Privacy Policy - Sutton Man And Van

This Privacy Policy explains how Sutton Man And Van collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our moving, removals, and related services. It applies to all Sutton Man And Van customers in our area, including individuals, households, landlords, tenants, and business clients who use our services or interact with us in relation to a booking, quotation, delivery, or enquiry.

We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent way in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy is intended to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have over your personal data.

1. Who We Are

Sutton Man And Van provides man and van, removals, and transport services to customers in our local service area. In the context of data protection law, we act as the data controller for the personal information we collect and use for the purposes described in this policy. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.

2. The Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the operation of our services, compliance with legal obligations, and the management of our business. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name and, where needed, the names of other people connected with the booking.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Booking and service information such as collection and delivery addresses, moving dates, service instructions, item descriptions, and special handling requirements.
Payment and billing information such as invoicing details, payment status, and transaction records. We do not store unnecessary financial data.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, complaints, and feedback.
Access and site details such as parking instructions, property access notes, or information needed to complete the move safely.
Technical data where applicable, such as basic device or usage information if you contact us through online systems operated by us or our service providers.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it. Special category data may include information about health, religion, ethnicity, or similar sensitive matters. If such information is shared with us, we will handle it with extra care and only where there is a lawful basis to do so.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for legitimate business and operational purposes. These may include:

providing quotations and confirming bookings;
planning and carrying out removals and deliveries;
communicating with you about your service;
managing payments, invoices, and refunds where applicable;
responding to queries, complaints, and claims;
maintaining business records and service history;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and insurance obligations;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
improving our operations, customer service, and service quality.

We will not use your data for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, we inform you.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the situation, Sutton Man And Van may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing quotes, bookings, collections, deliveries, and payment administration.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where needed to comply with legal duties, such as tax, accounting, record-keeping, safety, or insurance requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include service improvement, record management, fraud prevention, and handling customer enquiries. When we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary and proportionate.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where you voluntarily provide optional information or agree to certain types of communication. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect processing carried out before the withdrawal.

5. Who We Share Data With

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to deliver our services, operate our business, or meet legal obligations. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers. We require appropriate safeguards and only share what is necessary.

Processors may include:

Payment providers that help process transactions securely;
IT and cloud service providers that store or manage business systems, emails, or records;
Accounting and bookkeeping providers supporting financial records and tax compliance;
Customer communication platforms used to manage messages and service updates;
Insurance providers and professional advisers where needed for claims, risk management, or legal support;
Subcontractors or operational partners assisting with service delivery, when necessary for the fulfilment of your booking.

We may also disclose information to public authorities, regulators, law enforcement agencies, or courts where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, our customers, or the public.

We do not sell your personal data.

6. Data Retention

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

In general:

quotation and booking records are kept for a reasonable period to manage service history and follow-up;
invoicing, tax, and accounting records are retained for the period required by law;
complaints, claims, and dispute records may be kept longer where needed to resolve the matter or defend legal claims;
communications that are no longer needed are deleted or securely archived.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in line with our retention procedures.

7. Data Security

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

While we work hard to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free. If we become aware of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will take the steps required by law.

8. International Transfers

If any of our processors store or access personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other recognised transfer mechanisms. We only allow such transfers where they can be carried out lawfully and securely.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing.

Right of access - you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification - you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure - you can ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction - you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object - you can object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain cases.
Right to data portability - you can request transfer of certain data where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to withdraw consent - where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to deal with requests within the time limits set by law.

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

10. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary to provide a service requested by an adult customer, such as moving family belongings or arranging access details. Where children’s data is involved, we handle it carefully and only to the extent required.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, operational, or business changes. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers in our area to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how we use personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Sutton Man And Van respects your privacy and is committed to processing personal data responsibly. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and lawful purposes, share it only where necessary, retain it for appropriate periods, and protect it with suitable security measures. This policy applies to all Sutton Man And Van customers in our area and sets out the standards we follow when handling your information.

In short: your personal data is treated with care, used lawfully, and handled in a way that supports safe, reliable, and professional service delivery.