Privacy Policy - Lowermorden Storage

Lowermorden Storage is committed to protecting the privacy of its customers, visitors, and other individuals whose personal data we process. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, store, and protect personal information in connection with our storage services and related operations. It applies to all Lowermorden Storage customers in area, as well as prospective customers, account holders, authorised representatives, and other individuals who interact with us.

1. Who We Are

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, Lowermorden Storage acts as the data controller in relation to the personal data described in this Privacy Policy. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing personal data for our business activities.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is necessary and relevant for providing our services, managing our business, and meeting legal obligations. The types of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as name, date of birth, and title.
Contact information such as postal address, billing address, email address, and telephone number.
Account information such as customer reference numbers, booking details, and service preferences.
Payment information such as payment status, transaction records, and limited billing details. We do not store full payment card details where these are processed by a secure payment provider.
Identification documents where required for security, fraud prevention, or legal compliance.
Access and usage information such as entry logs, CCTV records, device or system interactions, and service usage patterns.
Communications including correspondence, complaints, feedback, and service-related enquiries.
Emergency or authorised contact details where provided by you or your representative.

We may also collect information from third parties, such as payment processors, authorised agents, referees, fraud prevention services, public registers, or legal and regulatory bodies, where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

To set up and manage customer accounts.
To provide storage services, administer access, and maintain site security.
To process payments, refunds, and account administration.
To communicate about bookings, renewals, notices, and service updates.
To detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, theft, misuse, and unauthorised access.
To comply with legal, regulatory, insurance, and tax obligations.
To handle disputes, complaints, and enforcement matters.
To improve our services, systems, and customer experience.

We will only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so. We do not sell personal data.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data under one or more of the following lawful bases:

4.1 Contract

We process data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes verifying your identity, setting up your account, providing storage access, managing billing, and delivering agreed services.

4.2 Legal Obligation

We process data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, health and safety, safeguarding, security, or lawful requests from authorities.

4.3 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. These interests include protecting our premises, preventing fraud, maintaining records, improving services, and enforcing our terms.

4.4 Consent

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

4.5 Vital Interests

In rare cases, we may process personal data to protect someone’s vital interests, such as in an emergency affecting health or safety.

5. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and with appropriate safeguards. This may include sharing with:

Payment processors that handle secure payment transactions.
IT and cloud service providers that support our storage, email, security, and administrative systems.
Security providers that assist with surveillance, access control, and site protection.
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, auditors, or legal advisers.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary for legal claims, safety, or crime prevention.
Service contractors who support maintenance, facilities management, or operational services.

Where a third party processes personal data on our behalf, it acts as a processor. We require all processors to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with applicable data protection laws. We also take steps to ensure that any international transfers, if they occur, are protected by appropriate safeguards.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, security, and reporting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for holding it.

In general:

Customer account and contract records are retained for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law.
Security records, including access logs and CCTV data, are retained for limited periods unless needed for investigation or legal proceedings.
Correspondence and complaint records are retained for as long as necessary to resolve issues and meet legal obligations.

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

7. 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, encryption where appropriate, staff training, and monitoring of systems and premises. While we take reasonable steps to protect information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

8. 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 – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so we can address any concern directly and promptly.

9. Children’s Data

Our services are intended for adult customers and business users. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary for a lawful and legitimate purpose, such as an emergency contact or authorised access arrangement. Where children’s data is processed, we do so only with appropriate safeguards and in accordance with the law.

10. Automated Decision-Making

We do not normally use automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If we ever introduce such processing, we will ensure it is carried out lawfully and that suitable safeguards are in place.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or operational practices. 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.

12. Summary of Your Privacy

Lowermorden Storage collects only the personal data needed to provide storage services, manage accounts, protect our premises, and comply with the law. We rely on lawful bases such as contract, legal obligation, legitimate interests, consent, and vital interests where appropriate. We share data only with trusted processors and other necessary recipients under strict safeguards. Personal data is retained only for as long as needed, and customers have clear rights over their information under data protection law.

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