(205) 554-0190
Make a Payment/Login
(205) 554-0190
Make a Payment/Login

FAQS

Have questions? Maybe this can help!

FAQS

1. How long do I have to sign up for?
  • We have a month to month rental agreement you are required to sign that is automatically renewed each month  until you vacate. One month minimum, no maximum.

2. What kind of information is needed to rent a storage space?
  • Mailing address / e-mail address
  • Two phone numbers
  • Driver's License # (or valid state or government issued I.D. #)
  • Date of birth
  • Last 4 digits of your Social Security Number
  • 1st month's rent payment 

3. How long will it take to complete my rental transaction?
  • On average, it takes less than 10 minutes to set up your entire account online or over the phone. Once you're complete, you can move into your space immediately.

4. What is the easiest way to pay my bill?
  • Our Auto Pay option is the easiest way. No more check writing. No more postage. No late payments. Payments are on time, every time.

5. Do you charge an administration fee?
  • No, no admin. fee required.

6. Do you prorate rent?
  • No, we do not prorate.

7. When can I have access to my rental space?
  • 6am-10pm, 365 days a year

8. When is rent due and how can I make a payment?
  • Rent is due each month on the date specified in your contract. It must be paid on or before the 3rd day after your specified contract date to avoid a $10 late fee and gate lockout. We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard or Discover. You can call us with your credit card number or enter it in through our SSL secure website if you choose to rent online.

9. Is there an office onsite or is this a stand alone facility?
  • This is a stand alone facility with easy online renting and bill pay through our website.

10. What do I need to do when I move out?
  • Please notify us ten (10) days in advance of your planned vacate date.  Otherwise you will be charged for another months rent and your rights to the unit will be forfeited.  When you're finished with the space, all we ask is that it's left clean, completely empty and your lock is removed, so you won't be charged further rent.  

11. What happens if I leave items in my space that I don't want?
  • Any items left in your space are your responsibility. We will continue to charge you rent until your space is empty and unlocked.

12. Why I am still being charged for a space that I've vacated?
  • There are two reasons: your space was found locked after your planned vacate date OR your space is still occupied with some of your belongings. If you believe there is an error in your billing, please contact us by phone. Normal_priceless-faq

Choosing a Storage Facility

Moving TIps

Normal_makefriendsbeforemove
With the advent of the Internet, the last decade has changed a lot. Technology is literally at our fingertips everywhere we go. With smartphones, tablets, and computers, the internet has become a huge tool to help us get information quickly. Why not use this tool to our advantage for things like choosing a storage facility as well.

Choosing a storage facility a decade ago was a painful time consuming process, you would have to get a phone book and just start calling different business and writing down all the details so that you could compare them later. One of the problems was that  you might call 15 different facilities and only get through to 4 of them. So your information wasn't really accurate because you were only comparing a few storage facilities instead of the whole market.

Even with the internet, there are some facilities that haven't fully made that transition to have an online presence. We are not one of those! Here are some helpful things to look for when trying to find a storage unit and finding a good facility to rent from.

1. Check online to see how many storage facilities are in the area, Next see which facilities have a website, usually their website will have all their information online so you won't even have to try and reach out to a busy manager. Compare prices and costs, and don't forget location. Location location location, Google maps has a cool thing now where you can simply type in storage, and they will show you all the storage facilities on the map, You can easily see which facilities are near you or near a major road that you use. 

2. Read reviews! One of the best ways to find out about the storage facilities is by reading the reviews that other people have written. If there is only one or two bad reviews, don't discount it but look at all the reviews of the facility as a whole. See if there are pictures of the facility that you can look at. Are there walls around the facility? security lights? what kind of neighborhood is it located in. 

3. Check out the features that the storage facility offers. Ask the questions of how does billing work, how many ways can I find my bill, can I be emailed or text messaged my invoice? Can i login to my own account and make a payment online? Can I get set up on recurring billing? Can I fully rent a storage unit online? These are some good questions to ask yourself that can help make your life easier down the road. 

Usually cost and location are the only thing people think of when renting a unit, but remember there is a lot more to it than just cost and location. 

Should I get a Climate Controlled unit?

If you are looking into renting a storage unit, it may be smart to stop for a min and think about the benefits of renting a climate controlled unit. Have you ever stopped to think about what the conditions are like in a storage unit? The temperature and the humidity can effect your items. The extreme weather effects anything left out, houses, cars, etc, why wouldn't it be the same for the things you place in your self storage unit? Humidity can have a negative effect as well. Some storage facilities offer climate controlled units, and some don't, fortunately for you Southern Storage does. Climate controlled is usually going to cost a little more than the units that aren't climate controlled. Climate controlled facilities usually keep the temperature between 55-75 degrees, as well as monitoring the humidity. 
The importance of having a climate controlled unit is because it prevents things such as mold, mildew, rust, and corrosion, warping, cracking and splitting of wood items, also pest infestation.

Here is a list of items that are usually stored in climate controlled storage units.

Wood furniture
Antiques and heirlooms
Leather items
Cameras and film
TV's and stereos
Computers and computer parts
Video equipment
Audio equipment
Clothing (especially delicate items)
Furs
Art supplies
Food items
Paintings and other fine arts
Photographs
Construction supplies
Medical supplies
Archival documents, tax files and other paperwork
Historical documents
Seasonal inventory
Tools and machines
Restaurant equipment
Musical Instruments
Digital Media 
DVDs, CDs, video tapes, vinyl records, and software

Who wants to go to their storage unit after a year to find out that their precious items are now warped, cracked or moldy? You would probably feel that you got ripped off, and all that money you were paying each month just went down the drain. Stop for a min and think serious when renting a storage unit if you will need climate controlled or not.