Public Storage
reviews and complaints

I filed a water & rodent loss/damage claim against Public Storage. Their loss/damage claim representative is Hertz Claim Management. After months of debates with Public Storage's On-Site Manager Edwina Pechardo & Hertz Claim Management's Supervisor Kevin Acree my case was sent to Hertz Claim Management for review and was promptly denied. The denial letter only made mention of the water damage. They claim that the water was run off standing water in a facility that doesn't have running water or water piping. Public Storage or it Agents didn't take under consideration the structural damage that allowed the run off water to enter their structure. Nor did they consider the rodent damage portion of my claim. I was told that without pictures they couldn't consider the rodent damage. That is understandable, but Hertz denied my water damage claim without said pictures. I have since forwarded copies of the picture showing damage and a Public Storage employee poking a stick through one of the many holes in the storage unit's foundation.

This is long, so please pardon me.

I was searching for complaints on Public Storage and ran across my3cents.com.

I'm in a dilemma with Public Storage in West Haven, CT.

In March, 2006, I became homeless after my landlord did not pay her mortgage and the bank foreclosed. The bank wanted the house empty and, I was forced to place my belongings in storage. I chose public storage because of a $1.00 special they had.

When I obtained my unit, I also applied for the 3 month stay special. I was forced to stay in a hotel, that literally took all my savings. A friend found out and told me I could stay with him. But by this time, I was all out of money and had to start over trying to save, knowing I had a storage bill.

My first month prorated bill in April was $147. I paid that, but then in May, it jumped up to $211, the 2nd month. I paid it. I paid June, July and August bills of $211, sometimes $235 (late fees after the 8th).

Recently I fell behind on the payments.
I was late for my September payment. After the 8th day, they attached a late fee that made it $235. After the 15th day, they attached another $75. I called and told them I didn't have the money. That took me into October.
Late September, my part time job folded, and I had no income.

So now, I couldn't pay October bill. But I had asked the manager to bear with me. By the 3rd week of October, I found a job. But I had to wait to get paid. The storage manager agreed verbally, that I can make payments little by little until I bring the bill down. By my figurations, I thought that by the time I get paid, I would owe, about $700.

I get direct deposit, and my funds are placed every 16 and 5th of the month.
My first paycheck was in the bank on the November 5th.

On the 5th, I immediately submitted $500 to Public Storage, online payment. My bill showed that I owed $741. That would bring me late, but current with November.
On November 10th I received a letter stating that they were going to auction my unit on November 14th. I called and told them I made their payment and it went through online, it was not declined.

They stated that my bank informed them that they could not release the $500, and because they did not get the check, they were going to auction the unit.

I called my bank, and they told me that because it was a new account, certain restrictions were place on ATM and online debits for my protection. I explained to public storage the restrictions and told them that I can give them money everyday until the bill was paid. They agreed that I make weekly arrangements to pay a certain amount each week.

I kept those arrangements, took funds out of my bank everyday, and paid them the money on the day it was due. I had to make 3 payments in two weeks. The last week, Thanksgiving week, my final payment was $210. I was short $6.00. On November 28th, the day before my final payment, I informed them, and they told me that I will be charged an additional $75 if I didn't pay the $6.
By this time, I was literally crying, but arguing the reasoning behind that... for only $6.00.

The clerk offered to put in the $6.00 if I promised to pay her back.
On November 29th, I submitted my final payment of $204 ($6.00 was put in by the clerk), to a clerk, whom I did not know of. He stamped my bill as "Paid in full".

I requested to vacate. They told me that in order to not owe another bill, I would have to vacate by November 30th, the following day. I told them, impossible, I would not have any funds until December 5th. I gave them all I had.
On the same night I paid the bill in full, I borrowed the money to get a big truck from Uhaul, paid a driver and another guy to help me move. We went to Public Storage.

I keyed in my access code, and it stated, "access denied".
But I didn't give up. The gate was open, and the guys had the idea to get my things and bring them to the gate to load the truck.
I went to my storage unit, and it had a lock on it.
Now I had no way to get my things, before the deadline, and I paid money for a truck and help. $150.
The following day, I went to Public Storage, paid the clerk her $6 and explained that I had come there the night before with a truck to get my things, but, there was a lock and I could not get them. She explained that she would have felt uncomfortable if she left my unit opened. I told her that I spent a lot of money on a truck I could not even use, and now I had no money for another truck or help.

I told her that now, the only way for me to get my things out is to use my Blazer. But that would take a while. I have 6 rooms of furniture!
She told me that under the circumstances, she would work with me. I promised her that I will move my things out day by day, after work.

From December 1st thru December 9th, I have been moving my things day by day with my Blazer. When I got paid on the 5th, I had to pay back, the person I borrowed the money to get the truck, and that left me with only $64. So, I still don't have the money for a truck.

Today, December 10th, @6AM, I went to Public Storage and took another load.
Seems like it will take only about 4 more loads before I'm all moved out.

At 2PM, I went back to Public Storage to get another load, and my access was refused.
Now they are telling me that it's past the 8th, and before I can get anything else, I have to pay them $86.

Is there anything I can do? I won't have any more money until the 16th, and it seems that they are putting me deeper and deeper in the hole.

I can't wait to stop dealing with Public Storage. I just want them out of my life!