Privacy Policy - Shoreditch Storage

Shoreditch Storage is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our storage services. It applies to all Shoreditch Storage customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, and any individuals whose personal data we process when providing storage-related services.

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide clear and transparent information about our handling of personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the information we hold.

By using our services, making an enquiry, or entering into an agreement with us, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this policy.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide and manage our services, comply with legal obligations, and protect our business and customers. Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect the following categories of data:

Identity information such as your name, date of birth, and identification details.
Contact information such as your postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and service information including booking details, storage unit allocation, customer reference numbers, and service preferences.
Payment information such as billing records and transaction details. We do not usually store full card details where payment processing is handled by third-party payment providers.
Access and security information such as entry logs, CCTV records where applicable, and device or key access records.
Communication data including emails, phone call notes, complaint records, and any correspondence with us.
Legal and verification data such as identity checks, proof of address, and records required for fraud prevention, compliance, or dispute resolution.

We may also collect information indirectly from third parties where necessary, for example from payment processors, identity verification providers, insurers, or debt recovery services, subject to applicable law.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to register you as a customer and manage your storage account;
to provide and administer storage services;
to process payments, invoices, and refunds;
to verify identity and prevent fraud;
to maintain security, including monitoring access to storage premises;
to respond to enquiries, complaints, and customer support requests;
to comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations;
to enforce contractual rights and recover outstanding amounts;
to improve our services, systems, and customer experience;
to protect the rights, property, and safety of Shoreditch Storage, our customers, staff, and visitors.

We will not use your personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons it was collected unless we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data only where permitted by law. Depending on the context, we rely on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes creating your account, managing storage services, issuing invoices, and providing customer support relating to your agreement with us.

Legal obligation

We may process your personal data where necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as tax recordkeeping, identity verification obligations, fraud prevention measures, or lawful requests from authorities.

Legitimate interests

We may process your data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include protecting our premises, preventing theft or misuse, improving service quality, handling disputes, and managing business operations.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or where required by law. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time, although this will not affect 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 or, in some cases, independent controllers. These parties are only permitted to process your personal data in accordance with our instructions or their own legal obligations, as applicable.

Our processors may include:

IT and cloud service providers who host or support our systems and data storage;
payment processors who handle transactions securely;
identity verification and fraud prevention providers who help confirm identity and reduce misuse;
security service providers such as monitoring or CCTV system suppliers;
accounting and professional advisers where needed for compliance, auditing, or legal advice;
debt recovery or legal service providers where necessary to recover unpaid sums or resolve disputes;
delivery or collection contractors where required to provide operational services.

We may also disclose personal data to public authorities, courts, regulators, or law enforcement agencies where required by law or where such disclosure is necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

Where data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal information in accordance with applicable data protection law.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, insurance, and reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the type of information and the context in which it is used.

Customer account and contractual records are kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards in case of claims or disputes.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Security records such as access logs or CCTV footage are kept only as long as needed for safety, investigation, or compliance purposes.
Enquiry records may be retained for a limited period where no contract is formed, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in line with our retention procedures.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate measures to help safeguard personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, encryption, staff training, and regular review of security practices. While no system can be guaranteed completely secure, we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and respond promptly to any suspected incident.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, these rights include:

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 may ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction – you can request that we limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to data portability – you may request transfer of certain data in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are not intended for children acting independently. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a lawful and legitimate business reason and with appropriate authorisation where required.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updated version will apply from the date it is made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

11. Summary of Core Principles

In summary, Shoreditch Storage only processes personal data where it is lawful, necessary, and proportionate. We collect information to operate our storage services, protect our premises, meet legal obligations, and support customers effectively. We work with trusted processors, keep data only as long as needed, and respect the rights of all individuals whose information we handle.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Shoreditch Storage customers in the area.