Things to know before signing a storage rental agreement

After much thought and deliberation, you have finally decided to rent a storage unit. Good for you! Now you can finally declutter your home and improve the daily functionality for your family. However, the process of signing a storage rental agreement is a legally binding act. We are sure that before you signed the lease for your condo overlooking the Central Park you have spent a lot of time informing yourself about everything that such a move entails. There is no reason why it should be any different when renting a storage unit.

Whether you decide to opt for short-term or long-term storage NYC, the situation is the same. You’ll have some serious research ahead of you, as there are some crucial things to know in order not to have to take a leap of faith. Let’s face it – who likes to live in the dark and wonder whether they will have enough luck when you can have the security of knowing you are making the best, most informed decision?

Blindly signing a storage rental agreement is a path that leads to a lot of financial woes

A lot of people will inevitably fall into the trap of fake discounts and different coupons. We are not saying that they are completely illegitimate, as you will pay a lower price for the first few months. Hey, you might even get the first month completely free, which is when you would count your blessings for being able to find reliable yet cheap storage NYC. But that’s when things will start to spiral out of control.

The entire move-in discount can be a trap that leads to increased prices as soon as you sign the rental agreement. Or a few months after. So, before putting your signature on a piece of paper, inquire whether the prices tend to rise, how often can you expect them to be increased, and by how much. Only when getting those pieces of information should you sign a storage rental agreement.

Know that you are responsible for the insurance of your items

A lot of people have a very wrong belief that the insurance of their items is the storage company’s responsibility. Guided by that thought, they sign the rental agreement without giving it a second thought only to get an unpleasant surprise once they realize where they were wrong. Having the right insurance is of utmost importance for the safety of your goods. With the right policy in place, even if something does go wrong, for example, your items get stolen, you will be properly reimbursed.

So, before signing a storage rental agreement, make sure you have figured out a good insurance plan. Don’t overspend, but also don’t be a cheapskate. It won’t do you any good in case of damage.

Know what size of storage unit you really need…

The number one reason people end up overpaying for storage is the wrong choice when it comes to the size of the unit. Once you pack up all of your belongings for storage, it might seem like you have an incredible amount of boxes that need to be stored. But the reality is different than what you see. You won’t need as much space once you stack up boxes as opposed to simply having them scattered around your garage. We here at Dumbo NYC have no problem advising our customers on the size that will work best for the number of boxes they have. Assuming you are about to sign a storage rental agreement with a reputable company, they won’t have a problem with it either.

…as well as which type is best for your items!

If this is your first time renting a storage unit in New York, best believe you will be overflowed with information. And one of the most important choices you have to make is the one that involves choosing the type of storage. You have:

• Self-storage units
• Outdoor and indoor storage units
• Long term and short term units
• Climate-controlled storage units

Before you put your signature on a rental agreement, learn what exactly you are about to sign. If you are storing antiques or wood furniture, you will need a climate-controlled unit. On the other hand, if you are storing some holiday decorations, there’s no need to pay an extra fee. Renting a storage unit in New York is costly, and you’ll naturally want to save as much as you can. And that’s where the size and type of a unit enter the scene.

The question of security is an important one to look into before signing a rental agreement

And it might even be the crucial one. When storing your items, you always hope and believe that they will someday come out of the storage unit in the same condition you left them. Any other scenario is simply beyond your wildest dreams. But storage facilities are known for their security issues. That’s why you have to ensure you are about to sign a contract with a secure and safe company. What should you look for?

For starters, good padlocks as the first line of safety. Then, constant surveillance of the premises and all the units. If there are on-sight guards – rejoice. There is just one more thing people oftentimes forget about before signing a storage rental agreement – fumigation. Burglary does not pose the only threat for your items, as pests and insects do too. And frequent fumigation will take care of that right away. At the end of the day, if you check out all of these points, there will be a 99% chance everything will go according to plan. You will once again be reunited with your items that were kept safe in a good storage facility.