Storage Hayes Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Storage Hayes collects, uses, stores and protects personal data relating to customers and prospective customers within the Storage Hayes service area. It is designed to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and all applicable data protection laws. By using our services, visiting our premises or otherwise interacting with us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Scope of this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to all Storage Hayes customers, former customers and individuals who make enquiries or bookings for storage services in the area served by Storage Hayes. It covers personal data collected through our premises, booking processes, written correspondence and any other offline or online interactions where we act as a data controller.
Personal Data We Collect
We collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us. This may include:
Identity and contact details, such as your full name, postal address, billing address, identification documents, and other contact information needed to set up and manage your storage agreement.
Account and contract information, such as customer reference numbers, contract start and end dates, unit details, payment history, and correspondence relating to your storage unit or account.
Payment and billing information, such as payment method details and transaction records. We do not store full card details where payments are processed using third party payment processors.
Security and access data, such as access codes, entry and exit times, CCTV footage from areas in and around our storage facilities, and records of incidents or security reports.
Communication data, such as enquiries, complaints, feedback, and any other communications you send to us by post or in person.
Technical usage data, where applicable, such as information about how you interact with any online tools or digital booking systems we provide, including basic device and usage information.
How We Collect Your Data
We collect personal data directly from you when you request a quote, create a booking, sign a contract, use your storage unit, make a payment, or contact us with a query. We may also collect personal data from third parties where this is necessary for identity verification, fraud prevention, debt recovery or compliance with legal obligations.
Lawful Basis for Processing
We only process your personal data when we have a lawful basis under data protection law. Depending on the context, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:
Performance of a contract: We process personal data to take steps at your request before entering into a storage agreement and to perform our obligations under that agreement, for example to manage your booking, process payments, and provide access to storage units.
Legal obligation: We may process personal data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including financial record keeping, tax, health and safety, crime prevention and assisting law enforcement where required.
Legitimate interests: We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests and where your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. These interests include operating and securing our facilities, monitoring access, managing and improving our services, pursuing and defending legal claims, and preventing fraud and misuse.
Consent: In limited cases we may rely on your consent, for example where we provide optional communications that are not necessary for your contract. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use personal data for the following purposes:
To provide storage services, including setting up your account, managing bookings and access, issuing invoices, and communicating with you about your contract and unit.
To maintain the security of our premises and your stored goods, including managing access control systems and reviewing CCTV images where required for security or incident investigation.
To manage our business operations, including accounting, auditing, record keeping, quality control and staff training.
To handle enquiries, complaints and disputes, including contacting you about issues relating to your storage unit, payments or any incidents at our facilities.
To comply with applicable laws, regulations and court orders, and to respond to lawful requests from public authorities.
To protect our legal rights, including the collection of outstanding debts, the enforcement of contractual terms, and managing actual or potential legal claims.
Data Retention
We keep personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting or reporting requirements. In general:
Customer account and contract data is retained for the duration of your relationship with us and for a reasonable period afterwards, typically a number of years, to comply with legal obligations and to handle any queries or disputes.
Financial and transaction records are retained for the periods required by tax and financial regulations.
CCTV footage and security logs are retained for a limited period, which is determined by our security needs and legal requirements, unless a particular recording is needed longer in connection with an incident, investigation or legal claim.
Where data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.
Data Processors and Third Parties
We may share your personal data with carefully selected third parties who act as data processors on our behalf. These may include:
Payment service providers who process card or bank payments in connection with your contract.
IT and systems providers who support our customer management, storage access, CCTV, and data hosting systems.
Professional advisers such as auditors, lawyers and accountants where necessary for our legitimate interests and legal obligations.
Debt recovery agencies and credit control partners where this is necessary to recover outstanding amounts owed under your contract.
These processors are only permitted to process your personal data in accordance with our written instructions and are required to implement appropriate security measures.
We may also share personal data with other organisations where required by law, for example with law enforcement bodies, regulatory authorities or courts, or where it is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
International Transfers
Where we use service providers located outside the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data, such as using standard contractual clauses or other approved mechanisms as required by data protection law.
How We Protect Your Data
We take the security of your personal data seriously. We implement technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction or damage. These measures may include physical security at our facilities, access control restrictions, staff training, secure storage systems and regular review of our security practices.
Your Data Protection Rights
Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These include:
The right of access: You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and to receive a copy of that data, together with information about how it is used.
The right to rectification: You have the right to request that we correct or update inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
The right to erasure: In certain circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or where you have withdrawn consent and there is no other legal basis for processing.
The right to restrict processing: You may ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations, such as while we are verifying its accuracy or dealing with an objection.
The right to object: You may object to processing that is based on our legitimate interests, in which case we will stop processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds or the processing is for legal claims.
The right to data portability: In some circumstances, you may request that we provide your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format or transfer it to another controller, where technically feasible.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you are concerned about how we handle your personal data.
Children
Our services are not intended for use by children and we do not knowingly collect personal data relating to children in connection with the provision of storage services.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements or for other operational reasons. The updated version will apply from the date it is made available. You should review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we process your personal data.
Contact and Further Information
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Storage Hayes handles your personal data, or if you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, you can contact us using the details provided on our usual customer communications and documentation.
