Storage Southfields Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Storage Southfields collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data relating to all Storage Southfields customers in the area. It also explains your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Scope and Data Controller
This Privacy Policy applies to all Storage Southfields customers in the area who use our storage facilities or related services, including enquiries, bookings, and ongoing contracts. Storage Southfields is the data controller for the personal data described in this Privacy Policy, meaning we decide how and why your personal data is processed.
Types of Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us. This may include:
Identification data such as full name, title, date of birth, and proof of identity details shown to us when you open an account or sign a contract.
Contact details such as home or business address, billing address, and any correspondence address you provide, as well as any email or online account identifiers you choose to share.
Contract and account data such as storage unit number, contract dates, pricing, payment history, security deposit details, and records of any additional services you use.
Payment data such as partial payment card details or bank information to the extent required to process payments and maintain financial records, in line with applicable payment security standards.
Security and access data such as CCTV footage within and around our premises, access control data including key code records, entry and exit time stamps, and any incident reports relating to security or safety events.
Communication data such as records of your interactions with us, including queries, complaints, feedback, correspondence, and notes from phone or in-person conversations.
How We Collect Your Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you make an enquiry, request a quote, sign a storage agreement, make a payment, or contact us in person, by phone, or using other communication channels. We may also collect data indirectly when a third party arranges storage on your behalf and provides your details to us, where this is lawful and appropriate. In addition, we automatically collect certain technical and access data through our security systems, such as CCTV and access control devices at our premises.
Lawful Bases for Processing
We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis under the UK GDPR. Depending on the context, our lawful bases include:
Contract. We process your data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as to set up your storage unit, manage your account, take payments, and provide customer support.
Legal obligation. We process data where we need to comply with our legal obligations, including tax, accounting, health and safety, security, and regulatory record keeping requirements.
Legitimate interests. We process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes maintaining site security, preventing fraud, managing business operations, and improving our services.
Consent. In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or uses of your data that are not necessary for contract or legitimate interests. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
Purposes of Processing
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
To manage customer relationships, including responding to enquiries, providing quotes, setting up contracts, and handling routine communications.
To provide storage services, including managing access to your storage unit, maintaining security at our site, monitoring occupancy, and coordinating any additional services.
To process payments and maintain accurate invoices, receipts, and financial records, including managing arrears, refunds, and debt recovery where necessary.
To ensure safety and security at our premises, including through the use of CCTV and access control systems, investigating incidents, and protecting people and property.
To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including record keeping, responding to lawful requests from public authorities, and exercising or defending legal claims.
To operate and improve our business, including reviewing service usage, conducting internal audits, and training staff.
Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
Customer account and contract data will typically be retained for a period after the end of your contract, to handle queries, disputes, or legal claims and to comply with tax and financial record keeping obligations.
CCTV and security access records are retained for shorter periods, unless a longer retention period is required in connection with a specific incident, investigation, or legal claim.
When personal data is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete or anonymise it so that it can no longer be associated with you.
Data Processors and Third Parties
We may share your personal data with trusted third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These processors may provide services such as payment processing, secure data storage, customer management systems, accounting support, or security and CCTV maintenance. We require all processors to process your data only in accordance with our written instructions, to implement appropriate security measures, and to respect the confidentiality of your information.
We may also share data with other third parties where we act as an independent controller, for example with professional advisers such as lawyers or accountants, with insurers in connection with claims, with debt recovery agencies where necessary, or with public authorities and law enforcement where required by law.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. If we are ever involved in a business reorganisation, merger, or sale, we may transfer relevant customer data to the new owner or entity, in line with data protection law and with appropriate safeguards.
International Transfers
Where we use service providers that are based outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area, or that store data in other countries, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data. These safeguards may include the use of recognised standard contractual clauses or equivalent legal mechanisms designed to ensure that your rights are protected.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. These measures may include access controls, physical security at our premises, staff training, and regular reviews of our systems and processes. While we take reasonable steps to secure your data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and you should take care to protect any access details or codes associated with your storage unit.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under the UK GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply to all Storage Southfields customers in the area, subject to certain legal exceptions and limitations.
Right of access. You can request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of that data, along with certain information about how we use it.
Right to rectification. You can ask us to correct or complete personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to erasure. In certain circumstances, you can request that we delete your personal data. This right is not absolute and may be limited, for example where we need to retain data to comply with legal obligations.
Right to restriction. You can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in particular situations, such as while we investigate a concern about its accuracy.
Right to data portability. In some cases, you may request that we provide your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine readable format, or transfer it to another controller where technically feasible.
Right to object. You can object to processing based on our legitimate interests, including any direct marketing activities, and we will consider your objection in light of our legal obligations.
Rights in relation to automated decision making. We do not use your personal data to make decisions that are based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects for you.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe that your personal data has been processed in a way that does not comply with data protection law.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the services we offer. Any updated version will apply to all Storage Southfields customers in the area from the date it is made available. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.
