Privacy Policy - Man And Van Swiss Cottage

This Privacy Policy explains how Man And Van Swiss Cottage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when providing moving, transport, and related services. It applies to all Man And Van Swiss Cottage customers in area, including individuals who request quotes, book services, communicate with us, or otherwise engage with our team. We are committed to processing personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that we may process personal data as described in this policy. We only collect information that is necessary for business operations, service delivery, legal compliance, and customer support.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity details such as your name and title.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service details such as moving date, pickup and delivery locations, inventory details, access requirements, and special instructions.
Payment and billing information necessary to process invoices, payments, and refunds.
Communication records including emails, call notes, text messages, complaint information, and customer feedback.
Technical data such as IP address, device type, browser information, and cookies where relevant to our website or online systems.
Proofs and verification data where required for identity checks, claims, or fraud prevention.

We generally do not seek to collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, for example if you share accessibility needs or health-related information relevant to a move. Where such data is collected, we will handle it with additional care and only 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 complete moving services;
to communicate with customers before, during, and after a booking;
to process payments, invoices, and refunds;
to coordinate staff, vehicles, and logistics;
to maintain records of services provided;
to deal with complaints, insurance matters, and disputes;
to comply with tax, accounting, and legal obligations;
to improve service quality and customer experience;
to prevent fraud, misuse, and unauthorised access.

We only process data that is relevant and necessary for these purposes. Man And Van Swiss Cottage does not use personal data for incompatible purposes without notifying you and ensuring a lawful basis applies.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the context, we rely on the following bases:

a. Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes preparing quotes, confirming bookings, carrying out removals, arranging delivery, and administering payment.

b. Legal Obligation

We may process data to meet legal obligations, including accounting requirements, tax recordkeeping, regulatory compliance, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

c. Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights do not override those interests. This may include service administration, record management, customer support, security, fraud prevention, and improving operational efficiency.

d. Consent

In limited cases, we rely on your consent, for example for certain marketing communications or optional data collection. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

If we process special category data, we will do so only where an additional condition under the UK GDPR applies, such as your explicit consent or another permitted legal basis.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who help us deliver our services. These parties act as data processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. We ensure that appropriate contracts and safeguards are in place before any sharing occurs.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

Payment processors for card and online transactions;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration;
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage, email, and system support;
Scheduling or customer management tools used to organise bookings and operations;
Insurance providers where claims or incidents must be handled;
Professional advisers such as legal or tax advisers;
Delivery and logistics partners where subcontracted support is necessary to complete a service.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order, regulatory duty, or to protect our rights, customers, or property. We do not sell personal data.

5. International Transfers

Where any processor stores or accesses data outside the UK, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. This may include using adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other legally recognised transfer mechanisms to protect your information.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, tax, and dispute-resolution requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Booking and service records are generally retained for a period needed to manage the customer relationship and address any follow-up issues.
Financial records are retained for the period required by law for tax and accounting purposes.
Complaint, claim, and incident records may be kept longer where needed to defend legal claims or satisfy insurance requirements.
Marketing data is retained until you withdraw consent or object, where applicable.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention procedures.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access to records on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work to protect your data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will assess the risk and take action in line with applicable law, including notifying affected individuals and regulators where required.

8. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis relied upon, you may 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 correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure to ask us to delete your data in certain situations.
Right to restriction to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise your rights, you may make a request using the usual customer support route. We may need to verify your identity before responding. In some cases, legal exceptions may apply, meaning we may not be able to fulfil every request in full.

9. Marketing Communications

We will only send marketing communications where permitted by law. If you receive marketing from us and no longer wish to receive it, you can object at any time. When you opt out, we will update our records accordingly.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If we operate an online presence, we may use cookies or similar technologies for essential site functions, analytics, and performance monitoring. Where consent is required, we will request it in line with applicable cookie laws. You can usually manage cookies through your browser settings.

11. Children's Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a booking or service arrangement and provided by an adult customer. Where children’s data is included in moving arrangements, it is processed only to the extent needed to provide the service.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it is issued. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is handled.

13. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or are concerned about how your data has been handled, you may raise the matter through our standard customer communication channels. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

Summary: This policy explains how Man And Van Swiss Cottage collects, uses, shares, retains, and protects customer data, plus lawful bases and user rights.