Angry Customers

CVSSSTORAGE

I am absolutely dumbfounded at how many people get mad when I tell them they are not someone who is listed as allowed in the unit or get mad that they do not have their ID. A guy I had never seen before comes in and says he is accessing a storage I said let me make sure you are on the list for that storage. I look he is so I see can I please see your ID? He then says he does not have it and he has never been asked for it before. I said I am required to get ID of anyone not on file already so you do not have any issues on your next visit. He then starts screaming about being BS and how I am just on a power trip and he is closing his storage. My question is are there storages out there that just let anyone in and I would love to hear you angry tenant stories. I have even had to turn wives away because they aren't on the list.

Orkocean

Do all of your tenants have to check in with the office to come in? Everywhere i've ever been the people provided as additional contacts/access are the only ones we can deal with for the account should they have questions or need assistance. If the customer themselves gives the code/keys to a person to go in that's purely on them and nothing to do with us as far as them getting in. If anything happens they are responsible since it's their gate code that was used to access.

CVSSSTORAGE

Everyone who rents has to check in once a day. If they are someone who is allowed into the storage we need their IDs on file. If they do not have an ID they do not get in. We do not want anyone saying we allowed anyone into their storage that was not supposed to be in there. We do not have a gate code. We are open 8-6 and once we go home the gate gets locked.  

CVSSSTORAGE

The thing that ticks me off the most about this guy was he drove here and got mad at me because he did not have his ID. We have outdoor RV storage here so we do not allow anyone in who is not supposed to be here. Our area has a lot of homeless and other storage places have had several thefts.

Orkocean

Well if he drove there and said he didn't have his ID, you could of had some fun and notified the police of whatever his vehicle was and made up some BS of seeming drunk driving, he gets pulled over with no ID  

i43storage

Our policy is the same as @Orkocean - we supply the tenant with a gate code.  The tenant provides their own lock.  So, whoever they want to give that information to is up to them.  Of course, we give no information out regarding tenant information, which unit number, etc. 

I would have had some fun too, such as:  "Hmm ... you drove here and you don't have an ID.  Just so I'm clear, you have committed a crime and you want my help in breaking another rule.  Have I got that straight?"

ShedStuff

I've sometimes called the tenant and asked if that particular person is to be in the unit at that time. If they say ;yes; after some detailed questions ill agree. Mine would be they aren't able to get through the gate as each tenant has a lock on their unit so if they have a key then I'm assuming it's ok with tenant.

L_Greenwell

I just had a husband come in and reach across the counter yelling and cussing at me because we had forgot to unlock his wife's unit. I told him I would not discuss with him because it was not his unit. He became angry and moved their stuff out. They did not return their keys and left a half filled unit. Now we are going to have to go through the lien process. Wife never contacted me.

ShedStuff

Time to call the police in my book! I refused to be screamed at over something not in my control.

storagestation603

I got one for ya. How about showing a Tenant a unit size. They say "Oh yea that's big enough all my stuff will fit." (5x5) Me asking double time "are they sure." Then they go to move in and there stuff will in fact NOT fit. They come in the office ranting and raving. Yelling and cussing about how we wrongfully rented them a unit and how they deserve 2 months free to find either another facility or someone to move out so they can have a bigger unit. The owner telling them he was right in his office during the transaction and heard the entire conversation and they are wrongfully accusing me. Calling both of us a Liar, shaming our establishment. Blah Blah. Still a tenant. Every time they pay, its exhausting. 

GSS

Our policy is the following: 

Primary lease holder is the ONLY one who has access to storage unit, gate code and information on file. However, there are exceptions. On our lease we have a section that grants permission to the emergency contact if primary elects to do that. If they want to add additional people they would need to provide a list of names for us. 

With us you get a gate code and lock with 3 keys (we don't have a master key to ANY of our units). Primary lease holder has the ability to give out their gate code to whoever they want but if they lose it we will only give it to them, and the people they have allowed access, with a photo ID in our office. 

As far as angry customers? I had a guy come in saying he wanted a 10x10 climate control, so I quoted him the rate which was probably like $200 at the time and he just went off on me saying "What?! it was like $160 a week ago!". It wasn't. He kept saying how we were crooks and that it was BS and how he was going to write up a letter and post it around his apartment complex letting his neighbors know how awful we were. He went from 0-60 and completely caught me off guard but it got to the point where I just told him I don't want your business anyways. Yeah, people can be real awesome....

Pat

Love it when they DRIVE IN and have no ID - I used to tell those the police asked me to notify them of any drivers coming in without license. Made them leave very quick.

CVSSSTORAGE

I asked him so you have no ID? You drove here... I told him I am not denying you access, grab your ID and I will put it on file. He came back later that day with it and was a complete jerk again. I have those customers who I tell them are you sure a 10x10 will work because I think you will need a 10x20 and they look at me like I am just trying to up sale them. Then when they get their items in and cannot fit anything else they are angry. I offer to transfer them if we have a bigger unit but if not they always ask for a discount on the second unit. And the answer is always nope lol

websterb

The tenant whom rents the unit and signs the lease is primary tenant. We upload photo ID to their screen.  We list a additional contact for emergency contact purpose only. Tenant gets a lock with 3 keys and designates their own gate code. Tenant can give the unit number, gate code and key to whomever they wish, but even then we don't give any information out, only to tenant.  We do not keep any keys to rented units and do not give out name on unit, unit number, or codes to anyone at anytime. A few times I've had a person come in with a key stating they cant remember any of the information "they" were given from the leasing tenant only to discover later it was someone that had been with them, or knew they had a unit here and was trying to get into said unit without permission. They will get belligerent until I say, well lets call the  "tenant" and he can give you the info over the phone. They will fuss until they realize I'm not giving them any information, and then leave.

skinman

We handle it pretty much the same as you @websterb

Had plenty of angry folks who I refuse to give info to... such is life. They'll get over it.

MegumiM

Our tenants receive a gate code and must use their own lock. They are allowed to give their information and key to whoever they please. If someone other than the tenant comes in the office needing a gate code or unit number we will give it to them as long as they have a key. We do make some exceptions and hold tenant keys but they must be on the allowed access list and have ID. The only exception is if the tenant who signed the lease notifies us of someone who is allowed. The tenant must confirm at least 2 items of personal information to verify it is them (phone number, email address, driver's license number, etc.)

The worst angry customer I've experienced was a judge. To start, we don't offer tenant insurance at our facility. Well, some college boys were storing with us last summer and had a leak in their unit. It was caught as the last of the 4 boys was putting his stuff in and nothing had been damaged. We offered to transfer them to another unit but since he was by himself and on a time frame that wouldn't work. So we had him put his things in another unit till we were able to fix the leak. Once the leak had been fixed and the water dried up we transferred his stuff over. The guy was fine with that and was completely understanding. Well, they get back to empty the unit and there had been another leak. This time parents were with them and were not happy. The worst was one of the mothers who happened to be a judge in Florida. She read the contract and still was not satisfied, saying "it's very vague." She threatened to leave a terrible review on all sites. We ended up refunding a month of rent just to appease them. Yes, she was a judge but we are located in Alabama not Florida and she should know things work differently state to state.

teamcapitola

We leave it up to the Tenant; anyone they give their code & key to can access the unit.

Our lease has a provision for these "guests" and make the listed tenant responsible for any/all behavior of said guest. We make it clear that they really should think about who the code goes to. Of course if we see any strange behavior we scramble the code asap and call the tenant.

If they cant remember the code and are not the listed tenant, they are not allowed in...period. Only the listed Tenant can request the GATE code or a lock cut etc. and then only in person. Yes people get mad, but I'd rather have a mad customer then be sued because I gave access to an estranged husband or some such!

That being said, ONLY the listed tenant has rights, so we can remove or deny access to any troublemakers (such as the deadbeat son of a tenant who's loitering and being dodgy.)

We had one angry young person who threatened to leave a bad Yelp review over the policy.... I bluffed and told him that the cameras (he was currently being recorded by) ALSO have microphones and record conversations like him trying to extort us...  He left no bad reviews.

Another side was a local transient person, who "guessed" a code... he would come in at night just to use the restroom; lasted a few days until we noted that the unit associated with the code wasn't ever opened....a few minutes with our video system told the story and we "fixed" the code. I also changed our GATE software to lock out after 2 invalid codes; it shuts down for 1 minute which usually takes care of any curious people.