10 Things Self-Storage Owners Must Tell Their Tenants
Tenants want to keep their things safe or they wouldn’t be seeking your self-storage facility. So help them protect their property from the get-go by sharing these 10 tips for better property protection. Don’t forget to download the printable version via the button at the bottom!
Risk management for tenants
Tenants want to keep their things safe or they wouldn’t be seeking your self-storage facility. Yet many tenants don’t take the necessary steps to protect their property while inside your facility. Risk management isn’t usually the first thing on your tenant’s mind. It’s a good idea to remind them of potential risks while simultaneously explaining the easy ways they can lessen that risk. Beside risk management, there are also organizational choices that will help your tenants optimize their space. With these two things in mind here are 10 things all self-storage owners and managers must tell their tenants during move in…
6 ways to lower risk of damage and theft
1. Pallets
Mold. Water damage. Rodents. Some of the dangers at self-storage facilities are not 100% avoidable and there’s only so much you can do as an owner to prevent these kinds of issues. Recommending your tenants elevate with pallets is one way to help prevent damage from several potential sources. Even better if you are able to provide or sell them yourself, or recommend a partner who can.
2. Use A Safe
Store important papers and memorabilia in a safe to prevent all kinds of damage. Storage units are not meant to protect papers and photographs from most kinds of damage. A safe with the right protections is a much better place for these kinds of property.
3. Don’t Store Food
Even those boxed noodles can go bad at a storage facility. Not all units are temperature or humidity controlled and even if they are unless you as the owner have specifically worked to bring the facility up to food storage conditions, there is always a good chance the food will still be exposed to unexpected elements. Not to mention the number of abandoned units which tell just how easy it is to forget not only that you have a storage unit, but also to forget what is being stored in it.
4. Use Plastic Containers
When possible, plastic containers are a much more protective solution than cardboard boxes. If the plastic containers are well sealed they can prevent liquid damage and rodent damage. Clear plastic containers will also allow your tenants to see which items are in which container, making organization easier.
5. Adjust For Local Climate
Chances are the city you live in experiences a unique climate condition that impacts stored property. High humidity, for example, can cause mold and other similar damage. Take this into account and provide recommendations accordingly so your tenants aren’t caught by surprise!
6. Lock smarts
If your units aren’t controlled by fancy keypads or other auto-locking features encourage your tenants to leave their disk or cylinder lock looped through one side of the lock hook so they can’t close the door without it being in the way. This way they never forget to lock up! Doing so will prevent their unit from becoming an easy target for theft. Using disk or cylinder locks (and making sure to keep the key in a separate location they won’t forget!) will also help keep their unit safe.
4 ways to optimize your storage unit
1. Label Everything Well
Each person may have a unique organizational system that works for them, but no matter if you’re a color-coordinator, sticker person, or labeler, having a way to keep track of what is in each container is an important aspect of optimizing your unit. Be sure to share a few organizational ideas if your tenants aren’t sure how to label and offer labels or colored packing tape right at your facility to help them out!
2. Use Protective Padding
Make sure you’ve used protective padding for fragile items or furniture. Blankets, newspaper, towels, whatever materials they’ve got will give their property protection against impacts and jostling. Selling moving blankets and specialized barriers like dividers and packing peanuts are a great way to help the tenant that didn’t utilize their own.
3. Keep A Master List
A notebook or digital document that accounts for the items in each box will help your tenants keep track of important property and make coming back for things much easier. It’s also a good idea to take pictures of each big-ticket item as it’s placed in storage and one final picture of the packed unit. This makes claim processing easier should something happen and is also great for organizational purposes. Keeping the images with the master list can prevent your tenants from a headache later.
4. Rent The Right Size Unit
Many owners already have some kind of sizing guide either as an online tool or a print out to share with tenants. If you don’t do this, start now. Get an idea of how many rooms worth of property one can store in each size unit you offer. Including a graphic with measurements can be a bonus as well.
Bonus: Protecting your property even more!
One more thing every tenant should know is that they can have additional protection for their property through Tenant Property Protection. Our plans have tiers they can decide what they want to cover and our claims services are unmatched with 24/7 claim lines and a 72-hour target to complete claims. And don’t forget, unlike most insurers and some other protection plans, we pay replacement cost so your tenants can get an equivalent couch or TV for example, and not have to worry they’ll only have ‘depreciated value’ (whatever that means).
Be a hero, share these 11 tips with your tenants. Get your free printable version!
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