Storage Elmers End Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Storage Elmers End collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data relating to customers and prospective customers in the Storage Elmers End service area. It is designed to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation. By using our services or contacting us about storage at Storage Elmers End, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Scope of this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to all Storage Elmers End customers, including individuals and business customers, as well as prospective customers who make enquiries about our services within our operating area. It covers the personal data that we collect in the course of providing self-storage and related services, managing customer accounts, and responding to enquiries, whether this data is collected online, by phone, or in person at our premises.
Personal Data We Collect
We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on your relationship with us and the services you use. The main categories of personal data that we collect are:
Identification and contact details: name, postal address, billing address, contact address, and, where provided, general contact details such as email address and any other contact details you choose to share; customer account details and contract details: unit number, access codes, rental dates, payment history, service preferences, and communications relating to your account; verification and security data: information required to verify your identity and to protect our site and units, which may include information shown on identity documents you present to us in person and recordings from our on-site CCTV systems; usage and interaction data: records of your communications with Storage Elmers End, including enquiries, complaints and feedback, as well as details of when you access our site if we use access control systems; payment related information: information required to process payments, such as partial card details as processed by our payment service providers and records of amounts paid and outstanding.
We do not seek to collect special category data such as health information, race or ethnicity data, or data relating to criminal convictions, and we ask customers not to provide such information unless strictly necessary for a specific purpose that we have discussed with you.
How We Collect Personal Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you enquire about our services, request a quote, sign a storage agreement, make a payment, visit our premises, contact us by phone or in writing, or update your details. We may also collect certain information automatically when you visit our premises or use any digital tools we operate, such as access logs and CCTV footage for security and safety purposes.
Lawful Bases for Processing Your Data
We only process your personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases under the GDPR:
Contract: we process your personal data when this is necessary to enter into a storage agreement with you or to perform our obligations under that contract, including managing your unit, taking payment, and providing customer service; Legal obligation: we process your data when required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax and accounting rules, regulatory requirements, law enforcement requests where we are legally obliged to respond, and obligations to maintain safety and security; Legitimate interests: we process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. Our legitimate interests include managing and developing our storage business, securing our premises and assets, preventing fraud or misuse, improving our services, and communicating with existing and former customers about our services in a proportionate way; Consent: in limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example where required for certain types of optional marketing communications. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw your consent at any time, and we will explain how to do so when we ask for it.
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
To provide and manage storage services, including setting up your account, managing access to your unit, and coordinating any additional services you request; to take and process payments and to manage billing and debt recovery; to respond to your enquiries, requests, and complaints; to maintain the security and integrity of our site through access control and CCTV monitoring; to comply with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and lawful requests from authorities; to maintain business records and internal administration, including accounting, auditing, and reporting; to analyse how our services are used so that we can operate, maintain, and improve them; to send you service-related notices and, where permitted, information about similar services that may be of interest to you.
Data Retention
We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. The retention period will vary depending on the type of data and our relationship with you.
In general, we retain customer account records and contract information for the duration of your agreement with Storage Elmers End and for a reasonable period afterwards, typically several years, to deal with queries, disputes, and legal obligations. Payment records are retained in accordance with applicable tax and financial regulations. CCTV recordings and access logs are retained for a shorter period, usually for security and incident review purposes, unless a specific recording is needed for an ongoing investigation or legal claim, in which case it may be kept longer. When personal data is no longer required, we delete it or anonymise it in a secure manner.
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 are engaged to provide services that support our operations, and they are only permitted to use your personal data in accordance with our instructions and this Privacy Policy. Such processors may include payment processing providers, accounting or administrative service providers, secure data storage and hosting providers, and companies providing security, access control, or CCTV maintenance services.
We require all data processors to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data and to comply with GDPR requirements. We do not sell your personal data. We may also share data with professional advisers, such as lawyers or accountants, where necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims, and with public authorities if we are legally required to do so.
International Data Transfers
Where we use service providers that process personal data outside the UK or European Economic Area, we take steps to ensure that your data is protected in accordance with GDPR standards. This may include relying on an adequacy decision or implementing appropriate safeguards such as approved standard contractual clauses and additional security measures.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under the GDPR, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data, subject to certain conditions and exceptions. These rights include:
Right of access: you can request confirmation that we process your personal data and obtain a copy of that data; Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete personal data; Right to erasure: you can request that we delete your personal data where there is no longer a lawful basis for us to keep it; Right to restriction of processing: you can ask us to restrict certain processing of your data in specific circumstances; Right to data portability: you can request that we provide you with your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and you can ask us to transmit that data to another controller where technically feasible; Right to object: you can object to certain types of processing, including processing based on legitimate interests and direct marketing; Rights in relation to automated decision making: Storage Elmers End does not use automated decision making that has legal or similarly significant effects on individuals in the context of our storage services.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, you can contact Storage Elmers End using the usual contact methods you use for your account. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request, and we will respond within the timescales required by law.
Security of Your Personal Data
We take the security of your personal data seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect your data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. Measures may include controlled access to our systems and premises, staff training, and the use of secure storage and backup solutions. While we take reasonable steps to secure your data, no system is completely secure, and you should also take care to keep any access details and passwords you use in relation to our services confidential.
Updates to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the way we handle personal data, changes to our services, or updates to legal or regulatory requirements. When we make significant changes, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention. The latest version of this Privacy Policy will always apply to how we process your personal data.
Contact and Complaints
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Storage Elmers End handles your personal data, or if you wish to make a complaint, you can contact us using the contact details you normally use to communicate with Storage Elmers End. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you are not satisfied with our response to your concerns.
