Public Storage Overcharges Existing Customers Clifton, New Jersey

Public Storage had systematically increased my rent about twice a year over about 6 years. The end result was that I was paying $25/month more for my unit than the advertised price (of $73) on their website for an identical unit on the same floor of the same building.

Complaints to my local manager were useless -- they have no control over pricing. I got the number for the regional office, and I left two courteous voice messages with the district manager over the course of a month. Once I actually got her on the phone, and she said she'd look in to it. Besides being snappy and vulgar (muttering obscenities under her breath when her computer was slow), she didn't call back, didn't resolve the issue, and didn't remember me. At long last I got through to her boss, the regional manager, who offered to reduce the rate to $81, but wouldn't reduce it to $73 which was the website price. She claimed that corporate limited her to a 10% reduction. The only way I would have been able to get the advertised price was to actually vacate my existing unit and physically move down the hall. (Since then, they have cut the price for new customers another $10 to $63.)

I'll concede that Public Storage has the right to set its policies any way it chooses. Public Storage has the right to charge existing customers a lot more than the lower rates they are advertising online to new customers. Public Storage also has the right to arbitrarily set lower promotional prices while charging existing customers up to 30% more for an identical unit. Public Storage also reserves the right to change its prices daily (as they have said over the phone). But as an existing customer, the issue for me is: How do I feel about being screwed by Public Storage, and what can I do to stop it? I'd urge all PS tenants to check their bills, verify the advertised rates, and request an adjustment if you are being overcharged. Check your Public Storage bill every year -- check it every time you get a rate increase -- because those increases are cumulative and over the years you'll be paying hundreds more to Public Storage than you should. They are counting on their good customers to either not notice, or not complain. You owe it to yourself to ask Public Storage to lower your rent.

By the way, if you call their headquarters in Glendale, CA (800-567-0759), they will bounce you back to your regional manager. But it's worth calling and complaining at the highest level possible.