Privacy Policy - Gallowscorner Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Gallowscorner Storage collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data in connection with its storage services. It applies to all Gallowscorner Storage customers in area, including prospective customers, active customers, account holders, authorised users, and individuals whose information is provided to us in relation to a storage agreement or enquiry. We are committed to handling personal data in a fair, transparent, and lawful manner in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Gallowscorner Storage provides self-storage and related services. In the course of operating our business, we act as a data controller for the personal data we collect and determine the purposes and means of processing that data. This means we are responsible for deciding why and how your information is used, as well as ensuring that it is processed securely and lawfully.

2. Information We Collect

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

Identity information: name, date of birth, title, and identification details where needed.
Contact information: address, email address, telephone number, and other correspondence details.
Account and contract information: storage unit number, booking details, tenancy records, payment status, and service preferences.
Financial information: payment details, billing records, refund records, and information needed to process transactions.
Access and security information: key, access code, entry logs, CCTV images, and site security records.
Communications: enquiries, complaints, support requests, feedback, and other messages you send to us.
Technical information: device data, IP address, browser type, and usage data if you interact with our systems or digital tools.

We may also receive personal data from third parties, such as payment providers, identity verification services, debt recovery agencies, insurers, or persons authorised to act on your behalf. Where you provide information about another person, you should ensure that you have the legal right to do so and that they are aware of this Privacy Policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal data for the following purposes:

to set up and manage your storage account;
to provide storage services and maintain access to your unit;
to process payments, invoices, deposits, and refunds;
to verify identity and prevent fraud;
to communicate with you about your account, service changes, or notices;
to maintain safety, security, and site monitoring;
to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
to manage disputes, recover debts, and enforce agreements;
to improve our services, systems, and customer experience;
to protect our rights, property, staff, customers, and visitors.

We only process personal data for specific, legitimate purposes and we will not use it in a way that is incompatible with those purposes unless we are permitted or required by law to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each processing activity. Gallowscorner Storage relies on the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes creating your account, providing storage services, taking payment, and managing your tenancy or booking.

Legal Obligation

We process personal data where needed to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, security, fraud prevention, and lawful requests from authorities.

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. This may include protecting our premises, managing disputes, improving services, preventing misuse, and ensuring proper administration of our business. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your privacy and use appropriate safeguards.

Consent

In limited situations, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional marketing communications or non-essential processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

5. CCTV, Security, and Access Records

For the safety and security of our customers, staff, and premises, Gallowscorner Storage may operate CCTV systems and maintain access records. These records may include images, time stamps, vehicle details, entry logs, and related security information. This data is used to prevent crime, manage incidents, investigate security matters, and support lawful claims or investigations. Access to this information is restricted to authorised personnel and retained only for as long as necessary for security, operational, and legal purposes.

6. Sharing 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 independent controllers or as processors acting on our instructions. We require all processors to handle data securely, keep it confidential, and process it only for agreed purposes.

Typical processors and recipients may include:

IT and hosting providers that support our systems, data storage, and security infrastructure;
payment processors that handle card transactions and related payment services;
identity verification services used to confirm identity and reduce fraud;
security and monitoring providers assisting with alarms, CCTV, and access control;
accounting and administration providers supporting invoicing, records, and compliance;
debt recovery or legal advisers where needed to enforce agreements or resolve disputes;
regulators, law enforcement, or public authorities where we are legally required to disclose information.

We do not sell personal data. If data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

7. Data Retention

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

Account and contract records: kept for the duration of the agreement and for a reasonable period afterwards for administration, dispute resolution, and legal defence.
Payment and accounting records: retained in line with tax and accounting rules.
Security and CCTV records: retained for a limited period unless needed longer for an incident, claim, or investigation.
Enquiry records: kept only as long as needed to respond and maintain business records.

When data is no longer required, we will delete it securely or anonymise it so that it can no longer identify you. We will never retain personal data longer than necessary without a lawful reason.

8. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances and the legal basis for processing, you have rights under data protection law. These 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 data.
Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain cases.
Right to restriction: to ask us to limit processing in certain situations.
Right to data portability: to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent.

You may also have the right to challenge decisions made solely by automated means, although Gallowscorner Storage does not ordinarily rely on automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If we ever do, we will provide appropriate information about how that process works.

9. Security Measures

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, destruction, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, confidentiality obligations, staff training, and monitoring of our premises and infrastructure. While no system is completely secure, we take data protection seriously and regularly review our safeguards.

10. Complaints and Further Information

If you are concerned about how we handle your personal data, you may raise the matter with us so we can review it carefully. You also have the right to complain to the relevant data protection authority if you believe your information has been processed unlawfully. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can address any concerns promptly and professionally.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, or data processing practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is issued unless stated otherwise. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically so they remain informed about how personal data is handled.

In summary: Gallowscorner Storage processes personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently, using it only for legitimate business, contractual, and legal purposes, and retaining it only for as long as necessary. This policy applies to all Gallowscorner Storage customers in area.