I'm curious if this is the standard practice for money partners.   

If it's in a bad area, the numbers on paper will probably only ever be on paper as the operating costs will almost certainly be higher than standard assumptions. 

Didn't check. 

We want to avoid charging them for the stay plus the deposit, then refunding the deposit after they check out.

Your household names: Ernst and Young, Deloitte, KPMG, etc all offer audit services, as do your regionals like Grant Thornton.A full audit will typically consist of spot checking everything from invoices/receipts tying out to specific checks paid by accounts payable, and down to leases being input into the system, and tying rent payments to cleared checks.  

I called that afternoon to check on my policy before going into the weekend especially seeing I had renters checking in.

They can quote the by-laws by song and verse... be it the decoration you tenant hung on the door, or the tenant's inoperative car, or noise violations, etc, etc.I would definitely check into the rules of the HOA.  

Just wanted to check opinions if it's going to be too small or should I just do decent size 1 bedroom with living space.

I am working through a PSA for the purchase of a self storage property and I would like to know what surveys you would say area) criticalb) nice to havec) unnecessarywhen acquiring a self storage facility especially given standard exceptions in title policies.

Wanting to know what everyone is charging to run background checks for validating tenants.