Privacy Policy - Twickenham Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Twickenham Storage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to all Twickenham Storage customers in area. It applies to individuals who enquire about, book, use, or manage storage services provided by Twickenham Storage, whether the interaction takes place online, by phone, in person, or through any other business channel. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner in accordance with applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Twickenham Storage only processes personal data that is necessary for specific and legitimate purposes. We do not use personal data in ways that are incompatible with those purposes, and we take reasonable steps to ensure the data we hold is accurate, secure, and retained only for as long as necessary.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity data such as name, title, and date of birth where required for account verification or contract purposes.
Contact data such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and booking data such as storage unit details, move-in and move-out dates, payment status, and service preferences.
Financial data such as payment records, billing details, and transaction information. We do not usually store full card details unless handled by a payment provider.
Identification data such as copies of identity documents where this is necessary for security, fraud prevention, or legal compliance.
Communication data such as correspondence, enquiries, complaints, and notes relating to customer support.
Technical data such as IP address, browser type, device information, and usage patterns if you interact with digital systems we operate.
Security data such as CCTV footage, access logs, and incident reports where applicable to site safety and protection of property.

We may collect data directly from you, from third parties acting on your behalf, from payment providers, from identity verification services, or from security systems used to protect our premises and customers.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to create and manage customer accounts;
to provide storage services and related support;
to process payments, invoices, and refunds;
to verify identity and prevent fraud;
to maintain security at our premises;
to communicate about bookings, service changes, and customer enquiries;
to resolve disputes, claims, or complaints;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to improve our services, processes, and customer experience;
to enforce our terms and protect our legitimate business interests.

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the circumstances, more than one lawful basis may apply.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes setting up your storage account, providing access to your unit, managing billing, and delivering the services you have requested.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where we are required to do so by law. This may include record keeping, tax compliance, responding to lawful requests from public authorities, and meeting obligations related to security, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. Examples include securing our premises, preventing misuse of services, managing business operations, improving services, and handling internal administration. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the nature of the data, the context of collection, and the potential impact on you.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional marketing activities or other optional processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

4. Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary to operate our business and provide services. These third parties act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service provided.

Our processors may include:

IT and hosting providers who support our systems, data storage, and communications;
payment service providers who process transactions securely;
identity verification and fraud prevention providers who help confirm identity or detect suspicious activity;
security service providers such as CCTV maintenance or access control system suppliers;
accounting, audit, and administration providers who assist with lawful business operations;
professional advisers such as lawyers, insurers, or consultants where needed;
government bodies, regulators, and law enforcement where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect rights, property, or safety.

We require processors to act only on our instructions, to use appropriate security measures, and to process personal data only for the agreed purpose. We do not sell personal data.

5. 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, tax, insurance, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and the context in which it is processed.

In general:

customer account and contract records are kept for the duration of the customer relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards;
financial and transaction records are kept for the period required by law and normal business practice;
security records such as CCTV footage are kept for a limited time unless required for an investigation or legal claim;
correspondence and complaint records are kept as long as needed to address the matter and to defend or manage any associated legal issues.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it where appropriate.

6. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff training, restricted system permissions, and monitoring of relevant systems. While no method of transmission or storage is completely risk-free, we work to maintain a level of security appropriate to the sensitivity of the data we process.

7. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights may be subject to conditions or exceptions.

Right of access - you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification - you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure - in some cases, you may ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to restriction - you may request that we limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object - you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability - you may request certain data in a structured, commonly used format, where technically feasible.
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. We may need to verify your identity before dealing with a request to protect your information.

8. Marketing Preferences

Where we send marketing communications, we will do so only in accordance with the law. You may opt out of marketing at any time. If you object to direct marketing, we will stop using your data for that purpose.

9. Children’s Data

Twickenham Storage services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a lawful service arrangement and appropriate safeguards are in place.

10. International Transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the data and to maintain a level of protection consistent with UK data protection law.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, operational practices, or service arrangements. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to remain informed about how personal data is handled.

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide clear and transparent information about our data practices for Twickenham Storage customers in area. It should be read together with any applicable terms and service documents.

By using Twickenham Storage services, you acknowledge that personal data may be processed as described in this policy, subject always to your rights under data protection law.