Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am a 74 year old senior and veteran on a fixed income. The basic problem is this facility raised the rent from $178/mo. to $277/mo. in less than a year from 2021 to 2022. This was a ****% rental increase in a short amount of time. Due to severe inflation for gasoline, food, every day living, etc., I found it increasingly difficult to pay the $277/mo. rent on my storage unit. I fell behind making partial payments. As a result, the facility tacked on late penalties of about 25% each month on the outstanding balance. Doing this snowballed the balance making it even more difficult to pay the outstanding balance. My balance was up to about $800 or so. I received a February 7, 2023 letter from the facility saying they would auction off my possessions if I didn't pay off the outstanding balance and continuing monthly rent by March 16, 2023. I couldn't pay off the balance by March 16, 2023. So, the facility sold my possessions at an auction.Most of my life's possessions, gone. Not a good feeling.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/15/2023

  Former tenant signed a lease agreeing to make payments on time. The former tenant had fallen delinquent multiple times. The former tenant was on a month to month lease and was free to move out at any time. We follow the ******** ************ Storage Facilities Act. We have written off hundreds of dollars in late fees and rent to help this former tenant. Before the auction took place the former tenant was given the option to move out all of his solid teak furniture, the craftsman tool cabinet, the sleep number king size bed and all other items with no payment required. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 20113223
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The companys response is very general and misses the entire point. The point is they raised their monthly fee by 55% in less than a year and compounded the problem with fees for late payment on the new rates. The increase is far above the inflation rate that was occurring.
  This certainly felt like price gouging to me. Would others agree?
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  Tenant chose to store his items at our facility under the terms of a month-to-month rental agreement.  He received three (3) rental increase notices during his rental timeframe from 2020 to 2023.  The rental increases went into effect thirty days after the rate increase notice, which means Tenant had thirty (30)days to remove his items prior to any increase if he did not agree with the rate.  The rates charged were competitive with local market rates during this three-year timeframe.  Additionally, this Tenant was past due and entered collection status twenty-five (25) times during the rental period from 2020 to 2023.  By not paying his rent on time, he incurred additional late fees and penalties.  *************** as a courtesy, we provided credits to this Tenant for late fees and penalties, and we accepted partial payments towards his rent.   We had no obligation to do so.  We even offered him the option to remove his items from the unit prior to auction, free of charge,and he chose to not claim and/or remove his items.  He cannot request we provide the items now that are no longer in our possession or claim that he was not aware of the rental rates, late fees, penalties, and expectations.  We consider this matter concluded.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/27/2023

   
  Complaint: 20113223
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I read this Corporations response which I believe misses the point. I have been a long time customer at this facility since 2007. Over the years there have been some increases which seemed reasonable to me. 
  With this corporation, I experienced a rapid increase in rates of 55% in a short amount of time. I went online and noticed storage rates offered much lower than I was paying. I asked if I could have these rates which would help me get caught up, but was told no. So being on a fixed income, and unable to get caught up with the *********** fees, I had no choice, but to succumb to the auction. I just realized that my military uniforms disappeared with that auction. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************