Privacy Policy - Soho Man And Van

Soho Man And Van is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in our service area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to all Soho Man And Van customers in the area, including individuals, households, and business clients who use our removal, delivery, packing, storage, or related transport services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Soho Man And Van is the data controller for the personal data we collect and use in connection with our services. This means we determine why and how personal data is processed. We take our responsibilities seriously and aim to process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

2. Data We Collect

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

Identity data such as name and title.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Service details such as pickup and delivery addresses, property access information, inventory items, and service preferences.
Payment data such as payment status, billing records, and transaction references. We do not store full card details unless required by secure payment systems.
Communication data such as enquiries, booking notes, complaints, and feedback.
Technical data when you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, IP address, and usage logs, where applicable.
Special category data only if you voluntarily provide it and only where necessary, for example access needs or health-related considerations relevant to moving arrangements.

We do not intentionally collect more personal data than is needed. If you provide information about third parties, such as a tenant, landlord, family member, or business contact, you should ensure you have the right to share that information with us.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations, manage bookings, and deliver moving services.
To communicate with you about service details, scheduling, and updates.
To process payments, refunds, and account administration.
To maintain records, handle disputes, and investigate complaints.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
To improve our services, processes, and customer experience.
To protect against fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use personal data in ways that are compatible with the original purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a valid legal reason to do otherwise.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the situation, our lawful bases may include:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, delivering services, arranging payments, and handling service-related communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as tax, accounting, insurance, or record-keeping obligations.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing our business, improving services, preventing fraud, and keeping secure records.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where we process optional information or send certain forms of marketing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process information to protect someone’s vital interests, such as responding to an emergency during a move.

5. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf or as independent controllers where necessary. These may include:

Payment processors to handle card or transfer transactions securely.
Accountants and tax service providers for financial administration and compliance.
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage, email, scheduling, and data processing systems.
Insurance providers for claims handling or risk management.
Professional advisers such as legal advisers where necessary.
Subcontracted service partners involved in delivery or removal operations, where relevant to the booking.

All processors are required to handle personal data securely, only on our instructions, and in compliance with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell personal data. We may disclose information where required by law, court order, or lawful request from public authorities.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor stores or accesses data outside the United Kingdom, we will take appropriate safeguards to ensure the protection of personal data. These safeguards may include standard contractual clauses or equivalent legal measures. We always aim to keep data transfers limited and secure.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of data and the reason it was collected.

Booking and service records are generally kept for the duration needed to deliver the service and manage follow-up matters.
Financial records are typically retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Complaints, correspondence, and dispute records may be kept longer where needed to resolve issues or defend legal claims.
Optional consent-based data is kept only until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it. Retention is always reviewed to ensure we do not keep information longer than necessary.

8. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, and limited system permissions. While no system is completely risk-free, we work continuously to reduce the likelihood of data breaches.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or legal exemptions:

Right of access – you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data where there is no legal reason to keep it.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object – you may 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.

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 address them promptly and fairly.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not specifically directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a household move or related service and provided by an adult with authority to do so. Where children’s information is processed, we apply appropriate safeguards and only use it for the relevant service purpose.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, service operations, or data handling practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how personal data is protected.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Soho Man And Van values privacy, transparency, and trust. We collect only the personal data needed to deliver our services, use it for clear and lawful purposes, retain it only as long as necessary, and share it only with trusted processors or where required by law. All Soho Man And Van customers in the area are covered by this policy, and we are committed to handling their data responsibly, securely, and in line with GDPR principles.