There are a lot of self storage companies and of them operate in different ways though essentially what they are doing is giving you space to store your belongings.
The best thing is to check out the self-storage companies on their web sites. The ones offering a specific student storage deal are likely to be cheaper than the ones that aren't.
Call 3 or 4 companies and compare prices and deals. Deals include weekly or monthly charges, deposits, minimums, packaging and space offered (usually quoted in square feet (area) or cubic feet (volume)). Make sure you compare sizes as storage companies vary.
Consider what you are storing. If you are storing your TV, hi-fi, laptop or electric guitar you may wish to consider insurance. Insurance has a cost. If all you are storing is your duvet, crockery and posters then it may be you decide to store uninsured. Ask the storage company about this, it could save you money. Ultimately all storage companies must offer you storage which is fit for purpose and as described so even if you are not insured and something goes wrong you will be entitled to compensation.
Only choose a reputable storage company. You should be asked to sign a contract with terms and conditions. Read the terms and conditions and ask for clarification if necessary.
Ask about deposits and minimum periods. Some companies will expect payment upfront for the duration of the vacation e.g. 13 weeks in the summer. Some will want a deposit equivalent to a month, which may be non-refundable. Try to get storage where you pay only for the days you store. E.g. if you return to University in the middle of September you don't want to be paying to the end of September. There may be refundable deposits, ask if there are and also the conditions attached to the deposits.
Packaging; will you need it? It can be very useful to have storage boxes and bubble wrap. It will make it much easier for you to pack away your stuff and transport it to the storage and back again. It doesn't cost as much as you may expect. Try and negotiate. They want your storage business so tell them you are shopping around, mention the name of a competitor and ask if packaging can be included in the price of the storage.
Consider how you will get your stuff to and from the storage. Do they have a pick-up service? See if you can negotiate it for free. If they don't then you will need to take your stuff yourself and pick it up yourself. Your parents may oblige when they pick you up but you may have a friend with a car. Is public transport and option? Ask the storage company if there is a bus-stop, station or metro stop nearby. You could take a taxi there with your stuff and get a bus back to keep the cost down.
P.S. We're an independent company based in the North East of England. We started up in 2000. If you want to know more e-mail us from our enquiries page or give us a call.
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