Privacy Policy - Bow Man And Van

This Privacy Policy explains how Bow Man And Van collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the services we provide. It applies to all Bow Man And Van customers in area, including individuals, households, and businesses that use our moving, delivery, collection, loading, unloading, and related transport services. We are committed to handling personal data fairly, transparently, and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only process data that is necessary for legitimate business and operational purposes, and we take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data depending on the service requested and how you interact with us:

Identity information such as your name, title, and, where relevant, business name.
Contact details such as address, email address, telephone number, and any delivery or collection location details.
Service details including booking information, inventory lists, moving requirements, access instructions, preferred dates, and special handling notes.
Payment information such as payment status, transaction references, invoicing details, and billing records.
Communication records including emails, phone notes, messages, complaints, feedback, and service-related correspondence.
Operational information such as vehicle allocation, job scheduling, route planning, and service completion records.
Technical data if you communicate with us through digital systems, such as IP address, device information, or basic usage logs.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is necessary and you choose to provide it, for example if relevant to a specific access need or service requirement. Where special category data is processed, we apply additional safeguards and only do so when a valid legal condition exists.

2. How We Collect Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

request a quote or make a booking;
correspond with us by phone, email, or message;
provide details for the planning or delivery of a service;
submit complaints, feedback, or queries;
make or receive payments in connection with our services.

We may also receive data from third parties where necessary for service delivery, such as landlords, property managers, business clients, or payment service providers. In all cases, we limit such processing to what is relevant and appropriate for the service requested.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the activity, our lawful bases may include:

Performance of a contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to provide the moving, van, delivery, or related services you have requested, to manage your booking, and to complete the service.

Legal obligation

We may process data where required by law, including for tax records, accounting obligations, insurance matters, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may use personal data for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include service administration, fraud prevention, record keeping, internal quality control, dispute handling, and business planning.

Consent

Where we rely on consent, we will ask for it clearly and separately. You can withdraw consent at any time, and this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital interests

In rare situations, we may process personal data to protect someone’s life or physical safety, for example if urgent welfare or access concerns arise during a move.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide quotes, schedule jobs, and deliver services;
to verify service details and manage customer accounts;
to communicate about bookings, access, timing, and service updates;
to process payments, issue invoices, and maintain financial records;
to handle complaints, claims, and dispute resolution;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, and insurance requirements;
to improve our operations, service quality, and customer experience;
to protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud or misuse.

We do not use your personal data for unrelated purposes unless we have a lawful basis to do so and, where required, have informed you appropriately.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, tax, insurance, and operational requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

In general:

Booking and service records are retained for a period that allows us to manage follow-up issues, claims, and operational history.
Financial and invoicing records are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Correspondence and complaints are retained long enough to resolve issues and demonstrate compliance.
Technical logs are retained only for short periods unless needed for security or legal reasons.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices. We review retention needs regularly to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Processors and Data Sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third-party processors and service providers who act on our instructions and support our business operations. These may include:

payment processing providers;
accounting and bookkeeping services;
IT, cloud storage, and system support providers;
communication and email service providers;
insurance providers, claim handlers, and legal advisers;
subcontracted service providers where required to complete a booking;
regulatory or public authorities where disclosure is legally required.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, to use it only for the agreed purpose, and to apply appropriate confidentiality and protection measures. We do not sell your personal data.

Where data is shared with third parties for operational purposes, we ensure there is a valid legal basis and that any transfer is limited to what is necessary. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure suitable safeguards are in place.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable and proportionate measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, misuse, or disclosure. These may include access controls, secure storage, restricted permissions, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of security practices. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a high standard of protection.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal exceptions, these may 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 restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to request transfer of certain data in a structured format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data rights have not been respected. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve any issue promptly and fairly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed to children as a primary audience, but we may process personal data relating to minors where necessary in connection with a household move or similar service. In such cases, we process only the minimum data required and in line with applicable law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, service arrangements, or data processing practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage you to review it periodically.

11. General Statement

This policy is intended to provide clear and transparent information about how we handle personal data. Our approach is grounded in fairness, accountability, and data minimisation. We only keep what we need, use it for defined purposes, and apply protections designed to respect your privacy.

In all cases, we seek to process personal data in a lawful, secure, and proportionate manner, with respect for your rights and expectations. Privacy is an important part of the trust placed in Bow Man And Van.