Are People Living Inside Your Storage Units?

[Scott Mac]

Hey storage unit owners, do any of your bays have people living in them?

I've read on the internet where people are forced into this by economic problems.

I've also talked to 3 different people who've done this. NY, Vegas and Calif.

As an owner do you care? Do you boot them when you find them, or just tell the manager to look the other way?

[Scott Meyers]

Hey Scott!

Absolutely, under no circumstances, are folks allowed to live in Self Storage Units.  This does not fall just under your Facility policies & procedures or manager's discretion but runs afoul of the law (local & federal), is unsafe (to them, you and your staff, and especially other Self Storage tenants), and is most likely contrary to your insurance policy too.

Also, please check your individual state Self Storage Association (which kind of governs each individual state's Self Storage Facilities) as I'm sure they explicitly prohibit this.

Please note that there are many ways to be kind and even charitable to folks who are down on their luck, but allowing them to live in a unit is not one of them.

Yes, folks living (or better yet, trying to live in their Unit) may be somewhat common, but it does not make it right and needs to be immediately shut down whenever discovered.

And one last comment (shared out of love not a rebuke) is that if it's hard as an owner or manager to force these folks out - and granted, as decent human beings we should feel compassion & empathy for someone who does not have a place to live - this is perhaps one of the best reasons to have your Facility managed by a third party management company.  

I hope this helps.

Scott