Before getting the services of anything or purchasing any product, you should make sure that you do your research so that you will not regret where your money goes.
The same principle applies when you are looking for a self-storage unit. No matter the reason, you should make sure that you look into these eight important features of a self-storage unit before committing to anything:
Price and payment plans
The first thing you need to check when you are getting storage units is the price and payment plan. You should also check if they offer a free trial or a free quote.
You should also check whether they charge you by the week or by the month, and whether or not they have cancelation policies that fit your preferences.
Make sure to work out your budget so that the monthly or weekly fees will not blindside you.
Safety and security measures
Another essential factor that you should consider when you are trying to get yourself a self-storage unit is whether or not the storage unit and their facility are safe and secure.
You should ask around whether there is an inhouse guard at all times and if they have 24/7 security available. It will also be useful if they have surveillance cameras fitted in important areas of their facilities.
It is your priority to come back to all of your items safe and sound, especially if you are going to be storing some sensitive or even personal items in the unit.
Location of the facility
Another feature to look into that would be very convenient is to check the location of the facility.
Although it does not have to be a priority, you still need to consider how close the facility is to your home. This is especially important if you think you are going to be coming back for the items stored in the unit often.
You should also check how willing you are to travel just to get cheaper or an overall better storage facility.
Cleanliness and maintenance
When visiting the self-storage units and the facilities, check whether or not the area is clean and tidy.
You can infer a lot of information from a self-storage unit provider that keeps its facilities clean at all times.
If their facilities are clean, then it means that your items will be safer from pests that may burrow their way into your unit. Plus, when you come back to your unit, you ensure that you will not be coming back to dirty items.
Storage access and operation hours
If you are storing items that you think you will need access to quite frequently, such as a standing desk chair, make sure to check the storage access and operation hours of your self-storage unit provider.
Ideally, you should have 24-hour access to your item or your units. At the very least, you should have access to your storage unit during times most convenient to you.
If you work a regular 9-to-5 job, then you want to hire a self-storage unit provider that is open even during the weekends.
Insurance
To ensure that your items are protected even when they are stored in a unit, check whether your preferred service provider has an insurance policy
If you are getting storage units from a reputable service provider, then they are likely going to have some insurance options for you to choose from.
In case of damage or even in the case of a theft, you want your items to be covered. You can get third-party insurance coverage, or you can ask your provider if they have insurance policies themselves.
Reliable customer service
One other thing that you should check is whether or not their customer service is reliable.
You would not want to have to deal with a load of hassle when you are trying to find out about your units and the items in them.
Although you can try and check it for yourself, you can try and check online for reviews about a particular facility to help you make an informed decision.
Trustworthiness
Although it is quite hard to discern this particular quality, you still want to see if you think that the self-storage unit provider is trustworthy.
Sometimes, this may even come down to pure instinct. Nonetheless, you want to be able to leave your items somewhere you are not going to be worried about.
Wrap up
Since you are storing your items for a relatively long time, you need to make sure that your items are guaranteed safe, secured, and insured for the entire time that your items are stored. You would want to come back to it just like when you left it.
By looking into the eight important features listed above, you should be able to discern whether or not a self-storage unit provider is reliable.
