PUBLIC STORAGE (PS) Over-charges, $1 move-in Scam, Insurance Scam, Late Fee & Lein Fee Scam! STAY AWAY!!!! Mesa Arizona

The last two rebuttals are so defensive...Maybe that's because you two are in the know.

I've read alot of nasty rebuttals from storage owner and employees who are always defensive.  Defensive about what they already knew and failed to inform a potential customer of...that they provide no service just a space.  A customer probably expects to have safe and secure storage; Plain and simple.  But NO.  It must be their fault that they trusted you to provide that...do you ever even explain the lack of liability in full detail...probably not, because then most potential customers would think twice instead of feeling duped when their property is stolen or damaged by water or rats.  But yeah...get defensive about someone who doesn't know any better...I bet most new employees of storage facilities are shocked to learn how things operate. 

How often do you ever see a sales commercial or any type of marketing for storage facilities?....because the customers come to YOU.  They come to you for Trust....

Let's be honest...seems there is a lack of business ethics.

Don't fret!  I'll let a customer know what you already know.......

My advice to any potential customer...get some good storage bins, duct tape and alot of plastic sheets to protect your belongings as if your were going to store them outside in a cheap tent.  And most of the insurance provided by storage doesn't cover furs, Jewelry, pictures, documents, and money...pretty much everything of immediate importance.  Sign here and here and thanx for your money.

I think I would make a great employee...honest and trustworthy.

P.S. You Storage facilities should sell storage bins and plastic sheets along with the locks.  Make yourself some extra money while being informative and ethical....or would that hurt the insurance sales?

First let me clarify. You stated that "the manager onsite is usually gone with boyfreind, so your usually stuck..." The employees are NOT 24-hr employees, they work an 8-hr day, then get to enjoy their life after work just as you do. Just because they live there on site--as part of their pay--doesn't mean they are at you beck-and-call 24/7. The gate hours have remained the same--corporate wide--for the last five+ years, and they are clearly posted on a very large banner attached to the gate itself. The hours are plainly written on your gate code card, and discussed in detail during the rental agreement presentation.

Secondly, if the gate is not working properly for ALL of the tenants, then the company does themselves more harm by leaving it that way. If you are one of the only few tenants having a problem with the gate, then you are likely NOT entering the code properly, and need to re-read your gate card for the proper code.

Third, security is the tenants responsibility, and it is clearly stated in the lease in at least THREE places--ALL INITIALED BY THE TENANT--that you are solely responsible for your goods, the maximum dollar amount allowed, and what items are & are not allowed. If you are being asked to purchase a different lock, then your lock ISN'T adequate, and the manager is simply trying to help YOU properly secure your goods. But understand, if your lock fails to do its job, DON'T be one of those people who come on here to whine about how you got ripped-off and victimized by PS.

Fourth, Insurance of your stored goods is REQUIRED per your lease, and is a condition of storing with Public Storage--something EVERY tenant is told at the time the agreement is FIRST entered into. If you don't want to insure your goods, then fine, store somewhere else. The majority of insurance companies DON'T provide coverage for personal property stored outside (or off-site) of the primary insured dwelling. And even if yours is one of the very rare ones that do, you need to look at deductible ($100 vs. $500-$1000), items covered as well as perils covered against (water damage, vermin damage, in-transit, etc.), and whether your rate will increase for filing a claim (or WORSE, be canceled).

And finally, rent is ALWAYS due on or before the first of every month, and it couldn't be made anymore clear in the lease. if it remains UNPAID for several days, then you get hit with a late fee, simple as that. If don't have any intention of paying your rent, then don't store. A lien fee isn't assessed UNTIL a tenant goes more that 30-days PAST DUE, meaning no payment has been received for an least an entire month (and since rent is due on the first, it is more likely that the last payment received was almost 60-days BEFORE going into lien). The lien fee is meant to cover the cost of preparing for the auction as well; including posting in the media for the required number of consecutive weeks, sending ALL of the required and recommended mailings (including certified, and the sheriff's copy), inventorying the goods, and ALL of the other related administrative cost associated with grossly delinquent accounts.

The bottom line is, if tenants make their payments on time, and read and comply with their lease/rental agreement, then almost NONE of these complaints would occur (or EVEN be necessary).

Tom

I am currently an employee with Public Storage and I am sorry to hear you have had some unfortunate things happen while storing. None the less, you do receive your $1 for your first 30 days, not just whats left in the month. You then are prorated for the remaining days in the following month. And your 3rd month, is your 1st full months rent.

I.E. You rent on the 22nd of April, you pay $1, then from May 22nd (30 days later) through May 30th you pay a prorate rate and June 1st would be your full months rent due.

It would be easier to see the saving say you were renting a $200 unit, and you pay $1 and admin of say $20 and saving $179, however if you were renting a small/cheap storage space at $30 with the $20 admin, you would only see $9 savings. But without the $1 move in you would being paying $30 plus $20 and taxes. All new accounts come with an administration fee (this is for all accounts, even if it does not have the $1 move-in)

As far as the locks and insurance, Public Storage sells high quality locks that are the same as what is used by the US Military, however you are not required to buy ours, we just tell you the benefits of ours. The insurance issue... Can't get this through to people enough, even states in on the form you signed. Arizona and any other state has no rule of Public Storage requiring you to insure your items, Now let me clarify before someone posts to this before I finish. This means they require to have insurance coverage, either through homeowners, renters, writer policies or the over the counter from Public Storage. Because after all if they didn't and you had no insurance, Public Storage is not responsible for any damages to your property.

And also, if you are signing a legal contract you should be aware of what you are signing, I'm sure you are aware EVERY company charges late fees, Public Storage charges 1 late fee, per state laws, etc. If you do become delinquent (30 days past due) Public Storage follows your states Self Storage Lein procedures and Federal Laws and charge appropriate Pre-Lein/Lein Fees to cover the expense of lawyers and filing a lein against your items with your state. Public Storage does not implement its own fees and procedures they follow state and federal regualation and laws, so maybe your quarrell should go higher up.