Helpful Tips for Choosing a Self-Storage Facility
Check the condition and safety of the facility.
First and the most important factor in this regard is that you should do a physical inspection of the facility for the proper safety of your belongings. There are many companies that claim that their facility is safe and there is no danger of theft and vandalism. You should not count their words as it is and must check by yourself for the proper arrangement and security of the facility. You can check this by investigating about the security system and devices installed for the surveillance of storage facility. You can ask for the emergency situation handling arrangement and alarm system installed in the facility. After complete inspection you must be able to understand whether the storage company has undergone effective measures for the safety of their clients belongings. If you are satisfied with all the arrangements then short list that company.
It helps to deal with friendly and reliable staff.
Another very important thing that you should take in to account is the employs of the self storage business. A good storage company should have customer service oriented employees. There should be friendly and clear chain of command. There must be a manager to which you can communicate and coordinate in order to avail self storage services. The staff should be courteous and readily available to you. Mark the company on your list if you find that they have these characteristics.
Consider the variety in the sizes of the unit.
The next step is to determine the unit size for your belongings. There is range of sizes that are available and can be used for the storage purpose. You don't need to have a bigger unit size if you have a small amount of belongings. A standard size unit is one which has 5 x 5 feet and is equivalent to a small closet space. You can have as large unit as 24 x 25 feet which is enough to accommodate a boat or trailer. It depends upon your requirements of storage and a good Self Storage Company must provide you with all the available range of sizes.
Read the contract and its fine prints.
Final step in this regard is that you should carefully read the terms and conditions which are provided by the company offering these services. Besides the monthly cost you should also check for the extra cost that is incurred in the form of penalty. For example, for late payments, insurance dues, early termination of contract etc. the penalties may include.