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What to look for when selecting a storage facility

Selecting a storage facility, especially for the first time, can be a confusing experience. Aside from deciding on the right type of storage, it’s important to know what a good storage facility looks like. For the best experience, look out for facilities that offer the following:

Security

The most important thing to consider when looking at your storage options is security. A storage facility that has as many of the following criteria as possible is a must.

High standards of fencing and physical security
Video security
Digital entry systems
Well built and maintained units
High end doors and locks
Easy-to-follow security procedures, such as clear signs and safety instructions.

Standards vary a lot, so keep in mind that these features are not a guarantee at every security facility you might consider. All of our facilities offer these features as standard and we are regularly upgrading, updating and maintaining them.

Accessibility

Security is important, but it should not be hard for our customers to access their stuff as and when they need to.

Good storage companies make sure that there’s a balance between security and accessibility. That typically involves offering features like entry codes, online booking, and in some cases, car number plate recognition.

Flexibility

It can sometimes be impossible to predict how long you might want or need to put your things in storage, so flexible terms are really useful. You don’t want to end up paying for storage you don’t need.

You should also look out for things like short term discounts if you aren’t sure how long you’ll need. It often can work out cheaper paying the non-discounted rate over a longer period than having the price increase after a discount.

Hygiene and cleanliness

Poor hygiene and cleanliness can encourage pests, which can cause serious issues if they gain access to people’s belongings. Avoid any storage facility that doesn’t appear to make any effort around hygiene, cleanliness and pest control.

If you see traps, don’t assume the business has a problem. You can just assume that they are proactive in making sure they never have pest problems.

Maintenance

You can tell pretty quickly how well maintained a storage facility is by looking at things like door handles, shutters, locks and ancillary equipment like trolleys.

While wear and tear is to be expected, faulty shutters, dodgy doors and any signs of unattended faults might point to bigger issues around maintenance and service quality.

Safety

Our priority for our customers is safety. Our facilities benefit from good lighting, health and safety best practices and a general company-wide commitment to safety and well-being. We encourage our customers to feed back to us if they see or experience things that don’t meet their expectations.

Temperature

Whether or not you choose a storage facility with temperature control features for your items depends on what exactly you plan to store. This consideration becomes particularly crucial when you possess items requiring a climate-controlled environment.

While selecting such a unit may involve extra expenses, it ensure that your belongings are kept in prime condition, especially if you anticipate extended storage periods.

Amenities

In the world of self-storage, extra amenities might not be deemed essential, but they can serve as clear indicators of the facility’s commitment to customer satisfaction.

Some attractive amenities offered by top-notch self-storage facilities include the choice between covered or uncovered storage options for boats, RVs and large items.

Another very useful feature is the availability of storage units in a wide range of sizes. This gives you the power to select a unit that perfectly aligns with your specific needs.

You might also want to look for things like accessible bathrooms, refreshment facilities and air conditioning in customer service areas. These are also good indicators of overall quality.