Privacy Policy - Soho Man And Van

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Soho Man And Van customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, share, store, and protect personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, and transparently. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and the rights you have over your data.

1. Who we are

Soho Man And Van provides removals, delivery, packing, collection, and related transport services. In order to provide these services, we process personal data relating to customers, prospective customers, business clients, and other individuals involved in arranging or receiving a service. This policy applies to all Soho Man And Van customers in the area, whether services are arranged directly or through an authorised representative.

2. Personal data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary for the provision and management of our services. The categories of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data: name, title, and similar identifying information.
Contact data: address, email address, telephone number, and correspondence details.
Service data: collection and delivery addresses, access information, inventory details, move instructions, and service preferences.
Transaction data: booking records, payment status, invoices, quotations, and service history.
Communication data: messages, calls, complaints, feedback, and notes relating to enquiries or bookings.
Technical data: limited online or device information, if you interact with us through digital systems used to manage bookings or communications.
Special category data: we do not seek to collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you have provided it knowingly, for example where it is relevant to access requirements or an agreed service arrangement.

We do not intentionally collect more information than is needed. If you provide information about another person, you should ensure that you have the authority to do so and, where necessary, that person has been informed of this policy.

3. How we collect your data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quotation or make a booking;
communicate with us by phone, email, message, or in person;
complete forms or provide instructions for a move or delivery;
make payment or request an invoice;
submit feedback, a complaint, or a query;
use services arranged on your behalf by another person.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, such as a business client, property manager, landlord, or payment provider. Where we receive personal data from another source, we will use it only for lawful and relevant purposes.

4. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotations and manage bookings;
to plan, carry out, and complete removals or related services;
to communicate service updates and respond to enquiries;
to process payments and maintain accounting records;
to handle complaints, disputes, and service issues;
to meet legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations;
to protect our business, staff, customers, and property;
to improve service quality, scheduling, and operational efficiency.

We will only use your data for the purpose for which it was collected, unless we reasonably believe we need to use it for another compatible purpose and such use is lawful.

5. Lawful basis for processing

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

Contract: processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, or to perform a contract with you, such as providing a removal or delivery service.
Legal obligation: processing is necessary to comply with tax, accounting, safety, insurance, or other legal requirements.
Legitimate interests: processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as managing operations, preventing fraud, improving services, and keeping appropriate business records, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Consent: in limited cases, we may rely on your consent, especially where processing is optional or involves specific data use beyond the service contract. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

If we process special category data, we will only do so where an additional lawful condition applies and the processing is strictly necessary.

6. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data only where necessary and with appropriate safeguards. This may include sharing with:

processors who act on our instructions and support our operations;
payment service providers;
accounting and bookkeeping providers;
IT, cloud storage, booking, and communication system providers;
insurance providers, legal advisers, or dispute resolution services where needed;
public authorities where required by law or to protect rights and safety.

Processors are third parties that process personal data on our behalf. They are required to keep data secure, act only on our instructions, and use it only for the services they provide. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any processor we use offers suitable data protection standards.

We do not sell personal data. We do not allow processors to use your data for their own unrelated purposes.

7. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, insurance, or reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

In general, we may retain:

booking and service records for a reasonable period after completion of the service;
financial and tax records for the period required by law;
communication and complaint records for as long as needed to resolve issues and defend legal claims;
information relating to quotes or unsuccessful enquiries for a limited period to support business administration and follow-up.

When data is no longer needed, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

8. Your rights under GDPR

You have a number of rights regarding your personal data. Subject to legal conditions and exemptions, these 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 restrict processing: 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.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Please note that some rights may not apply in every case, particularly where we must keep information to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

How to exercise your rights

You may contact us using the appropriate communication channel used for your booking or service record to make a request. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. We will respond within the time limits required by law, usually within one month, unless the request is complex or numerous.

9. Security of your data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, staff awareness, and data minimisation. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection.

10. International transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is protected by appropriate safeguards recognised under data protection law.

11. Children

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a service arrangement and handled appropriately by an adult customer or authorised representative.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage you to review it periodically.

13. Complaints

If you are concerned about how your personal data is handled, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority. We encourage you to raise any concerns so that we can address them promptly and fairly.

Summary of our commitment: Soho Man And Van processes personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently, with clear retention controls, restricted processor access, and respect for your GDPR rights.