Self Storage Recommendations

Brown_Eyed_Girl

As luck would have it - or indeed not, i've been given notice on my current property today, meaning i could have a few weeks gap in between leaving one and completing on my first place. I have a license rather than a tenancy so it really is a month notice and would like my deposit back so wont be able to change that date.

Whilst I can stay at a parents and commute, i'd rather not lug all my stuff out there and then drag it back across London. I've seen a self storage called Lovespace in south London who seem cheap but i imagine my furniture, even flat packed will be too big.

Anyone have any recommendations or do not touch with a bargepolls? I'd be looking for a month, max two so quite short, and moving it myself with friends and a van.

G_M

Can't help with self-storage places, but I have come across people who just hire a very cheap van and store in that!

Often people have to hire one anyway (often 2ce) to get their stuff to/from the storage unit. May be cheaper to get a discount on an extended van hire and cut out the storage costs.....??

benjus

Big Yellow often has discounts for the first 1 or 2 months, so you can get short term storage quite cheaply.

missbiggles1

I've used a couple of Big Yellows and always been impressed with their facilities and service.

Brown_Eyed_Girl

G_M wrote: »

Can't help with self-storage places, but I have come across people who just hire a very cheap van and store in that!

Often people have to hire one anyway (often 2ce) to get their stuff to/from the storage unit. May be cheaper to get a discount on an extended van hire and cut out the storage costs.....??

Sadly I think i'll need to keep it somewhere too long for the van to be an option, but you're right if it was a long weekend or week that could make sense. Just heard the survey can't happen for three weeks, so earliest i can exchange is 4 and then a month after until completion.

Going to chat to the EA about whether we can shorten the gap between the two, but that depends on the tenants being out. Means it's more likely they will be out by exchange at this rate.

class2ldn

What about the council? We had a big yellow unit and it cost a fortune, went to the council for a garage which is twice as big and only cost £40 a month

jellybaby1

We are in a similar position to you, and currently we are using an Access Self storage in south London. Cost about £80 for 2 months, but you can get a refund on any weeks you don't need. Was easy to get stuff there and have been back a few times to retrieve the odd bit with no difficulties.

ceh209

Got any tesco vouchers hanging around? You can use them at safestore for 3x the value. I used them in Bristol and had no problems, they didn't even mind at all when I switched to a smaller unit as I overestimated the space I would need.

They price matched a local firm too, and I found an offer for £20 free packaging materials from them at the time, don't know if that's still around though.

Alloneword

Hi Brown_Eyed_Girl like you i need some storage for a while, in my case it could be donkeys but these big yellow etc i found cost a bomb so looked for other options and have come up with a website called "Storemates", in a nutshell people who have spare storage in their house or flat rent it out, it can be anything from a few sq feet to whole bedrooms or garages etc and you pay accoring to how much space you want, your stuff is insured and seems fairly cheap in my case i can get a year for just over a £100 which is good IMO, you can get access to your stuff with agreement with householder and seems a cheaper way of doing it and i also like the idea of helping a person out rather then just a company.

All1

savingfortomorrow

ive used safe store and access store loads of time between house moves and they are fantastic. no issue, secure, alarmed and good set up. be very wary of some of the cheaper options as you need a place with insurance and cctv cameras. the big companies require photo id and photo recognition software and passwords to access unit. it is more comforting to pay slightly more for a decent unit. Spend more, get a proper place it's a good investment.


one "cheaper" place i rang up for a quotation laughed when i inquired about insurance and security; i hung up before they shouted yee-haw and found out they wore a 10 gallon stetson.

PasturesNew

I've used quite a few over recent years. What I learnt was: get one where you can reverse your car right up to it and open the door (e.g. a container), rather than going into a building, up some stairs and along a corridor .... because the faff/hassle and up/down the stairs etc really makes you feel like not dropping stuff off as often/much as you intended and had planned.