Privacy Policy - Petersham Storage

Effective Date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Petersham Storage customers in the local area and explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Introduction

Petersham Storage is committed to protecting personal data and handling it fairly, lawfully, and transparently. This Privacy Policy applies to all customers, prospective customers, visitors, and other individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our storage services. We encourage you to read this policy carefully so that you understand how your information is used and what rights you have.

We act as a data controller for the personal data we collect and use in the course of providing storage services, managing customer accounts, processing payments, maintaining security, and meeting legal obligations.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary for the purposes described in this policy. Depending on your relationship with us, the information we may collect includes:

Identity data: name, date of birth, and proof of identity information where required.
Contact data: postal address, email address, telephone number, and emergency contact details if provided.
Account data: customer reference numbers, storage unit details, booking information, and payment status.
Financial data: payment card information or bank account details processed securely through payment providers.
Contract data: agreements, signed forms, service preferences, and correspondence relating to your storage arrangement.
Security data: CCTV footage, access logs, alarm records, and records of site entry and exit where applicable.
Technical data: IP address, device information, and basic website usage data if you interact with our online systems.

We may also receive personal data from third parties such as payment processors, identity verification providers, insurers, legal representatives, or persons authorised to act on your behalf.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to create and manage storage accounts;
to provide storage services and related administrative support;
to process payments, refunds, and account adjustments;
to verify identity and prevent fraud or misuse;
to maintain site safety, security, and access control;
to communicate service updates, notices, and contractual information;
to handle complaints, disputes, and insurance-related matters;
to comply with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations;
to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, and visitors.

We will only use personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose. If we need to process personal data for a new purpose that is not compatible, we will seek a lawful basis before doing so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. Depending on the activity, Petersham Storage relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Performance of a Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as setting up a storage agreement, managing access to a storage unit, taking payment, and providing customer support.

Compliance with a Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, including accounting, tax record keeping, fraud prevention, or responding to lawful requests from public 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 includes protecting our premises, maintaining business records, improving services, managing risk, and preventing crime. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we carry out an assessment to ensure the processing is proportionate and fair.

Consent

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

Vital Interests

In exceptional cases, we may process personal data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency situation.

5. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and provide our services. These third parties act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers.

Processors may include:

payment service providers;
IT hosting and software providers;
customer management and communication systems;
security service providers;
professional advisers such as accountants, auditors, insurers, and legal advisers;
identity verification and fraud prevention services;
maintenance and facilities contractors where access to systems or premises data is necessary.

All processors are required to handle personal data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with applicable data protection law. We do not sell personal data.

We may also disclose personal data where required by law, where necessary to enforce our terms, or where we need to protect the rights, safety, or property of Petersham Storage, our customers, staff, or other individuals.

6. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or accesses personal data outside the United Kingdom, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections recognised by law. We will only transfer personal data internationally where it is lawful and necessary.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, reporting, or insurance requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

As a general rule:

customer account and contract records are retained for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period after it ends;
financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law;
security records such as CCTV footage and access logs are retained for a limited period unless needed for an investigation or legal claim;
enquiry and correspondence records are kept only as long as necessary to manage the enquiry or any follow-up issues.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify an individual.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and system monitoring. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we regularly review our safeguards to maintain an appropriate level of protection.

9. Your Rights

Subject to certain conditions and exemptions under data protection law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: you can request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: you can request that certain data be provided to you or another controller in a machine-readable format.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to raise concerns with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We would appreciate the opportunity to address any concern directly before you escalate it, but this is not required.

10. Marketing Communications

Where permitted by law, we may send service-related or administrative communications to current customers. We will only send marketing communications where we have a lawful basis to do so, and where necessary, your consent. You may opt out of marketing communications at any time. Opting out will not affect essential service notices related to your storage agreement.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where necessary in connection with a customer’s account, for example an emergency contact or authorised representative. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Petersham Storage will process personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently; collect only what is needed; keep it secure; retain it only for as long as necessary; and respect your rights. We are committed to maintaining trust and ensuring that all personal information is handled with care and responsibility.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Petersham Storage customers in area.