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 its removal and transport services. It applies to all Bow Man And Van customers in the area, including individuals and businesses that request quotations, make bookings, receive services, or otherwise interact with us. 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.

1. Who we are

Bow Man And Van provides man and van, removals, collection, delivery, and related logistics services. In the course of delivering these services, we may process personal data about customers, prospective customers, and, where relevant, third parties involved in a booking such as recipients, landlords, building managers, or nominated representatives. For the purposes of data protection law, Bow Man And Van acts as the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

2. Information we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for our services, administration, and compliance obligations. The categories of information we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name and, where required, the name of a business or organisation.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Booking and service information such as collection and delivery addresses, preferred dates and times, items to be moved, access information, and service notes.
Payment and transaction data such as payment status, invoice details, and limited financial records necessary for accounting.
Communication records such as correspondence relating to quotations, amendments, complaints, and service updates.
Technical information where applicable, such as device or browser information when you contact us electronically.
Special category data only where you voluntarily provide it and only if it is necessary for a specific service requirement or safeguarding issue. We will always limit such processing to what is strictly required.

We generally collect data directly from you when you request a quotation, make a booking, complete a form, communicate with us, or provide instructions. We may also receive data from third parties where you have asked them to act on your behalf or where it is necessary to complete a service.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To provide quotations and manage bookings.
To plan routes, allocate staff, and complete removals or deliveries.
To contact you about your service, including updates, changes, or issues.
To issue invoices, process payments, and maintain records.
To respond to enquiries, complaints, and claims.
To maintain business records, improve operations, and train staff.
To meet legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations.
To protect our business, staff, customers, and property from fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity.

We only use your data in ways that are compatible with the original purpose for which it was collected, unless we have a lawful basis to use it for another compatible purpose.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each activity involving personal data. Bow Man And Van relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract: We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as providing quotations, arranging services, and completing bookings.
Legal obligation: We may process data to comply with tax, accounting, safety, insurance, and record-keeping obligations.
Legitimate interests: We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, improving service quality, and protecting our operations.
Consent: In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is appropriate to process optional or sensitive information that is not otherwise necessary for the service. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Where special category data is involved, we will only process it when an additional condition under data protection law is met, such as your explicit consent or another lawful condition permitted by law.

5. How long we keep data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Retention periods depend on the type of data, the nature of the service, and any legal or contractual requirements. In general:

Quotation and booking records may be retained for operational and customer service purposes.
Invoices, payment records, and accounting information are retained for the period required by tax and accounting law.
Communication records may be kept for a reasonable period to handle queries, disputes, or claims.
Insurance-related records may be retained for as long as necessary to deal with incidents or legal claims.

When data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention practices. If we need to keep data longer because of a legal claim or regulatory requirement, we will do so only for that purpose.

6. Processors and data sharing

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, but only where necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards. These may include:

Payment service providers that help us process transactions securely.
Accounting and bookkeeping providers that support financial records and tax compliance.
IT, hosting, and software providers that assist with storage, communications, scheduling, or business administration.
Insurance providers and claims handlers where needed to manage incidents, liabilities, or claims.
Professional advisers such as accountants or legal advisers when necessary.
Authorities, regulators, or law enforcement where disclosure is required by law or is necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

We require processors to handle personal data securely, only on our instructions, and in compliance with data protection law. We do not sell your personal data.

7. International transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms permitted under applicable law.

8. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Such measures may include restricted access, secure storage, staff confidentiality expectations, password protection, and regular review of procedures. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take data security seriously and aim to reduce risks as far as reasonably possible.

9. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may apply in whole or in part depending on the circumstances:

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 ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: You may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases direct marketing.
Right to data portability: You may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where the legal conditions are met.
Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits set by law unless an extension is permitted due to complexity or the number of requests.

10. Cookies and online communications

Where we use electronic communication tools, we may receive limited technical information needed to operate and secure those services. If cookies or similar technologies are used, they will only be applied where lawful and appropriate. Any such use will be limited to what is necessary for functionality, security, analytics, or service improvement.

11. Complaints

If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, you have the right to raise a complaint with the relevant data protection authority. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can review and address the issue promptly. We take privacy concerns seriously and will make reasonable efforts to resolve them fairly.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our data practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is made available. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

Summary of our privacy commitment

Bow Man And Van processes personal data only where necessary, uses clear lawful bases, keeps information no longer than required, shares it only with trusted processors or where legally required, and respects the rights of all customers in the area. We aim to handle your information with care, transparency, and accountability.