Privacy Policy - Watford Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Watford Storage collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data relating to customers and prospective customers. It applies to all Watford Storage customers in area, as well as individuals who enquire about or use any of our storage services, related administration, billing, or account support. We are committed to handling personal data fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to anyone whose personal data we process in connection with Watford Storage services. This includes:

Customers who rent storage units or related services
Prospective customers who make an enquiry or request a quote
Individuals authorised to act on a customer’s behalf
Visitors whose data is collected through security, access control, or incident management

By using our services, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed as described in this policy. We only collect data that is relevant, necessary, and proportionate to the purposes set out below.

2. Data we collect

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

Identity data, such as your name, title, and date of birth where needed for verification
Contact data, such as address, email address, and telephone number
Account data, such as customer reference details, service history, and preferences
Payment data, such as billing address and payment transaction details
Contract data, such as tenancy dates, unit allocation, and related documentation
Security and access data, such as entry logs, CCTV recordings, and alarm-related records
Communication data, such as emails, messages, complaints, and support enquiries
Technical data, such as IP address or device information if you interact with our digital systems

We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is required for a specific legal or operational purpose and we have an appropriate lawful basis to do so. Where we do not need certain data, we will not request it.

3. How we collect personal data

We collect personal data directly from you when you:

Complete forms or agreements
Make an enquiry or request a service
Make a payment or update your account details
Communicate with us by email, telephone, or in person

We may also collect data from:

Payment providers
Identity verification providers
Security systems, including CCTV and access control systems
Publicly available sources where necessary for fraud prevention or legal compliance

We aim to keep collection to a minimum and only process what is needed for lawful and legitimate business purposes.

4. Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection law, we must have a valid lawful basis for each processing activity. Depending on the circumstances, Watford Storage may rely 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 setting up your account, managing your storage service, taking payment, and administering your rental agreement.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data where we are required to do so by law, including tax, accounting, fraud prevention, safety, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your rights and freedoms do not override those interests. Examples include protecting our premises, preventing misuse, managing service quality, maintaining security records, and handling enquiries and disputes.

Consent

In limited cases, we may rely on consent, for example where it is required for a specific optional processing activity. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

We will always ensure that the legal basis used is appropriate for the specific purpose and that processing is fair and proportionate.

5. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

Provide and manage storage services
Confirm identity and prevent fraud
Process payments and issue invoices
Communicate about your account or service changes
Maintain security and protect property
Respond to complaints, claims, or requests
Meet legal, tax, and regulatory obligations
Improve our service operations and customer support

We do not use personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons for which it was collected, unless we have a valid legal basis to do so.

6. Sharing personal data and processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the purposes described in this policy. These third parties act either as processors on our behalf or as independent controllers where the law requires it. Where third parties process data for us, they do so under written contracts and only on our instructions.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processing providers
IT, hosting, and cloud service providers
Customer relationship and administration software providers
Security and monitoring service providers
Document storage or archiving providers
Professional advisers acting on our instructions, such as accountants or legal advisers

We may also disclose data to law enforcement, courts, regulators, or insurers where required or permitted by law. We do not sell personal data.

7. Data retention

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

Typical retention principles

Contract and account records are kept for the duration of the service and for a reasonable period after it ends
Financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law
Security records, such as CCTV, are retained for a limited period unless needed for an investigation
Correspondence and complaint records are retained as needed to manage the matter and defend legal claims

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe and lawful manner.

8. Security of your data

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, monitoring, and regular review of our systems and procedures.

No system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we work to maintain a level of protection that is appropriate to the risks involved.

9. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding 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 data
Right to erasure – to request deletion of data in certain situations
Right to restriction – to ask us to limit processing in certain cases
Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests
Right to data portability – to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format
Right to withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal limitations. If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we will assess your request in line with applicable law and respond accordingly.

10. Complaints and your right to contact the regulator

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, we encourage you to raise the issue so we can address it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, our services, or how we process personal data. The most current version will apply to our processing practices from the date it is published or otherwise made available.

12. Summary of our commitments

Watford Storage is committed to processing personal data lawfully, transparently, and securely. We collect only the data we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, keep it only for as long as necessary, and ensure that any processors we use are properly contracted and monitored. We respect the rights of our customers and take privacy obligations seriously in all areas of our service delivery.