Storage Cranham Customer Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Storage Cranham collects, uses, stores and protects personal data relating to its customers and prospective customers in the local area. It is intended to ensure transparency and to demonstrate compliance with the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This Privacy Policy applies to all individuals who enquire about, use, or have used storage or related services provided by Storage Cranham.
Data Controller
Storage Cranham is the data controller responsible for deciding how and why your personal data is processed in connection with our storage services and activities. Where we use external service providers to process personal data on our behalf, they act as data processors and must comply with strict contractual and legal obligations.
Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process a range of personal data about our customers and prospective customers. The exact information collected may vary depending on how you interact with us and which services you use, but it typically includes the following categories:
Identification and contact details such as full name, postal address, billing address, contact address, and details necessary to verify your identity. Communication information such as records of emails or letters you send to us, notes of telephone conversations, and any information you provide when completing forms or surveys. Contract and account information such as details of the storage unit you rent, contract start and end dates, payment status, invoices, and records of your interactions with our customer service. Payment and transaction data such as payment history, amounts due and paid, and basic payment references. We do not store full card details in our systems when payment is made through secure payment processors. Security and access information such as access control data relating to our site and facilities, including access log data, vehicle registration details where provided, and closed circuit television footage where used for security and crime prevention. Technical and usage data such as information generated when you visit our website, including basic device and browsing data, where collected through cookies or similar technologies as configured in your browser settings.
How We Collect Personal Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you contact us to make an enquiry, request a quote, or arrange a viewing. We also collect information when you sign a storage agreement, set up or manage your account, make payments, correspond with us, or use our facilities. In some cases, we may receive personal data from third parties, such as payment service providers, referencing services, or other intermediaries you authorise to share your details with us.
Lawful Bases for Processing
We only process your personal data when we have a valid lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases:
Contract performance: We process personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, and to perform and manage our contract with you. This includes setting up your storage unit, managing your account, processing payments, and providing customer service. Legal obligation: We process certain personal data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including tax and accounting rules, prevention of fraud and crime, and lawful requests from public authorities. Legitimate interests: We process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Our legitimate interests include securing our premises, protecting our assets and customers, managing business operations, improving services, and handling queries and complaints. Consent: In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain forms of optional marketing. Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.
Purposes of Processing
We process your personal data for the following purposes:
To provide storage and related services, including handling enquiries, preparing quotes, setting up contracts, managing access, and administering accounts. To take payment, manage billing, issue invoices and statements, chase unpaid amounts, and maintain accounting records. To communicate with you about your contract, payments, access to your unit, changes to terms or services, and any issues that may affect your use of our facilities. To maintain the security and safety of our premises, staff, and customers, using access controls and closed circuit television systems where in place. To comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including record keeping, responding to lawful requests, and preventing or detecting crime. To manage our business, plan and improve our services, handle feedback and complaints, and monitor usage of our facilities. To send you information about our services and offers where allowed by law and, where required, where you have provided your consent.
Data Sharing and Processors
We may share your personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. These third parties act as data processors or joint controllers depending on their role. Typical categories of recipients include:
Payment service providers who process payments on our behalf. Professional advisers such as accountants, legal advisers, and auditors who assist us in running our business. Information technology and systems providers who supply hosting, software, data storage, and security services. Security and maintenance contractors who support the operation and safety of our premises. Debt collection agencies and tracing agents where necessary to recover unpaid amounts due under your contract. Law enforcement and regulatory bodies where we are required or permitted to do so by law.
Whenever we use external processors, we ensure that appropriate contracts are in place requiring them to process personal data only in accordance with our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws.
International Transfers
Where we use service providers or systems located outside the United Kingdom, or where data may be stored or accessed from other countries, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include the use of standard contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under data protection law. Further information about international transfers can be requested using the contact details provided in our general company information.
Data Retention
We keep personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and in line with our legal and regulatory obligations. In general, we retain customer records for the duration of the contract plus a period after the end of the relationship to deal with any queries, disputes, legal claims, or accounting requirements.
Access logs, closed circuit television footage, and security related records are kept for shorter periods unless they are required for the investigation of an incident, dispute, or legal claim, in which case they may be retained for longer. When personal data is no longer required, we take steps to delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer be linked to an identifiable individual.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights apply in most circumstances and may be subject to certain conditions or exemptions. Your rights include:
Right of access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and information about how we process it. Right to rectification: You have the right to ask us to correct or complete inaccurate or incomplete personal data. Right to erasure: In certain situations, you have the right to request that we delete your personal data. This is sometimes known as the right to be forgotten. Right to restriction: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in specific circumstances, for example while we investigate a concern you have raised. Right to data portability: Where processing is based on consent or 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 ask us to transfer it to another controller where technically feasible. Right to object: You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests, including profiling based on those interests, and to object at any time to the use of your personal data for direct marketing. Rights in relation to automated decision making: You have rights in relation to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, where they have legal or similarly significant effects on you.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, you can contact us using the information set out in our general company contact details. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. We aim to respond within the timeframes required by law.
Marketing Preferences
We may use your contact details to send you information about storage services and related offers that may be of interest to you. Where required by law, we will only send such communications when you have given your consent. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the instructions given in the communication or by contacting us using our general contact details. Opting out will not affect service related communications that are necessary for the performance of your contract.
Security of Your Personal Data
We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include access controls, staff training, secure storage, and regular review of our information security practices. While we strive to protect your personal data, no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed as completely secure.
Applicability to Customers in the Storage Cranham Area
This Privacy Policy applies to all Storage Cranham customers, prospective customers, and users of our services in the Storage Cranham area, regardless of how they contact us or use our facilities. By using our services or providing your personal data to us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal obligations. Any changes will take effect from the date the updated version is made available. You are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we process your personal data.
