It is important to remember that choosing a cheap storage rental facility is not the best decision you can make if you want to protect your possessions. In fact the more money you pay for such services the better the service you will be provided with and this is especially true where storage facilities are concerned. When considering a storage rental you need to take into consideration whether the items being placed in the unit are of a monetary or sentimental value to you. Also do any of the items need special storage conditions so that they remain in good condition. Once you have chosen a storage facility to rent from they will need to provide you with a rental contract or agreement. Prior to signing anything I would suggest that you take the agreement home with you and read through it thoroughly.
This will give you time to read the fine print as well as understand just what exactly you are being charged whilst you have the rental agreement with them. Should you have any questions regarding the agreement then it is wise to talk to the staff at the storage facility before you sign it. All these rental contracts and agreements are specifically designed to not only protect the customer but also the storage rental company as well. It is therefore important that you keep your part of the contract or agreement in a secure place so should you need to look at it at any time you can. Such contracts and agreements can be easily terminated by providing the right amount of notice as will be stipulated in the contract/agreement. However you may find that you will not have to pay the full months rent if you terminate the contract even half way through the month and you should check to see if this stipulation is included in the contract/agreement and if it isn't you may find yourself being charged for the entire month by the storage facility.
The costs that will normally be included in the monthly rental fee will be for such basics as the rental of the space you have, utilities such as electricity and light and insurance. Some may include an additional cost for climate control storage if you decide to have this facility and it is therefore important that you examine the costs so you know exactly what you are expected to pay each month prior to signing the rental agreement. Also look for any hidden charges that the storage facility company may have placed on you such as labor or for using the storage facilities "free" hire van to get your possessions to the facility. Another cost that you may incur but not common is that a storage rental facility may charge you to have access to your unit outside normal working hours and these fees should be shown on the contract that you are going to sign.
However, one fee that does not have to appear on the contract is a charge for using parking at the facility when you are either dropping off or collecting possessions from your unit. The first cost you will incur when signing a storage rental facility contract is the deposit fee which is required before you take possession of the unit you are renting and this is generally not refundable. Therefore read the conditions laid out in the contract regarding the deposit so that you may be able to get your deposit back once you leave the storage rental facility. If the storage rental company you want to use has conditions which are basically impossible for you to meet with regards the deposit etc.
, then do not go with this storage rental facility and look elsewhere instead. As you see there are some costs that you need to really calculate into any budget you are thinking of with regard to a storage rental facility before you go ahead and sign the contract.
Lee Dobbins writes for Moving and More where you can learn more about moving and home management as well as learn how to best utilize self storage rental units
