Storage solutions are ideal when you’re moving home, renovating, downsizing, or travelling around. If you’ve got lots of personal items or furniture and nowhere to put them, storage companies can help with something temporary. However, short term storage is only handy when it’s flexible, convenient and affordable for you. The storage units you choose also need to be secure and well-managed if you’re going to trust leaving your valuables there. So how can you find a storage company to tick all of these boxes?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding the best short term storage companies in London.
Step 1 – Ask around
The best recommendations are always the ones given to you by people you know. The first thing you should do when looking for storage is to ask around to see if anyone has used a reputable company before. Speaking to someone about their first-hand experience can be much more helpful than reading reviews, as you’ll be able to ask questions to find out details.
Step 2 – Check with your removals company
If you are using packers and movers to help you with moving day, check whether they can provide a storage service in the interim or whether they can recommend a local company. Using a storage service with your removals firm not only helps with logistics in ensuring everything runs smoothly, but it will save you a lot of time too.
House moving companies will only use storage solutions they trust as they have to make sure everything is within their company guidelines. They will have experience in dealing with different companies too and generally have much better knowledge about how storage businesses operate.
Step 3 – Calculate the travel distance
For people who are not using a moving company, it’s important to check the distance between the storage unit, your old house, and your new house. It’s likely you’ll be travelling between the three places regularly.
If you are using short term storage while you renovate, having a unit close by will make it easier for you to access your belongings as and when you need to.
Those without a car or other means of private transport will need to check the nearest Tube or bus stations.
Step 4 – Assess the company
Before choosing a storage company, look at their website and find out more about them. Check reviews to make sure they are a good company to go with, and always enquire about something if you’re unsure.
The things you are looking for are reliability and dedication to security. The storage you choose needs to have the right security measures in place so that your possessions are safeguarded from issues such as theft or criminal damage.
Step 5 – Look at their pricing structure
Always compare prices when looking for short term storage. Prices can vary depending on a number of things, including location, security and other added services. Different firms will also have different pricing structures.
Some have contracts based on long-term storage needs and others have a flexible pay-as-you-go system.
Step 6 – Ask about access
While some people want to lock their unused items and furniture until they are ready to collect (and don’t need to have access to them), other people need more flexibility. For instance, some people may be in between homes or are undergoing refurbishments in their current home, and simply don’t have the space to store their things elsewhere.
Whether you’re going through a tricky house-buying process with no known completion date, or you’re waiting for renovations to be finished, you’ll want to access your things freely. You may even need to access your things after hours. Find out about how you can access your storage unit and what times the premises are open for you to do so.
Step 7 – Check your insurance
Have a look at your home insurance before you organise storage. Some policies include ‘house removals’ as part of their standard contents cover. This usually protects items while in transit between your old and new house, but may also include a number of days in a temporary storage facility.
As recommended by the UK self-storage trading body SSA, ‘if your goods are worth storing then they are worth insuring’.
For short term storage London isn’t short of options. But make sure you shop around, ask questions and get fully insured before you sign anything. For a fully comprehensive packing, moving and storage service, get in touch with Happy2Move for a quote today.
