Privacy Policy - Longford Storage

This Privacy Policy explains how Longford Storage collects, uses, shares, retains, and protects personal data when providing storage-related services to customers in the area. It applies to all Longford Storage customers in area, including prospective customers, current customers, former customers, and other individuals whose personal data we process in connection with our business operations. We are committed to handling personal data in a lawful, fair, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable data protection laws.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data that is relevant and necessary for operating our storage services, managing customer accounts, and meeting legal and contractual obligations. The categories of data we may collect include:

Identity information such as name, date of birth, and identification details where required for verification.
Contact information such as address, email address, and telephone number.
Account and transaction information such as booking details, payment status, invoices, service history, and records of communications.
Access and security information such as keyholder records, entry logs, CCTV footage where used, and incident reports.
Contract and service information such as storage unit size, rental dates, insurance-related details if provided, and special instructions.
Technical information such as device or browser data if you interact with digital systems used to manage our services.

We may also receive information from third parties where lawful and appropriate, for example from payment service providers, fraud prevention services, or other organisations involved in the performance of our services. We do not intentionally collect special category data unless it is strictly necessary and you choose to provide it, or where required by law.

2. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data only for specific and legitimate purposes. These may include:

setting up and administering storage agreements;
verifying identity and preventing fraud;
processing payments and managing billing;
providing customer support and responding to enquiries;
operating, securing, and maintaining our premises and systems;
monitoring access to storage facilities where required for security;
handling disputes, claims, or incidents;
meeting legal, tax, insurance, accounting, and regulatory obligations;
improving our services and maintaining accurate records.

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

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis before processing personal data. Depending on the situation, Longford Storage may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes managing your storage agreement, handling payment, providing access to your unit, and dealing with service-related communications.

Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including tax, accounting, fraud prevention, health and safety, and lawful requests from public authorities.

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. Examples include protecting our facilities from misuse, maintaining business records, improving service quality, and investigating incidents or unpaid accounts. When relying on this basis, we assess the impact on your privacy and take steps to minimise any risks.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may rely on your consent, for example for certain optional communications or specific uses of information. Where consent is used, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect processing carried out before it was withdrawn.

4. Sharing Your Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties where necessary for the operation of our business and only where appropriate safeguards are in place. These third parties may act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service they provide.

Examples of processors may include:

Payment processors that handle card or online payment transactions;
IT and software providers that support booking systems, record management, email services, or data storage;
Security providers that support alarm systems, access control, monitoring, or CCTV infrastructure;
Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, auditors, or legal advisers where necessary;
Maintenance or service contractors who need limited access to carry out agreed work.

We require processors to process personal data only on our instructions, to keep it secure, and to comply with data protection requirements. Where data is shared with independent controllers, such as public bodies or law enforcement, they will be responsible for their own use of the information.

We do not sell personal data. If personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections permitted under GDPR.

5. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet legal, contractual, and operational requirements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason for processing.

Customer account and contract records are kept for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Financial and tax records are generally retained for the period required by law.
Security records such as access logs or incident reports are kept only as long as needed for safety, investigation, or legal purposes.
CCTV footage, where used, is retained for a limited period unless needed for an investigation or legal claim.
Enquiry records from prospective customers are retained only as long as necessary to manage the enquiry and related follow-up.

When personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or otherwise disposed of in a safe manner. We review retention periods periodically to ensure data is not kept longer than necessary.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exceptions. They include:

Right of access – you may request confirmation of whether we process your data and obtain a copy of it.
Right to rectification – you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you may request deletion of your data where there is no legal reason for us to keep it.
Right to restrict processing – you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability – you may request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format where applicable.
Right to object – you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Rights related to automated decision-making – you have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing where this has legal or similarly significant effects.

If we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. If you believe your rights have been infringed, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. We encourage you to raise concerns with us first so we can address them promptly and fairly.

7. Security of Personal Data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and regular review of security practices. While no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, we take data protection seriously and work to reduce risks to a reasonable and lawful level.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, business practices, or the way we process personal data. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

9. Summary

Longford Storage processes personal data responsibly and only when necessary for providing storage services, meeting legal obligations, and protecting our operations. We collect limited information, use it on a valid lawful basis, retain it only for as long as needed, and share it only with trusted processors or other parties where appropriate. You have important rights over your data, and we are committed to respecting those rights in a transparent and lawful way.