Privacy Policy - Hainault Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Hainault Storage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in connection with our storage services. It applies to all Hainault Storage customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, and any individuals who interact with us in relation to our services.

We are committed to handling personal information in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable data protection laws. We aim to be transparent about what we do with personal data and to ensure that it is used only for legitimate and lawful purposes.

1. Data We Collect

We may collect and process different categories of personal data depending on how you use our services and interact with us. The information we collect may include:

Identity information such as your name, title, date of birth, and identification details.
Contact information such as your postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and contract information such as booking details, tenancy or licence details, payment arrangements, service preferences, and communication history.
Payment information such as bank account details, card details, billing address, and transaction records, where needed for payment processing.
Security information such as access records, CCTV images, key or access code logs, and incident reports where applicable to site security.
Correspondence including emails, letters, messages, complaints, and any other communications you send to us.
Technical information such as IP address, browser type, and device information when you interact with digital systems we use, where relevant.

We generally collect personal data directly from you when you enquire about our services, enter into an agreement, make payments, visit the site, or contact us. In some cases, we may also receive information from third parties, such as payment processors, insurers, debt recovery providers, or public authorities, where lawful and appropriate.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to operate our business and provide storage services effectively and securely. Typical uses include:

managing enquiries, quotations, bookings, and customer accounts;
entering into and performing contracts for storage services;
processing payments, issuing invoices, and managing refunds or arrears;
verifying identity and preventing fraud or unauthorised access;
maintaining site safety, security, and access control;
handling customer service requests, complaints, and disputes;
complying with legal and regulatory obligations;
protecting our legal rights and resolving claims;
improving our services, records, and operational efficiency.

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons for which it was collected, unless permitted or required by law.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the context, Hainault Storage relies on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing bookings, storing your goods, administering payments, and providing access to storage facilities.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with legal obligations, such as tax, accounting, fraud prevention, health and safety, or responding to lawful requests from regulators or public bodies.

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided that such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include site security, business administration, incident management, service improvement, and protection against misuse or unauthorised activity.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example where it is required for a specific optional activity. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time, although this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

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

4. Retention of Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, contractual, and reporting requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record and the reason for holding it.

In general, we will retain:

Customer and contract records for the duration of the service relationship and for a period afterward to handle queries, disputes, and legal claims.
Financial and payment records for the period required by tax and accounting laws.
Security records such as access logs and CCTV footage for a limited period, unless needed longer for investigation, enforcement, or legal proceedings.
Correspondence and complaints for a reasonable period needed to manage the issue and maintain business records.

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

5. Processors and Third Parties

We may use trusted third-party service providers, known as processors, to help us operate our business. These processors act on our instructions and are required to protect personal data and use it only for the agreed purposes. Examples may include:

payment processors for handling card or bank transactions;
IT and cloud service providers for secure storage of business records and communications;
accounting and bookkeeping providers for financial administration;
security service providers for CCTV, alarms, access systems, and related support;
professional advisers such as solicitors, insurers, auditors, and consultants;
debt recovery or credit reference providers where necessary and lawful;
delivery or logistics partners where operational support is required.

We may also disclose personal data to law enforcement, regulators, courts, or other public bodies where required by law or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims. Where we share personal data, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled securely and only for legitimate purposes.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or damage. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, staff training, confidentiality obligations, and restricted access to sensitive information. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we work to maintain an appropriate level of protection based on the nature of the data and the risks involved.

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 legal limitations and exceptions, but we will consider each request carefully. Your rights may include:

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 personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations.
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – to request transfer of certain data to you or another provider where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing relies on consent.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection supervisory authority if you believe your rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so that we can try to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

8. Children’s Data

Our storage services are intended for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary and lawful in connection with a service arrangement or legal obligation.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data protection practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it takes effect. We encourage customers to review the policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect personal data.

10. Summary of Our Commitment

Hainault Storage is committed to processing personal data fairly, lawfully, and securely. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it for appropriate periods, and share it only with trusted processors or others where required by law. We respect the rights of all customers and aim to maintain a responsible and transparent approach to privacy across our services.