Living in the UK is a wonderful experience until one has to move from one place to another and deal with the shifting of stuff. Some other instances when you might need a long-term storage solution is when you are moving abroad, keeping extra things on the side for use later, or making space for new furniture.
Long term storage can be used to keep your stuff safe and easily accessible whenever you might need it in the future. However, at the same time, finding the right and reliable long term storage solution is not an easy task. Here is an expert guide to help you choose the best option for your valuable belongings.
How to choose a long-term storage company in the UK
When it comes down to choosing a long term storage company, a vital thing to consider is the locality. Which company offers the best services around you? In any case, whether you are looking for a self storage Brighton or a personal storage London, the selection method and things to look for remain the same.
Read the terms and conditions properly
It cannot be stressed more. Do read the terms and conditions of the long term storage company thoroughly. Take your time, as there is no haste, and the decision you are going to make holds a lot of value. Sometimes, there are hidden terms related to any mishap or any accident with your stuff.
It is important to read those terms and find out about such hidden clauses. Moreover, you should ask other important questions as well, such as what is the maximum limit of storage in time and capacity? Can anyone access your stuff on your behalf? You should know everything beforehand.
Ask the people around you
There must be people in the locality using a similar service for keeping their stuff. Visit them and ask for their reviews. Ask them about any hidden charges or how good their service is. It will also help you get an idea of the storage prices in the area.
Asking people for reviews and checking their rating online is a beneficial method to know about any potential issues you might face at a later stage. If you are aware of the problem before encountering it, you might not even face it later on.
Do not limit yourself
The chances are that you will find an excellent long term storage service around you. However, for example, if you are looking for a self-storage Brighton service and you are unable to find a trustful service near you, another option is to explore the areas around Brighton. There is absolutely no harm in that.
Most of the long-term storage offers you pick up from your home service, which might come in handy if the distance between your home and the storage is too much, and you are unable to drive. Looking at the far-off options sometimes lands you with an affordable deal having better terms and conditions.
Additional services
Big storage services offer some additional benefits as well in addition to their primary purpose. It may include but is not limited to collecting your stuff, storage insurance, the return of items to your home, online inventory, parking options, and many more. Do consider these before making any decision.
These services are additional and might vary from service to service or even city to city. For example, a self-storage Brighton service might not offer online inventory while a personal storage London service might as well provide one in a similar price package.
Long-term storage goals
When it comes to choosing long term storage, one of the foremost goals is to balance the graph between the money spent versus the quality of service you are getting. However, there is another factor that comes into play, and that is the storage space.
It is something that directly affects the money you will be spending on the storage, so you need to pay attention to it. First of all, you need to decide what stuff you will be sending to the storage. It is you who is going to decide either you will be sending most of your stuff to the storage or only a handful of it.
When you have decided, then it is time to collect all of them in a separate space and estimate how much area they occupy. It does not have to be dead accurate, but it should give you a rough idea of what you require.
Space required
For keeping your belongings, you would require a space of more than 100 sq. ft. and preferably around 120-130 sq. ft. if you have been living in a big house.
A 60-75 sq. ft. area space is more than enough if you live in a small flat. This space further reduces if you are a student. In that case, you would require 10-20 sq ft.
You may look for some online websites or services that offer an estimation of how much space your belongings might require based on their general dimensions. It will save you some time and effort.
Cost
With space, the other most crucial factor is the cost. Both of these are directly related to each other, and with an increase in space, up goes the price as well. Your location will matter a lot in this regard.
If you are looking for self-storage Brighton or Personal Storage London, there might be a difference in the pricing of both. A personal storage London unit will definitely cost you more than a self-storage Brighton unit even though the space you are asking for is similar in both cases.
In addition to the area, other factors affect the price package of the long term storage companies. Packages vary from company to company, and the market’s sheer competitiveness lowers the prices even further. Furthermore, the rate of increase in cost with respect to the size is not much as you move higher.
For example, a jump from 50 sq. ft. to 100 sq. ft. might cost you double. However, a jump from 100 sq. ft. to 200 sq. ft. might cost you only 1.5 times the original cost.
Conclusion on Long-Term Storage in the UK
Even though long term storage companies are great, care should be taken while packing your stuff. As they are your personal belongings, only you would understand their true value. Packing your stuff properly will not only ensure their safety in the long run but will also save you space when storing them.
