Privacy Policy - Battersea Storage

Effective date: This Privacy Policy applies to all Battersea Storage customers in the area and explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when you use our storage services, make an enquiry, or interact with us in connection with your account, booking, or facility access.

1. Introduction

Battersea Storage is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner. This Privacy Policy sets out what information we collect, why we collect it, the legal bases we rely on under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, how long we keep it, who may process it on our behalf, and what rights you have over your information.

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to all Battersea Storage customers in the area, including:

individual customers;
business customers and their authorised users;
people making enquiries or requesting quotes;
visitors to our storage facilities where signage, security systems, or access controls capture personal data;
anyone whose data is processed in connection with a storage agreement or facility access.

3. Data we collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for operating our services, managing security, and complying with legal obligations. Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect the following categories of data:

3.1 Identity and contact details

full name;
address;
email address;
telephone number;
date of birth, where required for identity verification;
business name and job title, for business accounts.

3.2 Account and contract information

booking details;
storage unit number;
rental start and end dates;
payment status;
correspondence relating to your account;
signed agreements and consent records, where relevant.

3.3 Payment information

billing address;
transaction records;
partial payment card details or payment references processed through secure payment providers;
refund and credit notes information.

3.4 Security and access data

entry logs;
PIN codes, access card references, or key holder records;
CCTV images and footage captured at our facilities;
incident reports and security notes.

3.5 Technical and usage data

IP address;
device and browser information;
log files relating to digital services, where used;
preferences or settings relating to service communication.

3.6 Special category or sensitive data

We do not ordinarily seek to collect special category data. If such information is voluntarily provided by you, for example in a complaint or support request, we will only process it where a lawful basis applies and where it is necessary to respond appropriately.

4. How we collect data

We may collect personal data directly from you, from third parties, and automatically through security and technical systems.

Directly from you: when you request information, complete forms, enter into a storage agreement, make payments, or contact us.
From third parties: such as payment providers, identity verification providers, insurers, contractors, or anyone authorised to act on your behalf.
Automatically: through CCTV, access control systems, website logs, and facility monitoring tools used for security and operational purposes.

5. Why we use your data

We process personal data only when it is necessary for a specific purpose. These purposes include:

setting up and managing your storage account;
verifying identity and preventing fraud;
providing access to storage units and site facilities;
processing payments and managing invoices;
communicating service updates and account notices;
maintaining safety, security, and incident records;
handling queries, complaints, and insurance-related matters;
meeting legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
protecting our rights, property, customers, and staff;
improving our services and operations.

6. Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. We rely on the following bases depending on the context:

6.1 Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, providing access, taking payment, and delivering storage services.

6.2 Legal obligation

We process data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, including accounting, tax, fraud prevention, and compliance with lawful requests from public authorities.

6.3 Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests. This may include:

facility security;
CCTV monitoring;
protecting against theft, damage, or misuse;
service improvement;
internal record keeping;
debt recovery and contract enforcement.

We balance these interests against your privacy rights and only use this basis where appropriate.

6.4 Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on your consent. If we ask for consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that already took place before consent was withdrawn.

7. Sharing your data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties who act as processors or, in some cases, independent controllers. Processors only act on our instructions and must keep data secure and confidential.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

IT and hosting providers that store records and support our systems;
payment processors that handle transactions securely;
identity verification providers used to confirm identity where necessary;
CCTV and security system providers supporting monitoring and incident management;
accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration;
insurance or claims handlers where a legitimate claim or incident requires it;
contractors and maintenance providers accessing facilities for operational reasons.

We may also disclose data to:

law enforcement agencies;
regulators;
courts and legal advisers;
debt recovery or dispute resolution services, where lawful and necessary.

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy regulation, standard contractual clauses, or another lawful transfer mechanism.

8. Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, reporting, and dispute-resolution requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the legal obligations attached to it.

Contract and account records: retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterward.
Payment and accounting records: retained in line with legal and tax requirements.
Security logs and CCTV: retained for a limited period unless needed for an investigation, claim, or legal process.
Enquiry records: retained only as long as needed to respond and manage follow-up.
Legal correspondence and claims data: retained as required to defend or establish legal rights.

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

9. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal limits.

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: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your data.
Right to restrict processing: you can ask us to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability: where applicable, you can request your data in a portable format.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will respond in accordance with applicable law and may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.

10. Security of your data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, monitoring systems, and regular review of our procedures. No system is completely secure, but we work to maintain a level of protection appropriate to the risks involved.

11. Children’s data

Our storage services are not intended for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is incidental to a customer relationship or required for legal reasons. If we become aware that we have collected data improperly, we will take steps to delete it where appropriate.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, services, security practices, or business operations. The most recent version will apply to your use of our services. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to understand how we protect personal data.

13. Summary of key points

We collect only the data needed to provide storage services, manage security, and meet legal requirements.
We process data under lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, and consent where necessary.
We use trusted processors such as IT, payment, security, and accounting providers under strict instructions.
We retain data only as long as needed and delete or anonymise it when no longer required.
You have rights over your personal data, including access, correction, objection, and erasure in appropriate cases.

Battersea Storage is committed to handling your information responsibly and in accordance with data protection law. If you use our services in the Battersea area, this Privacy Policy governs the way your personal data is collected and used.