It is important to take steps to avoid your storage unit being auctioned. If you have fallen behind on paying for fees, these tips will help you avoid losing your unit.
You’d have had to be stuck without a phone, a TV or internet in the last few years to have avoided seeing or reading about Storage Wars. The extremely popular storage auction programme has seen a huge increase in self-made entrepreneurs hunting for storage unit treasure not only stateside where the show is based, but in the UK as well.
Although the programme is extremely entertaining, what’s not so entertaining is the idea of losing your storage unit and seeing it up for auction. This is why it is important to ensure you take appropriate steps to protect your self-storage unit. Although most reputable storage facilities don’t tie you into a long contract and the prices are so cheap it is unlikely you will fall behind on payments, there’s always a slim possibility circumstances could change, so it’s sensible to have a plan in place just in case you do fall on hard times.
Here are some tips to help you:
Remember The Storage Facility Does Not Want To Auction Your Unit
Remember it is not in the storage facilities best interest to auction off your unit. A storage company is there to store, not sell. Storage auctions are time-consuming and generally annoying for storage facility owners. Storage facility owners also don’t make any money off the auction itself so it’s really of no benefit to them whatsoever. Because of this, the facility owner will more than likely want to work with you to come to a solution if you’re struggling to keep your unit. Remember that and always approach the situation as though a compromise can be met.
Look At Possible Payment Solutions
The first thing you should do is offer to pay off some of what you owe, even if you cannot get together the full amount. This will show at least some effort on your part. The second thing you could do is speak to the facility owner to see if they will accept a lower amount on the debt, as long as you pay it immediately and empty the unit immediately as well. If you know you’re going to get the money for your cheap storage unit in a months time when you get paid, consider borrowing the amount from a friend or family member – only do this as a one off and if you know you can afford to pay them back.
Pre-empt The Situation
If you can predict that you will not be able to keep up with your fees, empty your unit before that happens and cut off your contract while your payments are up to date. This will only be possible with a month by month contract. If you’re tied in to a six month or annual contract, you should speak to the facility manager as soon as you know you’re going to have a problem paying.
Remember There Is Time Before You Lose The Unit
Remember you won’t lose everything in your unit the moment you cannot pay for it. Yes the locks might be changed on the unit or your pin code might be changed so you can’t gain access, but it’s likely you will have a couple of months after not paying to clear your debt and get your items back. Most self-storage companies will be sympathetic to your situation.
Keep Your Contact Details Up To Date
Remember to update the contact details that the self-storage facility has whenever you need to change them. You may have not noticed you haven’t paid, and the unit might not have the right contact details to let you know there’s a problem.
Remember if you are having trouble with your self-storage payments, don’t panic and think calmly about finding a solution to prevet your storage unit being auctioned off. As long as you face the problem you’ll be able to deal with the problem in some shape or form.