Self Storage Insurance - sharp practice

bobski_111

So we've had some goods in a self storage for the last 6 months or so.
Turns out that they have been charging us not only for the storage unit, but also for insurance. The insurance costs more than the self-store unit does. Having looked at the original contract there is nothing on it to say we accepted their insurance - there is space to say "I do / do not want to purchase the offered insurance" but nothing is circled, and the insurance section is right at the bottom of the form after the signatures, with the monthly amount in small figures. 
I was not aware we had taken out insurance with them and indeed had separately insured the content of the unit (for a much lower sum from an online broker). My wife was the one who signed the contract, but has no memory of being asked about insurance.
We're planning to complain and ask for a refund, once we've left - what are our odds? And if they say no, what are the odds of us being able to charge the transactions back?

TELLIT01

I'm no legal expert but read the small print to confirm that you haven't accepted insurance by default.  If there is nothing in the documentation to state that insurance costs will automatically added you should be in a good position to claim them back.

[Deleted User]

bobski_111 said:

We're planning to complain and ask for a refund, once we've left - what are our odds? 

Very low if you wait until you've left.

Complain now.

bobski_111

Deleted_User said:

bobski_111 said:

We're planning to complain and ask for a refund, once we've left - what are our odds? 

Very low if you wait until you've left.

Complain now.

Why's that?

[Deleted User]

Because they won't believe that you didn't know and want the insurance if you leave it until you go. 

A customer with a genuine complaint would complain as soon as they spot it. Customers with fake complaints wait until they've used the product to the full and then out in their complaint.

bobski_111

Deleted_User said:

Because they won't believe that you didn't know and want the insurance if you leave it until you go. 

A customer with a genuine complaint would complain as soon as they spot it. Customers with fake complaints wait until they've used the product to the full and then out in their complaint.

hmm, fair point. However the matter has come to light this week and we're also moving out this week - not like we're leaving it long.
I can see them arguing that by not disputing this earlier we've accepted the charges, but it's far from clear on the monthly invoices either!

TELLIT01

As the insurance cost was greater than the rental cost why wasn't it noticed sooner.  I would have been questioning what appeared to be a double charge for the unit.

Neil49

We have a self storage unit and were given the opportunity at the start to either use their insurance or to purchase our own. If we were purchasing our own then it had to be up and running at the start of the storage period and we also had to provide a copy of the insurance certificate at that time. Failure to do either would result in us being invoiced for their cover. If we didn't provide a renewal insurance policy after the first had expired at the end of the year then we would also be charged. 

Either way they made it very clear that insurance was a mandatory requirement of the storage agreement. Personally I think you have left it too late as you never queried the monthly charge in all that time. 

bobski_111

Neil49 said:

We have a self storage unit and were given the opportunity at the start to either use their insurance or to purchase our own. If we were purchasing our own then it had to be up and running at the start of the storage period and we also had to provide a copy of the insurance certificate at that time. Failure to do either would result in us being invoiced for their cover. If we didn't provide a renewal insurance policy after the first had expired at the end of the year then we would also be charged. 

Sounds perfectly sensible - and, indeed, what I'd experienced previously at other self storage units. Not this place though, and nor is there anything in their documentation to suggest that was the arrangement. 

shinemad

This should have been carefully discussed in your signed contract. We've rent out a self storage in Manchester for a month to use for our online business and I didn't have any problem at all. I have booked them through WhatStorage. They're pretty reliable.

[Deleted User]

delete 123