Storage Westminster Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Storage Westminster collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with the storage services we provide. It applies to all Storage Westminster customers in our service area, including individuals and businesses using any of our storage facilities, services, or related products.
We are committed to complying with the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. We want you to understand what personal data we process, the lawful bases we rely on, how long we keep your data, and the rights you have.
Scope of this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to personal data processed by Storage Westminster when you:
Make an enquiry about our services, whether in person or through other channels.
Enter into a storage agreement or other contract with us.
Visit or use our storage facilities.
Interact with our staff regarding your account, payment, or any services we provide.
This Policy does not cover the personal data of individuals whose information is stored inside your storage unit by you. You are responsible for any personal data you choose to store within your unit.
Types of Personal Data We Collect
We may collect and process the following categories of personal data, depending on your relationship with us and the services you use:
Identification and contact details, such as name, postal address, billing address, and any other contact details you provide.
Account and contract information, such as storage unit number, contract start and end dates, services selected, and related correspondence.
Payment information, including payment method details, billing history, and records of payments made to us. Where we use third-party payment processors, they may collect and process card details on our behalf.
Security and access information, such as vehicle registration number, entry and exit logs, access card or code usage, and CCTV footage in and around our facilities, where in operation.
Communication records, including emails or written correspondence you send to us, along with records of calls or in-person interactions where relevant to your account or our services.
Technical information, where relevant to digital services, such as basic device and log information when you use any online tools we may provide.
Lawful Bases for Processing Your Personal Data
We rely on one or more of the following lawful bases under data protection law when we process your personal data:
Performance of a contract: We process personal data that is necessary to enter into and perform our contract with you, including managing your booking, providing access to your storage unit, handling payments, and dealing with queries or issues relating to your contract.
Legal obligations: We may process personal data where required to comply with our legal and regulatory duties, such as tax, accounting, or record-keeping requirements, responding to lawful requests from authorities, and fulfilling health and safety obligations.
Legitimate interests: We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and where your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. This may include maintaining the security of our premises through access logs and CCTV, preventing fraud, pursuing unpaid fees, improving our services, and managing our business operations.
Consent: In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where we use certain optional marketing communications. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:
To provide and manage storage services, including setting up your account, managing your bookings, and giving you access to the premises and your unit.
To process payments and maintain accurate financial records.
To secure and protect our premises, customers, staff, and property through access controls, logs, and, where in operation, CCTV systems.
To communicate with you about your contract, including reminders regarding payments, renewals, changes to your agreement, or facility issues that may affect you.
To respond to your questions, requests, or complaints and to provide customer support.
To meet legal, regulatory, and law enforcement requirements where applicable.
To manage our business operations, including planning, reporting, and improving the efficiency and quality of our services.
Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law or regulation. Retention periods may vary depending on the category of data and the purpose of processing.
In general, we keep customer account and contract information for a period after the end of your contract in order to deal with any queries, disputes, or legal claims, and to comply with applicable legal retention requirements.
Payment and billing records are retained for periods required by tax and accounting laws.
Security and access records, including access logs and CCTV footage where in operation, are typically retained for a limited period, unless a longer retention is required in connection with an incident, investigation, or legal claim.
When personal data is no longer required and no legal retention obligation applies, we will securely delete or anonymise it.
Use of Data Processors and Third Parties
We may engage trusted third-party service providers to process personal data on our behalf as processors. These may include:
Payment processing providers that handle card transactions and related financial services.
IT and cloud service providers that host or maintain our systems and data storage.
Security service providers who support the operation and maintenance of security systems, including access control and CCTV.
Professional advisers, such as accountants or legal advisers, where necessary for our business operations and compliance.
Where we use processors, we ensure they are bound by contractual obligations to process personal data only according to our instructions, to implement appropriate security measures, and to comply with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell your personal data.
We may also share personal data with public authorities or other third parties where required by law or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
International Data Transfers
Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with data protection law. These safeguards may include the use of standard contractual clauses or other approved mechanisms. Further details of such safeguards can be made available upon request, where applicable.
Data Security
We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, and staff awareness and training.
While we cannot guarantee absolute security, we work to ensure that personal data is handled in line with industry standards and legal requirements.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to certain conditions and exemptions. They include:
Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and to obtain a copy of your personal data, along with certain information about how it is processed.
Right to rectification: You have the right to request that inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you be corrected.
Right to erasure: In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you withdraw consent and there is no other legal basis for processing.
Right to restriction of processing: You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, such as while we verify its accuracy or consider an objection.
Right to object: You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests, on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will stop processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or where processing is required for legal claims.
Right to data portability: Where processing is based on consent or on a contract and carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on your consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, or if you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the contact methods provided in our customer documentation or at our premises.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to raise a complaint with us. We will take your concerns seriously and work with you to resolve them where possible.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority in the United Kingdom if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. Any updated version will apply to all personal data processed after the date on which the revised Policy takes effect.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect and use your personal data as a customer of Storage Westminster.
