Privacy Policy - Ealing Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Ealing Storage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data. It applies to all Ealing Storage customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and former customers who have used our services. We are committed to handling personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide our storage services, manage our relationship with you, and meet legal and operational obligations. The personal data we may collect includes:

Identity information such as your name, title, and date of birth where required for verification.
Contact details such as postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and booking information including rental dates, storage unit details, payment records, and service preferences.
Verification information where we are required to confirm your identity or business status.
Correspondence including emails, letters, complaints, and customer service notes.
Financial information such as billing history, payment method records, refunds, and invoices.
Security information such as CCTV footage, access records, alarm logs, and site entry information where applicable.

We may also collect technical information when you interact with our digital systems, such as device information, browser type, and usage logs. Where such data is linked to an individual, it is treated as personal data.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to operate our storage services and to maintain a safe and reliable customer experience. The main purposes for which we process personal data include:

setting up and managing customer accounts;
verifying identity and preventing fraud;
providing storage access and administration;
handling payments, deposits, refunds, and invoices;
communicating service updates and account notices;
responding to enquiries, complaints, and claims;
maintaining security of our premises and stored items;
meeting tax, accounting, and legal obligations;
improving our services, systems, and customer support;
defending or establishing legal rights where needed.

We will only process personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that another compatible purpose applies and the law permits it.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We rely on one or more lawful bases under UK GDPR to process personal data. These include:

Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform our contract with you. This includes managing your storage rental, processing payments, and providing access to your unit.

Legal obligation

We process information where required to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, fraud prevention, and regulatory requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided that those interests do not override your rights and freedoms. This may include security monitoring, service improvement, debt recovery, and internal administration.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is the most appropriate basis for a specific optional processing activity. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

Vital interests

In rare circumstances, we may process personal data where necessary to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency involving health or safety.

4. Sharing and Processors

We do not sell personal data. We may share personal information with carefully selected third parties who act as processors or independent controllers, only where necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards.

Processors may include:

IT and hosting providers that support our data storage, email, and system operations;
payment service providers that handle card and electronic payments;
accounting and bookkeeping providers who assist with financial records and tax compliance;
security providers who support CCTV systems, access control, and site protection;
customer communication providers who help us send notices or manage records;
professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, auditors, and consultants;
public authorities or law enforcement where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, property, or safety.

All processors are required to act only on our instructions, keep data secure, and use it solely for the purpose of providing their services to us. Where personal data is shared with independent controllers, they are responsible for their own compliance with data protection law.

5. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer account and contract records are generally kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law, which may extend to several years after the end of the contract.
Security records such as CCTV footage or access logs are retained only for a limited time unless needed for an investigation, incident response, or legal claim.
Complaints and correspondence may be kept for the time needed to resolve the issue and defend against potential claims.

When personal data is no longer needed, we will securely delete it or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you.

6. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access restrictions, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, monitoring procedures, and data minimisation practices. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risks associated with the information we process.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access – to request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to request that we limit the processing of your data in certain situations.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Rights relating to automated decision-making – to not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing where this has legal or similarly significant effects.

If we rely on consent for a particular activity, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Important: Some rights may not apply in every case, as legal exemptions can apply. We will assess each request carefully and respond in line with applicable law.

8. Children’s Data

Our storage services are not intended for children as independent customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a legal, family, or business arrangement and appropriate safeguards are in place.

9. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will only do so where appropriate safeguards are in place and where the transfer complies with applicable data protection law. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any revised 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.

11. Summary of Our Commitments

Ealing Storage is committed to:

collecting only necessary personal data;
using personal data fairly and lawfully;
keeping information secure and confidential;
retaining data only for as long as needed;
using processors that provide suitable safeguards;
respecting your rights under data protection law.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable UK data protection legislation.