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I was locked inside the facility for hours. The customer service I received was TERRIBLE
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CENTREVILLE, VIRGINIA -- On Tuesday May 29, 2018, I got stuck at Public Storage on Lee Highway in Centreville, VA. I was there for about 3 hours from 8 to about 11. While there I called Public Storage's corporate and talked to people who did nothing but blame me for being stuck. I told them the door was malfunctioning. They told me it's not opening because I left late. That was not the case. Something was wrong with the gate. They berated me and yelled at me. One of the women I talked to was so rude scolding at me “pay attention”, but I was trying to talk to bother her and the police officer, who was on the other side of the gate to help me. Not once did any of them agree with me that the door was malfunctioning. After multiple attempts, I talked to a representative, who told me to call the local police, as they should have a code to open me. So I called the police who tried codes they had. None worked. He talked to them and spent two hours punching in codes to no avail. No one in that company told me of any plan to get me out of there. At around 11, I parked my car in the back and the police drove me home. The next day I called Public Storage about 20 times. Literally. I was nervous about my car being towed while I was working. At about noon I took Uber and got my car from public storage. When I got there the alternative gate was opened because the normal gate was malfunctioning like I told them. I went inside and told the employee that I had to leave my car overnight. Her response was “Oh, so that is why your car was there this morning” I was waiting in line to talk to her about how I had to take uber and how I believe the company should pay for it. She then said to me “So what do you want?” Stunned at her unempathetic response, I just left and got out of the line. It was so rude.
When I went home I wrote a review both on their Instagram page about what happened to me and them on Yelp and Google. The Public Storage Instagram blocked me. The next day (Thusday) I got a call from Public Storage District Manager Jillian Gonzalez. The very first sentence out of her mouth was “how do you feel?” Bewildered by that question, I said I feel fine. Second sentence was to tell me that she called me because she saw my review and then told me to delete it because it would hurt her performance. Taken aback by the same apathy I got from the woman when I picked up my car, I said I would think about it. I didn't think they did anything to justify me removing the bad review. Because to me, if I knew someone got stuck in a facility I was in charge of and I couldn't find that person, especially a woman, I would call that person ASAP to make sure they are okay. She didn't do that. The other ‘manager” who supposedly checked up on me didn't do that. The woman working at Public storage when I picked up my care couldn't care less as well. Jillian also told me she talked to me that night I was stuck. So she knew I was stuck there. No excuse why she waited till a negative review to check up on me. She then went to tell me she had someone come to check on me two nights prior. She never told me of this person that night that I called. In fact, I left that place believing no one would come to open the gate for me and that Public Storage, including Jillian Gonzalez, shrugged their shoulders and left me there.

Later when I got home, I saw a self-gratifying email District Gonzalez Jillian Gonzalez sent me where she said things to the tune of ‘I am sorry I tried so hard to help you and you couldn't be helped', ‘I am sorry that I sent someone and when they came you were not there' “I…, I…, I …, I…”. I emailed her back and asked her why she never told me that she sent someone to help me? I got off the phone with her thinking no one would come and that they didn't really care. I got off the phone with them STILL accusing me of leaving late, and still giving me new codes to put in the access system, after telling them multiple times that the gate was malfunctioning. She emailed me back saying she told the police officer she was going to bring someone. I told her why would you tell the police officer and not me? It makes NO sense. I am the paying customer of this storage facility who happened to have gotten locked inside because of a malfunctioning gate. But you tell a third party, who never told me, that you are bringing someone. I am a woman stuck outside of a gated facility that has NO lights, pitch dark and I'm frightened. Also the police officer told me himself that I should call them the next morning and “let them have it.
I told her I won't remove my review to help her work “performance”, which I took to mean her BONUS check would be affected by me leaving a bad review. Her response to me was to tell me that her boss knows everything and sat there with her during her phone call where she told me to remove my review so she could get a better performance score. She also told me she has tried time and time again to apologize and make my experience pleasant. In the same email she told me about a man named Dilraj who “who left his 6 month old BABY at home with his wife to drive to the property.” And I found that comment about the baby to be not only laughable but asinine. REALLY? I felt like she was guilting me by saying he had to leave his 6 month old to come get me. He is a manager doing his job. I am sure he doesn't take his baby to work. And I'm sure Jillian doesn't take her daughter to work. I don't take my kids to work. No one does. That is how it is. I never complained to her about leaving my family to be stuck, nor did I say how when I went home my family was asleep. Because I never blamed her nor Public Storage for being stuck there. Because I know it was a mistake. When you are a manager you are responsible for unintended problems that arises. That is what Dilraj and Jillian Gonzalez signed up for.
She then told me she offered to pay for my Uber fare because she felt sorry for me, but she can tell that cannot turn my experience around. No you should offer because you are LEGALLY responsible for paying it. You are not doing me a favor. I sent my receipt to her MULTIPLE times with NO reimbursement. I have tried calling her, because I felt her emails to me were her self-serving way of telling her bosses what she did, instead of conversing with me. She doesn't pick up. In fact she stopped communicating with me. Half her emails were also about how “my boss knows everything” “I am forwarding this to my boss”. Which tells me she never meant to pay me back in the first place. Her whole purpose in contacting me, which she admitted to when she first contacted me TWO days after the incident, was to make sure I remove my review, for her to get a lucrative payday. When I didn't her boss and her obviously came up with a plan to ignore me, because they were going to lose money due to a bad performance review. Jillian Gonzalez knows better. She worked at Target as a team leader for 3 years after working there for another 4 years, and knows customer service. I'm sure having a degree in English from Stony Brook University didn't help much but she has worked in customer service enough to know that you don't Dodge a customer for 7 months. I didn't know how to go about it because it was obvious she was upset, but why should I remove a review for a woman who did nothing but SCOLD me about someone leaving their BABY at home to take care of a customer who was stuck at a place for 3 hours at night? Having been a manager before. I would have made it right with my customer. And made sure to follow up. She hasn't contacted me, but I have made attempts to contact her. To me she is retaliating by ignoring me.

Please do not use this company. Jillian Gonzalez is a horrible District manager and the worst manager of ANY company I have ever dealt with. When I left public storage, my items had water damage ALL over them and also water was all over my items. And there are BUGS. I called them about that several times, and they never pick up. Public storage directs phone calls by if you are a current renter or not. If you are not people will pick up, if you are good luck getting someone. Once you are a customer they don't care. Jillian needs more training in being a manager. She has failed big time.

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Do not rent from Public Storage, or leave if you already do.
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

I would like to give a word of warning to any that are considering renting storage space from Public Storage. As a company, they will probably try to draw you in to renting with them using some offer that seems pretty reasonable at the start. Then, every 6 months to a year down the line, they'll bump up the rate, citing market rate as the reason. I will note that their idea of market rate is not based on the competition in the area, but on what they feel like they can get away with charging.

Public Storage claims to give 30 days written notice of increases of the charge and any fees, but I have only ever received notification by email very shortly before that increased charge was due. On top of this, if you do not pay the increased amount by the 6th of the month, they will lock you out of the area where your items are stored until you are up to current, including any increases to charges or late fees that they have made in this manner. In short, you have lost access to any of your items past this point unless you pay their increased charges.

I first started storing items in a 10' x 15' unit with Public Storage in February 2009, with an initial rate of $96.90 from their advertising. What their advertising did not mention is that the $96.90 was listed in their system as a discounted rate, but with a higher rate already in their system.

Since this time, I have had my rates increased progressively over the years I've been with them to a current rate of $161.00 per month, and a late fee that increased from the one listed in the contract of $20.40 to the current late fee of $32.20. The only notification of increases I've ever received from them on the increases to rental rate have been by email, and no notifications of an increase to the late fees until they've come up.

It is possible that this lack of notifications is because of some break in their system. Perhaps there is a flaw that doesn't update the mail address for notifications, even if you update it in their system. If so, this is still a problem. I've called a few times on their corporate line just to make sure my information was current. It is, but this has made no difference in receiving any sort of notifications.

To give you a better idea of just how much of an increase this is, I have had my rates on the rental go up by over 66 percent since 2009. This is 66 percent increase over 5 years. The late fees have apparently also increased since 2009, though in this case, the increase is a little over 58 percent. All told, I'm paying two thirds more than when I started this thing, all because Public Storage felt they could get away with charging it.

When I checked other companies in the same area, the rate for the same size storage unit is currently between about $90.00 to $130.00. None of them came close to what Public Storage claims is market rate. Public Storage claims that market rate is somewhere around $178.00 in that area, even though they list a lower rate for new customers.

Public Storage figures they can increase the rate each year, as they figure most people will just pay the extra rather than dealing with the hassle of moving their stuff back out. And for those that can't pay the increases, well, Public Storage has some hefty lien handling and sale fees that they add on as well, taking those and the additional rent and late fees they'll also charge on the items that can't be recovered until they get paid. Those fees come out of the proceeds they get by selling whatever is in that storage unit.

If for some reason the sale doesn't make their total of fees, Public Storage will still charge you the additional amounts, too. What this means: If you are late in paying, and you are unable to catch back up, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR ITEMS, and you will be charged more for the privilege of letting them sell off the contents of your storage unit for them to collect on those inflated fees.

Short form of this, stay well away from Public Storage. They are a greedy company out to gouge you for as much money as they feel they can get out of you, with a particular Target painted on long term customers. If you've been with Public Storage for years, they figure you will pay whatever they insist is the rate rather than moving. If you must use a storage place, do not use Public Storage. Stay far clear of this company for your own good. Tell your friends to stay away. Tell companies to stay away. Share this message on social media, in your email lists, on your corporate newsletter.

Let Public Storage know that they can not treat customers like this in the only way that they will listen to, by reducing their profits. Take away their paycheck, because they certainly haven't earned it. Don't rent with them. If you are already renting with them, find a way to stop using storage, or go to another storage company. It will be worth it. Stay with them, and you'll find yourself wondering why you didn't listen.

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Unauthorized ACH Withdrawal From My Checking Account
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA -- First I want to explain that I do not rent from Public Storage, I have never rented from Public Storage, and I do not have any rental agreement with Public Storage. I AM NOT THEIR CUSTOMER! Somehow Public Storage made an unauthorized ACH withdrawal for $216 from my checking account in May 2016. I did NOT WRITE A CHECK FOR $216 to Public Storage. I filed a fraud report with my bank and they are investigating. So far they tell me that Public Storage had my bank account number and the bank's routing number, and using these numbers Public Storage was able to do a fraudulent withdrawal.

My phone calls and emails to Public Storage customer support have elicited no help at all in this matter. I looked in my files, which I have kept for over 15 years, and found that eleven years ago I sent a check to Public Storage to pay a bill ONE TIME for an acquaintance who had a Public Storage rental unit and a contract with them. (Acquaintance was low on funds, I paid for him) I did not have a rental unit or any contract with Public Storage; I never did, and never will.

It is important to note that eleven years ago my check went to Public Storage directly, not to the person with the rental unit, therefore only Public Storage had my checking account number and routing number. Public Storage kept a copy of my check for ELEVEN (11) years, then in May 2016 used my account number from my old check to withdraw $216 from my checking account. I do not rent from Public Storage, I never have, I have no contract or agreement with them, I do not owe them any money, yet they took $216 from me.

Public Storage should give me an immediate refund, and fire the manager-accountant who performed this fraudulent ACH withdrawal. So far I filed a fraud report with my bank, a police report, and complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Protection Division of the State Attorney General's Office. Still awaiting a resolution.

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Unethical Business Practice!! SCAM!!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

DENVER, COLORADO -- I have been a customer with Public Storage (Belleview in Denver) since 2003 (11 years!!!). But, over the last few years, I have been noticing increases in monthly rent without prior notice. Just this past year, December 2013, I received a call from the manager telling me that our things would be auctioned off. I was confused because we pay our monthly bills using the automatic autopay on publicstorage.com, so I called him and he ignored me and even hung up. I called back and was directed to the voicemail box. So, I had to resort to threats. I told him that if our things are auctioned, I will contact a lawyer to sue them.

A few months later, our storage was broken into. Because we paid extra for insurance, they told us that they would do an investigation, but a year later and we have not heard back about that "investigation". Our tires were slashed multiples times here. Recently, the manager called me and told us that our payment was late. So, I did a manual pay online. The next day, we were locked out of our storage and the manager made my dad pay $220 in cash to enter and did not even give him a receipt ( my dad does not speak English).

My dad called me, so I called the manager and told him that we have already paid and even gave him the confirmation number. He ignored this and refused to return the money. I went onto my online account and there were documents online that my dad has paid the $220 in cash. The manager once again hung up on me and was very rude. We have thought about moving storage on multiple occasion, but this location is the most convenient. However, it is not worth the trouble and I will be moving out soon. It is unethical business practice and the people are RUDE when it comes to customer service.

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Great on Site Managers, Extremely Poor Facility & Horrendous Corporate Customer Service
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

GAMBRILLS, MARYLAND -- The facility located in Gambrills, MD 21054 is falling apart. I had 3 - 10 x 35 units since July of 1993 under the ownership of Shurgard. Public Storage "PS" took over the facility over 10 years ago. The local on-site management is great and friendly. Since the purchase by P.S. they have NOT maintained the structure as needed.

It needs the following: New roofs. New ceilings - coming apart because the ceiling is leaking. Bat & other types of infestation - several units completely unusable. Installation of bathroom for employees - in the past they went across the street to Wendy's, in the spring of 2014 the brought in a Porto-Potty; it's always dirty, hot & smelly. Great way to treat employees. Security - 138 inner units were broken into in the fall of 2013. Solution as of late
Spring - 4 outside cameras facing away doors and toward cars only. Resolution is extremely poor. They need at least 6 more cameras.

Claim of climate control; this infers that either the interior has heating or air conditioning. It has neither, nor are they insulated. Public Storage removed all gutters & downspouts. Water falls and splashes onto and in the space if the door is not completely shut. Snow removal is almost non-existent. Leaf removal is non-existent.

Inconsistent rate increases; I was paying $359 for 1 (10 x 35) and $332 each (total 664) for the other two which were connected without a dividing wall (20 x 35). The new rates went up 9.5% on the single unit and 20.5% on the double wide. All of the 10 x 35s were increased by 20.5%. Called customer service and they stated that it was an "Executive Office Decision" and to call my local District Manager - ** (he's totally useless). After repeated unanswered calls to the DM I reviewed my being there. Best decision for us was to move our business & personal goods to Storage Mart across the street. Every 10 x 35 renter has moved out (except one).

In order to entice people to come back, they are renting the units for $261 as of 08-28-2014. This is a drop of 27+% from the original rates and 33% decrease from their inflated rate increase on the single unit. On the double unit it is a decrease of 20+% on the original rate and 33% reduction on their inflated increase. In addition the smaller units are renting for less as well. The rates are lower than they were in 2013 due to poor quality and increased competition.

Public Storage has many customer and employee complaints against them. After speaking with ex-employees in North Carolina it appears that how they treat their employees and manage their properties is the norm rather than the exception. I can use 3 words to express the overall facility located in Gambrills MD - IT's a DUMP! Beware and rent elsewhere.

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Horrible Facility, Bad Customer Service
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

TINTON FALLS, NEW JERSEY -- The reason I am writing you is to relate a recent incident involving Public Storage in Shrewsbury. I have been helping my friend, a single woman, who has stored her household items there between moves. After helping her move into the facility, we noticed that the ceiling in the unit seemed to have sustained water damage. We reported this to a rather uncaring maintenance person who was the only one available at the time.

Several days later, the ceiling collapsed on my friend's household items causing some damage and getting her understandably upset. She hired a moving company to remove her things (at great expense with new storage) and I offered to meet the movers at Public Storage to see if I could work something out. The somewhat hostile regional manager (Jeff)who happened to be there informed me that they were not responsible. I asked him if he had another unit so we would not have to incur the cost of moving to a new expensive storage facility.

He showed me a unit right next to the damaged one that had the same ceiling issue and already had water on the floor. When this was pointed out to him, he shrugged and walked away. When I said I was going to call corporate he informed me that I could do so but the complaint would come right back to him. How convenient.

My friend spent $1000 to move to a new (and much sturdier) facility and has incurred more monthly rental fees at the more expensive facility as well. I finally got a hold of a VP at Public (Jim ) and he informed us that he would refund the money for the 5 months of storage rental fees (we only used a few weeks during which the collapse occurred) but would not do anything about the moving fees or increased rent at the new facility. Very disappointing. Horrible facility and really bad customer service.

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Not Taking Responsibility
StarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 2/51

WARREN, MICHIGAN -- I am a STRONG believer in paying your bills. No free ride. I have an issue with trying to do this and still getting screwed. First month... gave my credit card information to set up auto pay at the local office. Credit card was breached. Had to cancel card. Next couple of months, took check to the office myself.

This is Michigan and we had a horrible winter this year so I didn't go there every month to put things in my still half empty unit (half empty because after we shoveled our way to the unit and the door was frozen shut) so I needed to set up auto pay because no one ever answers the phone in the office. When I do try to go to the office, they are often not in the office to accept my check.

I followed the directions of an unfriendly associate who answered the phone when I called the 800 number and thought great... I'm set. Well... no. I get a call today (5/7/14) stating that something went wrong with the auto payment. Not my card... sounds like a system problem since I was then able to go online and make my payment with that same card. They couldn't call me yesterday?, the day before? or even last week?

I get the call on the 7th of the month with a big GOTCHA late fee. Of course I had to pay it because they "can't do anything for me" and I need to keep my property there... for now. It is for this reason that this company counts on you taking it in the rear but I will NEVER, 100% EVER, use this company again. When I am out, I'm done. I'm just blathering here online because I am pissed and this is all I can do right now but I know a lot of people who I will gladly give my opinion to as well.

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Stay Away Rate Increases Public Storage Rude Corporate People!!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CALIFORNIA -- Do not rent from these folks. I rented from them for years and they keep raising rent. I got into a fight with corporate greedy people. Do not get sick nor end up in hospital. They want your stuff to auction off and late fees every kind fees, even a fee to pay the bill on telephone. They raise rent in cold months so you're stuck in the cold. From 218$ to 280$, the corp. people suck. They don't care and doesn't return calls. Stay away. You will be sorry with this company.

Horrible people, worse than the people in Bombay. Greedy money hungry people. Ruthless corporate greed. Hope they go bankrupt. Hope the economy tanks and nobody rents with these rude people. Long term customer. Just find any place to rent but Public Storage Rental. You may really be sorry. I'm giving my stuff away to not give nothing to Public Storage. Greedy money hungry rude people. What we experienced, stay away! You have been warned... Thanks!

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Rude and unethical
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI -- Ms Roth (District Manager),

You recently re-instated the late fee for my June rent.

As I tried to explain, I attempted to pay my rent on the evening of June 6, but your payment website was down. I tried repeatedly to make the payment on the 6th, before the late fee kicked in, but without success.

It is not my fault that your payment site was down, and I attempted in good faith to make payment before the end of the day on the 6th.

If you advertise your business is open until 6 p.m., I arrive at 5:30 p.m. and the office is locked and the lights out, am I still liable for the late fee if you don't observe your own policies?

I have left several voice messages, which you have declined to return, so I assume the matter is dead. I consider that a cowardly non-response.

The gain of a $20.40 late fee has cost you a monthly customer payment of $108. A multi-million dollar corporation like Public Storage can easily absorb a paltry $88 loss, but you will be receiving a bad review wherever I can post one. My business relies entirely on word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers, so your company will never get a positive word from me.

Perhaps you can sign a new customer to replace me, perhaps not. After 9-1/2 years of business at your Public Storage facility, I will be moving out June 29 because of your obvious lack of business ethics.

Short-sighted, petty, and stupid.

Goodbye.

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Bad Company.
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

DO NOT RENT FROM PUBLIC STORAGE CANADA/USA. This is what you get: MICE. STAY AWAY!!! No Heat, in the storage facility. High Rent: That is raised few times a year after you've moved in. Racist, ** District Manager, **. Rude staff, at the 1001 Arrow Road location, in Toronto. Public Storage employees and District Managers, target some of the customers/tenants. Give them unfair treatment. Discrimination and racist attitude from them.

How much do you know about public storage? Stay Away!!! It is a billion dollar company, made rich off you and I. Customers have no direct contact with anyone, above the district manager. That's as far as you get with public storage. Call the public storage corporate office and you get a recording. No human contact, with its management. Public Storage, Regional Vice President, is always missing in action. Not even a telephone number is available, to contact that person. Public Storage, do not have a good standing, with the Better Business Bureau, or the Consumer Protection Agency. Numerous customer complaints. A billion dollar company, that is bleeding the public.

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Public Storage Rating:
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2.5 out of 5, based on 61 ratings and
101 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Public Storage
P.O. Box 25050
Glendale, CA 91221-5050
1-800-567-0759 (ph)
www.publicstorage.com
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