Privacy Policy - Selfstorage Bayswater

Selfstorage Bayswater is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Bayswater area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data, and sets out the rights available to individuals under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy applies to all Selfstorage Bayswater customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, account holders, and anyone who communicates with us in connection with our storage services.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide secure and efficient storage services, manage our relationship with customers, and meet legal obligations. Depending on how you use our services, the information we may collect includes:

Identity information such as your name, date of birth, and title.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and contract information such as your storage unit details, rental agreement, payment status, billing records, and correspondence history.
Verification information such as proof of identity or proof of address where required for fraud prevention or regulatory compliance.
Payment information such as payment method details, transaction records, and refund information. We do not store more payment data than is necessary for processing and reconciliation.
Security information such as CCTV images, entry logs, gate access records, incident reports, and vehicle registration details where used to protect people and property.
Technical information such as device identifiers, IP address, browser data, and cookie-related data when you interact with digital systems used by us.
Communication data such as emails, calls, messages, complaint records, and service requests.

We generally do not collect special category data unless it is provided voluntarily or required by law, and we will only process such data where a lawful basis exists.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to create and manage customer accounts;
to enter into and perform storage agreements;
to process payments, issue invoices, and manage refunds;
to verify identity and prevent fraud, theft, and unauthorised access;
to manage access to storage facilities and maintain site security;
to communicate about services, renewals, contract changes, and customer support;
to handle complaints, claims, disputes, and insurance-related matters;
to comply with legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, systems, and operational efficiency;
to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

We will only use your data in ways that are fair, necessary, and proportionate. We do not sell personal data.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. We rely on the following bases depending on the activity:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as managing your storage account, collecting fees, and providing access to your unit.

Legal Obligation

We process personal data where required to comply with legal duties, including tax rules, accounting requirements, fraud prevention obligations, and lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include security monitoring, facility protection, service improvement, debt recovery, and record keeping.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for optional marketing or certain cookies where required. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital Interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process data to protect someone’s life or physical safety, such as during a serious incident or emergency.

4. Retention of Personal Data

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

Customer account records are typically retained for the duration of the agreement and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Payment and accounting records are retained for the period required by law and standard financial practice.
Security records such as access logs and CCTV footage are retained for a limited period unless needed for an investigation, claim, or legal proceeding.
Correspondence and complaints are retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and maintain an accurate service record.

When personal data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner. We take retention seriously and apply data minimisation wherever possible.

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who process data on our behalf, known as processors, or with independent controllers where necessary. These parties are only allowed to use personal data in line with our instructions or their own legal obligations.

Examples of processors or service providers may include:

payment processing providers;
IT and cloud service providers;
security and CCTV system providers;
professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, or legal advisers;
customer administration and communication platforms;
debt recovery or trace agents where lawful and necessary.

We require processors to implement appropriate security measures and to process personal data only for specified purposes. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy decision or approved transfer mechanism.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, encryption where appropriate, secure storage, staff training, and restricted internal access.

While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we regularly review our safeguards and update them as needed to reduce risk. Only authorised personnel and approved processors may access personal data when necessary for legitimate business purposes.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions and exemptions, but we will always respond fairly and within the required timeframe.

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 request deletion of personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – you may ask us to limit the way we use your data in some situations.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you believe our processing of your personal data is not lawful, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). We encourage customers to contact us first so we can address any concerns promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our storage services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in relation to a lawful contract, emergency, or legal obligation. If we become aware that we have collected a child’s data without a valid legal basis, we will take appropriate steps to delete or restrict it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business operations, or data protection practice. Any revised version will apply from the date it is posted or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their personal data is protected.

10. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all Selfstorage Bayswater customers in the area, including anyone using, enquiring about, or interacting with our storage services. By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection laws.

We are committed to processing personal data responsibly, transparently, and with respect for your rights.