It is crucial to ensure the storage company you choose is legitimate. They will take care of your valuable items. Whatever the reason you want to keep your belonging in a storage unit, you need to confirm you are leaving them with genuine people. The storage industry is not strictly regulated. Therefore, it is easy for corrupt businesses to get away with almost anything. Take some time to confirm the legitimacy of the storage company to ensure you don’t leave your belonging to thieves, and the company will look after them. Here is how to confirm if the storage company is legit.
Check Accreditations
Even if the storage industry is not heavily regulated, companies need to get licensing and accreditation. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a vital accreditation only given to licensed companies that meet its requirements. Therefore, when researching, check for BBB accreditation or anything similar. This is crucial since only genuine businesses can be accredited.
Visit the Site
Before making any commitments, visiting the storage units to check several things is advisable. Confirm how much they have invested in security. What is the quality of their padlocks? Do they have a fence around the units? Are there CCTV cameras? How often do they patrol the units?
Another vital thing to confirm is their cleanliness. Ask to be shown an empty unit to see if it fits to keep your items as long as you want. Can you see molds? Is the unit damp? You can also look at additional features like climate-controlled units and the accessibility of the units.
Check Insurance Policies
Insurance is fundamental if you are keeping your items in a storage unit. Without it, the company will be exonerated in case of damage to the assets. Therefore, confirm if the company offers insurance or if there is a regular insurance provider they know. If these two choices are unavailable, it might be best to look for another company. Insurance is critical, especially if the storage company does not have BBB or any other accreditation. Without it, the company cannot cover the cost of your damaged items.
Read Customer Reviews
Another good way of knowing if the storage company is legitimate is by checking online reviews. Online reviews are opinions from people who have interacted with the company in one way or another. They will be helpful if you want to know how it handles its customers and how safe your belongings will be. If the company has too many negative reviews, remove it from your list. Look at what people say about things like security, the condition of the units, and long-term options. Before discarding a company with negative reviews, check how it responds to them and the main issue. Did it react professionally? What was the origin of the dispute? Did they solve it? The vital thing is to make sure you get a company you can trust.
Bottom Line!
Before you commit to a specific storage company, it is advisable to scrutinize it to ensure it is legit and will keep your items safe. After all, you don’t want to entrust your valuables to the wrong people. So, check the points mentioned above to ensure your items will be safe and covered in case of damage.
