Privacy Policy - Belsizepark Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Belsizepark Storage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with the provision of self-storage services. It applies to all Belsizepark Storage customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and individuals who make enquiries about our services. We are committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Belsizepark Storage acts as a data controller for the personal data it processes in relation to storage services, account administration, security, billing, and customer support. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal information.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the delivery and management of our services. The categories of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as your name, title, and date of birth where required for verification.
Contact details such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and contract information including storage unit details, booking history, payment status, and service preferences.
Financial information such as payment method details, transaction records, invoices, and receipts.
Identification and verification data where needed to confirm identity, prevent fraud, or comply with legal obligations.
Security and access records such as entry logs, CCTV footage, alarm events, and incident reports.
Communication data including correspondence, complaints, service requests, and notes about interactions with us.
Technical data such as device and browser information if you interact with our digital systems.

We may also receive personal data from third parties such as payment processors, identity verification providers, insurers, or legal and regulatory bodies where appropriate and lawful.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to provide storage services and manage customer accounts;
to verify identity and assess eligibility for services;
to process payments, issue invoices, and manage collections;
to communicate about bookings, contract changes, reminders, and service updates;
to maintain site safety, security, and access control;
to investigate complaints, claims, disputes, and incidents;
to comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
to prevent fraud, unauthorised access, and misuse of our services;
to improve our operations, systems, and customer service.

We will only use your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must identify a lawful basis for each processing activity. Belsizepark Storage relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes setting up storage agreements, managing access, processing payments, and providing customer support related to your storage service.

Legal Obligation

We may process certain data to comply with legal duties, such as tax and accounting requirements, fraud prevention obligations, health and safety rules, or lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include maintaining security, monitoring site access, preventing misuse, managing business operations, and improving our services. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we assess the potential impact on individuals and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific processing activities where consent is required by law. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors on our behalf. These parties process data only under our instructions and are required to protect it appropriately. Examples of processors may include:

payment service providers;
IT hosting and cloud storage providers;
customer management and booking system providers;
security service providers, including CCTV and alarm monitoring suppliers;
identity verification and fraud prevention providers;
professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, legal advisers, and insurers;
debt collection or recovery services where necessary and lawful;
regulators, law enforcement, courts, and public authorities where required by law.

We do not sell your personal data. If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable law.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, and reporting obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the purpose of processing.

Contract and account records are generally retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Security records such as access logs and CCTV footage are kept only as long as necessary for security, investigation, or compliance purposes.
Correspondence and complaints may be retained for as long as needed to resolve the matter and demonstrate proper handling.

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

7. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and regular review of our procedures. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to reduce risk and maintain the integrity of your data.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data, subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions:

The right of access to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
The right to erasure in certain circumstances, also known as the right to be forgotten.
The right to restriction to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
The right to data portability to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 18 except where necessary in relation to a lawful customer arrangement involving an adult. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is required for a lawful purpose and appropriate safeguards are in place.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not generally use fully automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes, we will inform you and provide the information required by law, including your rights in relation to such processing.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, or our services. Any updated version will apply from the date of publication or from the effective date stated in the revised policy. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle personal data.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Belsizepark Storage is committed to respecting your privacy, limiting data collection to what is necessary, and processing personal data only on lawful grounds. We aim to keep information secure, retain it only for as long as needed, and ensure that any processors we use meet strong data protection standards. Our approach is designed to support safe, reliable storage services while protecting the rights and freedoms of all customers in the area.

This policy applies to all Belsizepark Storage customers in area.