Privacy Policy - Selfstorage Greenwich

Selfstorage Greenwich is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers in the Greenwich area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Selfstorage Greenwich customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, website users, visitors, and anyone else whose personal data we process in connection with our storage services.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection law, Selfstorage Greenwich is the data controller for personal data collected and processed in relation to our storage services, account management, customer support, security operations, billing, and legal compliance. This means we decide how and why your personal data is used, and we are responsible for ensuring it is handled lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is relevant and necessary for providing self-storage services and managing our relationship with you. The types of data we may collect include:

Identity details such as your name, title, and date of birth where required for verification.
Contact details including address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and contract information such as customer reference numbers, storage unit details, rental dates, and service preferences.
Payment information including billing details and partial payment card information processed through secure payment systems.
Identification and verification data where needed for security, anti-fraud, or legal compliance purposes.
Access and security data such as CCTV images, access logs, key or fob records, and site entry records.
Communication records including emails, letters, complaints, and customer service interactions.
Technical data such as IP addresses and browser-related information if you interact with any digital systems we operate.

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless you choose to disclose it to us and it becomes necessary for a specific lawful purpose, such as handling an accessibility request or a legal claim.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

to create and manage your storage account;
to provide storage services and related customer support;
to process payments, refunds, and account charges;
to verify identity and help prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access;
to maintain safety and security across our premises;
to communicate important account or service information;
to meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
to resolve disputes, pursue or defend legal claims, and enforce agreements;
to improve our services and internal operations.

We only use personal data where we have a valid lawful basis and only for legitimate and specified purposes. We do not sell your personal data.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for each type of processing. Selfstorage Greenwich relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform our storage agreement with you. This includes account setup, identity checks, billing, service delivery, and customer support related to your contract.

Legal Obligation

Some data must be processed to comply with laws and regulations, including accounting rules, tax obligations, fraud prevention, health and safety requirements, and lawful requests from public authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include site security, CCTV monitoring, improving services, managing risk, preventing misuse, and defending legal claims. We carefully consider and balance these interests before relying on this basis.

Consent

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

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with trusted third parties, but only when necessary and only for the purposes described in this policy. Such third parties may include:

Payment processors that securely handle card or banking transactions;
IT and cloud service providers that support our systems, data storage, and communications;
Security providers involved in CCTV, access control, or site protection;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, auditors, or legal advisers;
Government bodies or law enforcement where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect legal rights.

Whenever we use processors, they are bound by written contracts requiring them to act only on our instructions, protect your data appropriately, and comply with data protection law. If data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure suitable safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, reporting, or dispute-resolution requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason for processing.

Customer account and contract records are kept for the duration of the agreement and for a period afterwards to deal with claims, billing queries, and administrative requirements.
Payment and accounting records are retained in line with tax and financial laws.
Security records, including CCTV and access records, are retained for a limited time unless needed longer for an investigation, legal claim, or compliance purpose.
Communication records may be retained for as long as necessary to respond to enquiries, resolve complaints, and maintain service records.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete, anonymise, or destroy it in a manner appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, encryption, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, monitoring of systems, and restricted access to sensitive records. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take data protection and information security seriously and regularly review our safeguards.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are a customer or otherwise have personal data processed by Selfstorage Greenwich in the Greenwich area, you have certain rights under data protection law. These rights may be exercised in accordance with legal conditions and exemptions.

Right to be informed about how your data is used.
Right of access to obtain confirmation and a copy of your personal data.
Right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure in certain circumstances, sometimes called the right to be forgotten.
Right to restrict processing in certain situations, such as while accuracy is being verified.
Right to data portability for data you provided to us, where legally applicable.
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Rights in relation to automated decision-making, where such processing applies.

To help protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We will respond within the time limits required by law and explain if any exemption applies. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled improperly.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

If any digital systems or online services are used, they may rely on cookies or similar technologies to support basic functionality, security, and performance monitoring. Where required by law, we will provide appropriate notice and choices regarding these technologies. Any such use will be limited to necessary and legitimate purposes.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in a specific circumstance, such as when a parent or guardian provides information in connection with a storage arrangement. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our operations, or the way we process personal data. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how their information is handled.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Selfstorage Greenwich handles personal data with care, transparency, and accountability. We collect only what we need, use it for lawful and clearly defined purposes, keep it secure, and retain it only for as long as necessary. We respect the rights of all customers in the Greenwich area and aim to ensure that our data protection practices remain fair, lawful, and proportionate.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Selfstorage Greenwich customers in area.