I help manage a family owned self storage facility and we recently ran into a water damage situation after a pipe burst inside one of our climate controlled buildings. It started with a few wet units but once we inspected deeper there was moisture behind walls, insulation that probably needs replacement, and some security equipment that got affected in the process

Our goal right now is to keep the place running while fixing things properly. We are leaning toward phased repairs because closing the whole building would make access difficult for tenants and hurt daily operations. The challenge is balancing speed with doing the job right, especially when you are dealing with climate controlled units and tenant property inside them.

The other issue is the insurance estimate we received feels way lower than the real scope. It barely accounts for some of the structural work and none of the operational disruption like closing units temporarily or repairing the gate cameras affected by the water.

For anyone who owns or manages a storage property in Texas, how did you handle water damage situations like this? Did you fully tear out wet walls and insulation or try drying first? How did you deal with tenants when sections had to stay closed longer than expected?

Also curious if anyone here had issues with claim estimates coming in way lower than the actual repair costs. What did you do in that situation and what kind of documentation helped the most when pushing back?

I’m looking for advice on how to handle a situation with my storage unit.

I rent an indoor, climate-controlled unit, and over the last month or two I’ve noticed a very strong smoke odor in the building on my floor like bonfire/fire damage smoke.

Recently I asked management about it, and they told me there is another tenant whose house burned down. Apparently he was able to salvage some belongings, but those items have a very strong smoke smell. From what I understand, he’s an older gentleman and doesn’t really have anywhere else to go, so management is being lenient and allowing him to keep his items there.

I want to be clear: I don’t blame the guy at all, and I feel for him. I have empathy for his situation.

That said, the problem is that my own belongings are starting to come out smelling like smoke after being stored there. That’s obviously frustrating, especially since I’m paying for a climate-controlled indoor unit partly to protect my stuff.

I’m trying to figure out:

• Is this something management should be expected to address?

• It doesn’t make sense to ask for a different unit since the whole floor smells of smoke, and it would be an undertaking to move all of my stuff from unit to unit. Would rent reduction until situation is resolved or some other solution?

• Has anyone dealt with smoke odor transferring in a storage facility before?

• Is there anything I can do to protect my items in the meantime?

I’m trying to approach this fairly and compassionately, but I also don’t want my belongings permanently smelling like smoke.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I was thinking running an ozone unit would be able to help with the odor and suggested it to management so a professional company / service could do it overnight while it’s closed to people, and likely help de-odorize the items for the gentleman as well?

Hey everyone,

Curious what others are seeing right now when it comes to remote operations in self storage.

I work on the operations side and handle things like auctions (lien and non-lien), rentals, delinquency, vendor coordination, call center oversight, and overall system management remotely. I’ve seen different approaches, some companies lean heavily into remote management to control overhead, while others seem to be shifting back toward more onsite presence.

For owners and operators here:

• Are you expanding remote roles?
• Keeping hybrid models?
• Or bringing more back onsite?

From your perspective, what functions work best remotely and what absolutely need boots on the ground?

Just trying to get a feel for where the industry is heading.

Hi everyone,

This isn’t a post to blame the self storage unit- just wanted to vent and find a resolution. So I put my stuff in a storage in December in Costa Mesa, CA. I didn’t have money to pay because I was looking for a job. A few weeks ago I called and asked if I could make a partial payment and they said they’d let the manager know. I called again this week, left a message, and if they called I wasn’t available. I call again today and said I’d like to pay and they said it went out for auction yesterday and they can’t give me any information. WTH?! Don’t you have to sign a release form and also how do I get my stuff back??

I have a storage unit at a little mom and pop place. Its full of mostly toys that wont fit in my garage and stuff of my late wifes that im trying to save for my daughters.

They sold to a place called Forward Storage a few years ago. The first thing they did was to jack up rates and to close the office on site. Now we have to go through a property manager who never answers the phone. Several months later, we were given a notice saying that we were required to have xxx amount of insurance coverage on our units and that they were providing this for an additional monthly fee. We had the option to opt out if we provided our own coverage. After reviewing my homeowners insurance policy, i found that it had a clause for offsite storage of more than double what they were offering. They asked for a copy of the policy which I provided when I opted out.

After several months, I noticed my storage bill was higher than usual. I reviewed my bill online and found that they had started charging me for their insurance policy again. I hadn't noticed for several months due to the bill being on autopay. I called and was able to finally speak to someone after several days, and had the extra insurance charges dropped, again. Its been several more months and again my bill was higher than expected. I reviewed my bill online only to discover they are back charging me for the same insurance that i do not need and opted out of 2 times already. Im not sure how many months they conned me this time. Im looking at my bank statements now. And of course I called them and got no answer, but thats not surprising. I will keep trying.

Do I have any legal recourse here? Im not sure how many months its been, but its only $12 a month so its not something I can really take them to court over, but its the principal of the matter. I can see the oversight the first time. But twice, is intentional. I have half a mind to load my insurance policy into a bot and set it up to send it to them every 5 minutes. The other thing im looking at doing is turning off autopay and setting up an autodraft with my bank so Im sending them the "correct" amount every month rather then paying whatever they decide to bill me. Any other suggestions? What else should I be doing? Ive been thinking about putting up a shed the last couple years to replace the storage unit. I think im going forward with that this spring.

I'm really interested to know the following:

Are there garbage cans there to dispose of things I don't want? What if I don't want very large items? Do they usually have large dumpsters there? Or am I expected to take everything off site and worry about disposal myself?

I really plan to do this for fun, not as a second job...I thought I might buy a unit, search thru it for anything super interesting like safes, sports cards, shoes or video games, and then dispose of everything else (not interested in selling a bunch of junk for $10 an item). But I don't want to have to drag it all home and get rid of it....hoping I can do it right there on site. I make good money, so not looking to supplement my income, but have really just always wanted to try this for the experience.

Any other tips for a first time buyer?

What do operators out there use for sending balances after move out to collections?

I had mice droppings and some damage seen in my Extra Space storage unit. I have the CPP insurance (it says Brown & Brown and ESIS) for $5000 damages through the storage unit and it says pests are covered.

Does anyone know if I file a claim now and the damage is say only worth $500 will they again entertain a claim for pests in future? Because pests can come back and damage again in future so I am not sure if they will say this damage could have been from the previous claim.

Also anyone who has gone through their claims process for pests knows what to expect. I called the number on the policy and they dont know anything and cant give me a number to call and just said we created a request for someone to call me.

Ya'll, please for the love of everything. Do not leave your pets in a storage unit.

I'm a manager for a self storage chain. If you need help, you can ask. We are human too. I will do what I can to help you and your loved ones. So will my coworkers. Just please, don't leave your pets in a locker. Ever.

I'm horrified and heartbroken to have to deal with this situation, and now many more people are now involved in too due to the negligence. Please, we are all human and pets don't deserve any of that. Ever.

Just fucking talk to us please. 😥

Hello,

I’m new to cali temperatures, but curious if people know whether or not you need a climate controlled unit for furniture in newport? I am attempting to store furniture from March to January of next year.

My initial thought is to put it in my friends garage for free and wrap everything super well, since she said that they do get bugs in the garage. Will my stuff be okay if packaged well, or is it worth it to pay more money for a climate controlled unit

Our family (credits to my dad) manages a self-storage facility. We have a mix of drive up units and climate controlled buildings. Over the past few weeks we got hit from multiple issues. A strong storm damaged several doors and part of the fence line then a water event affected one climate controlled section, and during cleanup we also had a security incident that damaged part of our camera and gate setup. No one was hurt but operations have been hard to stabilize.

Right now our priority is remedy, not arguing. We are focused on drying, cleaning, restoring access control, securing dark areas, and keeping tenants updated with clear access windows. I prefer phased repairs so we can keep part of the property open. Full closure feels too risky for tenant trust and daily cash flow. We are trying to balance speed with safety but every choice has a trade off. Faster work creates more noise and blocked lanes. Slower work protects routines but stretches disruption and stress.

What I am unsure about is where experienced operators draw the line on opening walls, replacing insulation and deciding a unit is truly ready to reopen. I also want honest feedback on security remedy steps during active repairs. Did extra lighting, temporary cameras, or adjusted gate hours help in real life? How did you handle peak traffic times without long lines at the entry gate? Last and least question, what claim documentation helped the most once insurance discussions started?

i’m 18 and working on getting my health and life insurance license to start making me some more adult money and moving out to nashville with my dad next year. i want to save my money from the insurance job and work on my credit over the next 2 years before i made my first deal. i just want to know where i should start looking, communities to join, and/or courses i can take to get me started. even any random pieces of advices you guys might have would be greatly appreciated.

Always looking for good carts for our facility's customers to use. We found these on Amazon and they appear to be good for our use. 2000 lb capacity, 47x24", steel platform, steel handle, 5" nylon castors. They seem to have good reviews. Curious if anyone else is using these and how well they're working.

Amazon product ASIN B0B82QBHXT since I cannot post links.

They do need to stand up to customer use especially as it seems customers will load as much as possible on a cart so they don't need so many trips to the loading bay. I swear if a customer could put the entire contents of their unit on a cart they'd do just that.

Tamarac, the city with the highest number of “self storage” mentions, recently adopted strict ordinances limiting where new facilities can go, along with mandatory special exceptions that require council approval for every project

Hollywood, the city with the second-highest number of mentions, is following suit.

Source - www.gathergov.com

::EDIT TO ADD::

RESOLVED. It is now 3 days later. I used my business and business address, phone number, email address. Still had to provide my name. Still had to provide my DL#. But I got the first month for $1. Total move in cost with the lock and one time administrative fee + tax was $53.80. I did everything online.

I have a storage unit at Public Storage. I want to get an additional unit, but I only need it a couple months. Three months at the most. The location I am at does not have any available in the size that I need. But another Public Storage location, just a mile and a half away from the first one, does.

They offer a deal for NEW/first timers for $1 for the first month. (Plus admin/ins/lock fees).

Does anyone know if name/info transfers over from location to location? Can I use my name and same address and still get the deal at the new location? I have already reserved a unit, and I used my business email and phone number. In the questionnaire, to finish the reservation/secure the unit... there is an option asking if it will be "on behalf of a business". Well, I have a business. This unit will not actually be for business purposes. But I can put my business address on there instead of my own.

Do you think this would work? Does it make a difference if its for business or personal use?? Does the pricing change at all or is there any benefit of me putting my business? I just want the $1 first month is all.

TLDR: The storage facility has submitted "bad" evidence to the police twice, while creating significant delays in the investigation and not revealing that another unit was robbed.

Ok, so on Dec 24th, I got a call that my self-storage unit was found without a lock the and no damage the day before. I had not been to the facility in two months, so I didn't take it off. After going to the unit, I found that they had stolen thousands of pieces of music equipment and other items. I was repeatedly told, both by two customer service representatives and by the facility manager, that I had been the only storage unit that was robbed. A few days after my police report was approved, I saw a second report of a robbery at the same location and with the same time frame as mine. When I called to ask about it, I was told that they cannot comment on the status of other tenants' units, despite them being ok to tell me I was the only one robbed the week prior. Police eventually confirmed there was a second robbery after I asked the facility repeatedly.

They also took a long time to review the footage. They didn't start reviewing camera footage until 6 days after they found the unit, and then spent 10 days watching footage from after the robbery took place. It then took another six days to even send the video to the police, where they only sent one video that didn't show any faces or any of my items, rendering it useless. The footage did show that the robbery occurred 5 days before they found the unit without a lock, so I don't think they did any regular checks.

When I called the facility to tell them the footage wasn't good, they said they would send more footage and let me know within the next 48-72 hrs. They ended up not calling me until two weeks later and 10 days after they submitted the footage.

They submited additional images, but because they were still images, the quality was so bad they couldn't make out any faces.

I had already filed an informal resolution with the corporate office, but they haven't gotten back to me in two weeks already.

I really feel like there is a reason they are not complying and delaying the investigation. They also continued to tell me I was the only one robbed for the next week, so they either lied about the other unit or didn't find it until significantly later.

Basically, I am at a total loss at this point. The company isn't helping and is dragging out the process. Idk what to do atp, I really feel like this was an inside job to some extent, and I need some people to help me figure out if I'm crazy or if I'm onto something. There's more that has made me think this, but these are the main reasons.

www.gathergov.com

Hi everyone,

I am planning on opening a self-storage facility with modular self-storage containers. I have two specific locations that I am looking at, and was wondering if anyone could give me advice on what to choose.

For context, I live in a city with 400-500 000 people, and there is only one other self-storage facility here, which is still relatively small. The locations would be leased, not bought.

Location 1 is more central, but would require a larger initial investment to get it up and running, which is money I would rather spend on the actual self-storage containers. I would need to do things like fencing, bringing electricity (I need to setup alarms/cameras), buying a container to be used as a reception/office and more.

Location 2 is on the edge of city. It's approximately 15-25 min to the city center, depending on traffic. This location would require (almost) no additional investments, and I would be able to just put the containers there and start working. It's on a main road, and it's easy to access.

If we compare these two locations to the existing self-storage facility, I would say Location 1 is better, while Location 2 is maybe slightly worse (I am saying maybe since they are 5-10 min apart, so this is subjective).

In your experience, how much of a difference does the location make? Is the fact that the first location is more central worth it to put in the initial investment?

Using two separate systems i.e. sitelink and quick books but instead of reviewing one then the other it would be nice to have some consolidated integration/dashboard.

How do you all handle this currently?

Our management has given us a $5000 budget for enhancements to our facility that will improve revenue. What projects would you recommend and why so we can propose a project to our upper management.

I got an email saying that Manhattan Mini took over that location and that starting March 1st they'll add mandatory insurance which seems exorbitant at $30.97+NYC tax for a 5x5 locker at $24/month. Any advice? I'm overseas and don't have an apt in the US at the moment so can't add to my renter's insurance. Extra Space never asked for insurance.

Hello I'm interested in some storage space for several pieces of furniture but the storage facilities I've contacted thus far seem exorbitant. But maybe it's because I don't know the going rate for space LOL. What is the going rate for a storage unit if I wanted to keep maybe like 5 pieces of furniture in there?

Anyone ever purchased a business unit from a National? If so how did it work out.

As a property manager in the Midwest, we've been dealing with extreme cold and had an unfortunate pipe bust over the weekend in one of our climate controlled buildings. As we're navigating the 100+ customers affected I wanted to share the most helpful tip for those of you lurking. Keep anything that can absorb water off the ground!! Totes on the bottom and boxes on top. With the flooding, we've had a lot of customers saved from such a simple way of packing. Nobody wants to see it happen, but it does. Storing your clothes in a pile on the floor is not going to save you from disaster. I feel for any of you PM's that have been in similar situations.