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Public Storage Complaint - Unetchical Practices by Public Storage - Public Storage Services
Public Storage Services - Complaint
CALIFORNIA -- Upon going to a public storage facility to setup storage for my household belongings I was somewhat taken back by their ethical practices or lack there of.
When initially meeting the site manager he showed me the facilities and the sizes which was OK however, he took me to what seemed to be the worst storage unit in his facility. It was old and musty and smelled of mold. He seemed pretty unhappy when I asked him if he had any other units for rent.
After finding a unit which fit my needs and didn't smell of must we began to fill out the paperwork. To my surprise the first month was only 1 dollar. Being that moved in at the end of the month he prorated the current month and only charged me 1 dollar for the second month.
However, he had done the same and stated to me that Insurance was Mandatory as well as having to purchase their over priced locks which they have for sale.
I reviewed the contract and asked him specifically about the requirements for moving out. He simply stated that I just needed to give him a 48 hours notice prior to vacating the unit.
After a few months of using the unit I move out on the 12th of the month ensuring that I give the manager his 48 hours. I showed him it was clean and ready for the next tenant. He takes me to his front counter, gathers some information and done. I ask him about a refund since I am only using the unit for half a month and that they prorated my first month moving in so they should prorate me for moving out.
Of course he says he cannot give me a refund and that if I had informed them on the 1st of the month they would have prorated my rent for that month and given me a refund. Well that didn't sit well with me considering that he spefically told me that all he required was a 48 hour notice in order to move out.
I was furious that I was losing out on the hard earned money I had worked for just so that they can keep it. So I called customer service and informed them of what had happened and they referenced the ccontract which I had signed that I will contact the public storage on the 1st of the month if I plan on terminating service so they can prorate my payment required for that month and that failure to do so is a forefiture the left over amount.
I believe that Public Storage managers need be tested for ethics as well as properly informing their clients of the move in and out procedures.
To me what this manager had done was very shady and unethical and probably occurs to other consumers as well. Also, if they can prorate the rent for my moving in to a storage unit then why can they not prorate me for moving out? Seems like a crime to me.
When initially meeting the site manager he showed me the facilities and the sizes which was OK however, he took me to what seemed to be the worst storage unit in his facility. It was old and musty and smelled of mold. He seemed pretty unhappy when I asked him if he had any other units for rent.
After finding a unit which fit my needs and didn't smell of must we began to fill out the paperwork. To my surprise the first month was only 1 dollar. Being that moved in at the end of the month he prorated the current month and only charged me 1 dollar for the second month.
However, he had done the same and stated to me that Insurance was Mandatory as well as having to purchase their over priced locks which they have for sale.
I reviewed the contract and asked him specifically about the requirements for moving out. He simply stated that I just needed to give him a 48 hours notice prior to vacating the unit.
After a few months of using the unit I move out on the 12th of the month ensuring that I give the manager his 48 hours. I showed him it was clean and ready for the next tenant. He takes me to his front counter, gathers some information and done. I ask him about a refund since I am only using the unit for half a month and that they prorated my first month moving in so they should prorate me for moving out.
Of course he says he cannot give me a refund and that if I had informed them on the 1st of the month they would have prorated my rent for that month and given me a refund. Well that didn't sit well with me considering that he spefically told me that all he required was a 48 hour notice in order to move out.
I was furious that I was losing out on the hard earned money I had worked for just so that they can keep it. So I called customer service and informed them of what had happened and they referenced the ccontract which I had signed that I will contact the public storage on the 1st of the month if I plan on terminating service so they can prorate my payment required for that month and that failure to do so is a forefiture the left over amount.
I believe that Public Storage managers need be tested for ethics as well as properly informing their clients of the move in and out procedures.
To me what this manager had done was very shady and unethical and probably occurs to other consumers as well. Also, if they can prorate the rent for my moving in to a storage unit then why can they not prorate me for moving out? Seems like a crime to me.
Comments:
Posted by dogeatdog on 2010-05-02:
Unfortuantly, facility managers for Public Storage are pressured into selling locks and insurance by corporate management and failure to do so can result in termination.
Posted by empee on 2010-08-28:
I'm failing to see where the lack of ethics is on the part of the manager. The manager didn't tell you that your move out will be prorated, and judging by customer service's response, they're explaining to you how you aren't paying for time that you aren't using; i.e. moving out on the first.
It's in the contract that you signed that you do not get a refund for moving out on a partial month. The manager was correct and customer service didn't say otherwise. Considering that, I'm wondering what the ethical issue is here.
You asked the manager what you needed to do to move out. You didn't ask, "Do I get a refund if I paid for a month that I didn't use entirely" and the manager didn't respond, "yes". As such, you had your own ideas about what would happen despite signing a contract that says otherwise, and when things didn't pan out to compliment your own form of reality you got mad and started blaming the manager, the company, etc.
It's in the contract that you signed that you do not get a refund for moving out on a partial month. The manager was correct and customer service didn't say otherwise. Considering that, I'm wondering what the ethical issue is here.
You asked the manager what you needed to do to move out. You didn't ask, "Do I get a refund if I paid for a month that I didn't use entirely" and the manager didn't respond, "yes". As such, you had your own ideas about what would happen despite signing a contract that says otherwise, and when things didn't pan out to compliment your own form of reality you got mad and started blaming the manager, the company, etc.
Posted by misslovely1 on 2010-10-04:
I agree with empee. There is no ethical issue here, he didn't lie to you purposely to make you pay more. My advice, read your contract and check the definition of ethics.
Posted by Skye on 2010-10-04:
I've used Public Storage two times, and both times, it was fine. I paid 6 months ahead, so that I had one less bill to worry about, and knew that was the amount of time we would probably need while getting settled. As for the lock, we bought the lock, and now we own a pretty nice lock.
Everything is clearly spelled out in your contract. I'm not sure what was shady or unethical about the process.
Everything is clearly spelled out in your contract. I'm not sure what was shady or unethical about the process.
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