Privacy Policy - Selfstorage Collierswood

Selfstorage Collierswood is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers and prospective customers in the 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. It applies to all Selfstorage Collierswood customers in the area, including individuals, business users, and anyone interacting with our services, whether in person, by phone, by email, or through written communication.

We value transparency and aim to ensure that you understand what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and the rights available to you under data protection law. By using our services, you acknowledge that your information may be processed as described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for providing secure and effective self-storage services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity information: full name, date of birth, and identification details where required for verification purposes.
Contact information: address, email address, telephone number, and emergency contact details if provided.
Account and contract information: storage unit number, rental agreement details, payment status, start and end dates, and related account records.
Payment information: bank details, card payment references, transaction records, and billing history.
Access and security data: CCTV images, entry logs, gate access records, alarm triggers, and visitor records where applicable.
Correspondence: emails, letters, phone notes, complaints, service requests, and other communications.
Technical and usage data: if you interact with digital systems, we may collect device identifiers, IP addresses, browser type, and system logs.

We may also receive personal data from third parties, such as payment providers, identity verification services, insurers, debt recovery partners, or lawful authorities, where this is necessary and permitted by law.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for clear and legitimate purposes connected to our storage services. These purposes include:

setting up and managing customer accounts and storage agreements;
verifying identity and preventing fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access;
collecting payments and managing invoices, arrears, and refunds;
providing customer support, resolving disputes, and handling complaints;
maintaining safety and security of our premises, staff, customers, and stored goods;
complying with legal and regulatory requirements;
protecting our rights, property, and legitimate business interests;
communicating important service information, contract updates, or policy notices;
improving our operations, systems, and customer experience.

We do not sell personal data. We only process it where there is a lawful reason to do so.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform our storage agreement with you. This includes creating accounts, managing access, taking payment, and delivering the storage service.

Legal Obligation

We process certain personal data to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, tax, fraud prevention, and responding to lawful requests from authorities.

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. Examples include protecting our premises through CCTV, preventing theft, managing security, and improving our services.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on consent, such as for certain optional communications. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In exceptional situations, we may process personal data to protect someone’s life or physical safety.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary for the operation of our business, security, or legal compliance. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Processors may include:

payment processing providers;
IT and software support providers;
cloud storage and data hosting services;
security and CCTV maintenance providers;
identity verification services;
accounting and bookkeeping providers;
debt recovery or credit control partners;
professional advisers such as lawyers, auditors, or insurers.

When we use processors, we require them to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not allow processors to use your data for their own purposes.

We may also disclose personal data if required by law, court order, regulation, or lawful request from a public authority. Where appropriate, we may share limited information to protect the rights, safety, or property of Selfstorage Collierswood, our staff, our customers, or third parties.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason for holding it.

Customer and contract records: retained for the duration of the storage agreement and for a period after it ends to handle disputes, audit requirements, and legal claims.
Financial and tax records: retained for the period required by accounting and tax laws.
Security records, including CCTV: retained for a limited period unless they are needed for an investigation, incident response, or legal purpose.
Correspondence and complaints: retained as long as necessary to manage the issue and maintain records of resolution.
Marketing consent records: retained until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe, where applicable.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it. We apply retention controls to avoid keeping information longer than necessary.

6. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, encryption, secure storage, staff training, and physical security arrangements. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risks involved.

7. Your Rights Under Data Protection Law

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights are subject to certain conditions and exemptions under the law. They include:

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 information.
Right to erasure: in some cases, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restrict processing: you can request that we limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, and in some cases to direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you may request that certain data be provided to you or another provider in a usable format.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in line with our legal obligations. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.

8. Children’s Data

Our services are not primarily intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a lawful storage arrangement, such as where a parent or guardian acts on behalf of a customer. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority, we will take steps to address it.

9. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that the transfer complies with data protection law. This may include the use of approved contractual protections or transfers to countries recognised as providing adequate protection.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or service arrangements. When we do so, we will revise the policy accordingly. We encourage customers to review it periodically to stay informed about how their information is handled.

11. Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all Selfstorage Collierswood customers in area and is intended to provide a clear summary of our personal data practices. By continuing to use our services, you confirm that you have read and understood the terms described here. Our commitment is to process your personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently.

Privacy, security, and accountability remain central to the way Selfstorage Collierswood operates.