If you are an individual, you might have always dreamed about purchasing your own home. Similarly, if you are an entrepreneur who has recently started a new business, then you might be interested in buying a new office for your business. Few months after purchasing your dream home or office, you feel that you need additional space as your new office or home starts to look cramped.
As more time passes, this problem becomes even worse, and soon you have to find a way to move some of the items from your home or office to free up some space. Your friend told you about a Bystored personal storage provider or IMS who can do this for you, so you decided to start searching for the best storage provider.
With so many options to choose from, you start to get confused and don’t know which one to choose. If that sounds familiar to you, then you are at the right place. This article will teach you about the step-by-step process of selecting the best storage service in the UK.
Here are some of the steps you can take to choose the best storage provider in the UK.
Identify Your Storage Needs
The first thing you need to do is to analyze your storage needs. Which items are you planning to store? How long would you keep them? What is your budget? Answering these questions will give you a better idea about your needs and allow you to store items that are perishable and need a temperature-controlled environment. It is better that you opt for a storage unit provider that offers you a temperature controlled environment for your items.
Compare Price
Once you have accessed your storage needs, now it is time to decide on the budget. How much money are you planning to spend? If your budget is tight, you should look for a storage unit SSO that offers pocket-friendly options. On the contrary, if you want the top of line services and are ready to pay the higher price, you can look at alternative options. Irrespective of which option you choose, make sure to compare prices offered by different storage providers. It will help you get the best deal and best bang for your buck.
Pricing is important when it comes to budget constraints but it is recommended to not compromise over the quality of service over price as surely you can’t bear losses due to unprofessional storage service.
Decide on The Size
After you have identified your needs and budget, the next thing you should consider is the size of the item you are planning to store and the storage space you will have to purchase that item to store it safely. Different storage providers offer different options. You can either opt for smaller space, medium space, or ample space based on your storage requirements. The charges also vary based on the amount of space you opt for, so you should also keep that in mind. Every storage provider offers different rates, so make sure you compare the rates of each provider.
Accessibility
Some storage units operate round the clock, while others do not. That is why it is essential to check the timings. Some providers also operate on Sundays, while others take the day off. That is why it is imperative to check operating hours as well as operational days. Surely, you don’t want to lose access to your items, especially when you need them the most. Opt for a storage provider that gives you round-the-clock access to your articles, especially if you are storing items that you might urgently need to access during an emergency. Most storage unit providers lock and place your items inside them and give you keys to unlock and access your items.
Services
Next, you need to decide which services you are going to opt for. Most storage service providers offer a wide range of services. It would help if you decide which services you need and which ones you can avoid. Opting for services and features that you are not going to use or benefit from will only add to your overall bill, and you will end up paying much more due to this. For instance, most storage providers give their customers options for packing and moving. Some of them even provide pick-up and drop-off facilities. If you can pack your items yourself and have packing material, you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself. Similarly, if you have fewer items to move around quickly in your vehicle, there is no point in subscribing to a pick-up service.
Don’t Forget Security
One of the main reasons people are reluctant to store their valuables in self-storage is Security and privacy. Suppose your storage unit provider can store all your items safely and offer security features such as round-the-clock CCTV monitoring, always available staff at the storage unit. In that case, you don’t have to worry about Security.
Reviews and Ratings
Last but certainly not least is reviews and ratings. Read reviews of the customers who have used the services of your storage unit provider. Look at the user ratings of the storage provider you are planning to hire. You can also visit forums where storage unit users share their honest opinions or contact the user directly to get the correct feedback. Always take reviews and ratings with a pinch of salt and do your due diligence before signing the contract with a storage unit provider.
How do you choose the best storage service provider in the UK? What things do you consider, or which steps do you take when doing so? Please share it with us in the comments section below.