies where we process information about people who act on behalf of customers, such as representatives, household members, business contacts, and recipients of deliveries.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data: name, title, and where relevant business or company name.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and any delivery or collection address you provide.
Service details: booking dates, service requirements, inventory lists, access notes, property type, and special handling instructions.
Payment and billing data: payment status, invoice details, and transaction records. We do not store card details unless necessary and only in accordance with secure payment processes.
Communication data: messages, enquiries, complaint details, and records of correspondence.
Operational data: service notes, route details, vehicle allocation, and internal records needed to complete a booking.
Technical data: basic website or device information if you interact with digital systems used to manage bookings or enquiries.

In some cases, you may provide special category data incidentally, for example if you share information about accessibility, health, or security needs in order to arrange a safe move. We do not seek to collect such data unless it is necessary for your service or to protect your interests, and we apply additional safeguards where appropriate.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To respond to enquiries and provide quotes.
To arrange, manage, and complete bookings and deliveries.
To communicate with you before, during, and after a service.
To process payments, issue invoices, and keep financial records.
To maintain service quality, handle complaints, and resolve disputes.
To comply with legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or security risks.
To improve our services, administration, and customer experience.

We do not use your personal data for unrelated purposes without making sure we have a valid lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each use of your personal data. We rely on the following bases:

Contract

We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotes at your request, taking bookings, arranging collection and delivery, and carrying out removals or transport services.

Legal obligation

We process certain data to comply with laws and regulations, including tax, accounting, record-keeping, and insurance obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is in our legitimate interests to run and improve our business, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms. Examples include managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, maintaining service records, and improving operational efficiency.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example if we need to use optional information in a way that is not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as where information is needed in an emergency relating to health or safety.

5. Retention of personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy and to meet legal, accounting, or business requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it is held.

Customer and booking records: usually retained for the period needed to manage the service and handle post-service queries or disputes.
Invoice and payment records: kept for the period required under tax and accounting rules.
Complaint and communication records: retained for a reasonable period to evidence service handling and protect our legal interests.
Security-related records: kept only as long as needed to investigate incidents and protect our operations.

When personal data is no longer required, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our internal retention procedures. We do not keep data longer than necessary.

6. Data processors and sharing of personal data

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who process information on our behalf, known as data processors, or with other organisations where required by law. These parties may include:

Payment service providers that process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that help us maintain financial records.
IT and cloud service providers that support storage, email, and operational systems.
Customer communication tools used to manage service updates and enquiries.
Professional advisers such as insurers, legal advisers, and auditors where necessary.
Public authorities where we are required to disclose information by law or to respond to lawful requests.

All processors are required to protect personal data, use it only for our instructions, and implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures. We do not sell your personal data.

7. International transfers

Where a processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in line with applicable law. These safeguards may include approved contractual protections or adequacy arrangements.

8. Security of your data

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and careful selection of service providers. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your rights

Subject to certain legal conditions and exceptions, you have the following rights under data protection law:

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 information.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability: to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, where relevant.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

10. Children’s data

Our services are intended for adult customers and business users. We do not knowingly collect data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and provided by an adult responsible for the booking. If we become aware that we have collected personal data improperly, 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 the law, our services, or the way we process personal data. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage you to review it periodically to stay informed.

12. Summary of our commitment

Stratford Man And Van is committed to processing personal data responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with GDPR principles. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate purposes, keep it for no longer than necessary, and safeguard it through appropriate controls. Your privacy matters to us, and we aim to respect your rights at every stage of the customer relationship.