Have a Question?

If you have a question, we have answers. Take a look at our frequently asked questions to find out more about our units, pricing, and facilities at Storage Works. Don’t see your question here? Don’t hesitate to reach out. Our knowledgeable staff is well versed in storage needs and we would love to chat.

General

- Smoking and the use of alcohol is prohibited at the storage facility.

- Firearms are prohibited at the storage facility.

Prohibited Uses and Items
The storage facility is designed for storage only. The following uses are not allowed:

- Garage sales, auctions, flea market sales or other public sales

- Working in the unit. This includes working on cars, motorcycles, hobbies, crafting, etc

- Any illegal use of any kind

- Any use deemed inappropriate by the manager or staff of the facility

- Any living thing

- Firearms, explosives, flammables of any kind (gas, diesel, kerosene, etc.)

- Drugs or drug paraphernalia, hazardous items or waste of any kind

- Stolen items

Insurance
Facility owner does not insure tenant’s goods. Insurance is sole responsibility of tenant.

Security
Facility entry and exit is by keypad ONLY. Gate access code is exclusively for tenant’s use. When entering or exiting gate, do not TAILGATE. Wait for previous tenant if necessary, then enter personal ACCESS CODE for entry or exit.

Tenant Guests
Tenant’s visitors and guests are to be accompanied by tenant at all times and are tenant’s responsibility, which includes proper entry and exit of premises and proper care of facility property. Children are to remain with, and be supervised by parents at all times.

Vehicle Storage
All non-motorized vehicles are required to have a minimum of two (2) wheel chocks surrounding vehicle wheels at all times while stored in facility. Chocks are prohibited from being a natural material (i.e., wood) such that chocks are subject to mold, rotting or infestation of insects, rodents or other wildlife. We recommend using rubber chock blocks.

Speed Limit
Facility speed limit is 10 MPH. No careless or reckless driving is permitted on premises. 

Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. This information applies to our Brush Prairie WA and Vancouver Mall locations but not our RV & Boat Storage facility in Vancouver WA.

FAQ

MISCELLANEOUS

Do you sell Boxes and Moving Supplies?
Yes, we sell a variety of boxes & moving supplies at our offices. Call or office or stop by to see if we have what you need.

PAYMENT AND FEES

What forms of payment can I use?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Cash, Checks and money orders.

Once you’re a tenant, you can make payments from your online account.

Can I pay over the phone?
If you are just starting a rental with us you need to come into the office and complete your rental contract and the initial payment needs to be made in person at that time. After that, you can call to make payments with a credit card for all of our locations.
We do not accept payments from anyone but the customer over the phone, if someone other than the tenant is paying the rent they must come in the office and make a payment in person.

Can I add autopay to my account?
Yes, you can opt to put your account on autopay at the time you complete the contract, or you can always add it later using your online account.

Can another person pay my storage rent?
Yes, they can either come in the office monthly and pay the rent or sign up for automatic payments in the office by filling out an automatic payment form.

What is an administration fee?
An administration fee or “admin fee” is a non-refundable one-time fee that is due at the time you complete your rental contract. This is a common fee in the storage industry and is used to offset the costs of setting up the tenant account and processing the paperwork. Typically replaces a security deposit charge.

Can I get rent back if I move out early?
As a general rule, we do not offer pro-rated billing. We do not refund rent if you move out before the last day of the month.

Can I make a partial payment?
No, partial payments are not accepted.

When is rent due?
Rent payments are due on or before the 1st of the month. After that, your account is considered to be in default

RESERVATIONS

Are reservations required?
Not required but highly recommended. Our unit availability is always changing. And we cannot guarantee that we will have the size you will need without a reservation.

How long is my reservation?
Reservations are held up to 7 days for a non-refundable fee. If you come in and complete the rental contract before the 7th day the reservation fee is applied towards your 1st month’s rent. If you do not come in by the 7th day the unit will be released and the fee is non-refundable.

RENTAL

Can I rent the unit over the phone or online?
You can reserve a unit over the phone or online, but the only way to complete the rental contract is in person at one of our facilities. This is for your protection as well as the protection of others.

How long can I rent a unit?
You can rent a unit for as long (or short) as you need. Our contracts are month-to-month and we bill in one-month increments. We just need a 14-day notice to vacate.

Can I put my contract in two names?
Unfortunately, NO. We do not allow a rental contract to be in two persons’ names. We require the rental contract to be in one person’s name and that person is responsible for the unit. You can add another person as an additional contact – this is someone that the storage facility can contact if we are unable to get ahold of the contract holder, in case of emergency, if the account is in default, etc.

Do I need to have insurance?
Yes, we require tenants to have insurance on their belongings at the time of rental.

Why? The facility only has coverage on the buildings and property, so it is the tenant’s responsibility to have insurance to cover their items stored in the storage unit.

We accept homeowners or renters insurance. The name on the policy has to be in the name of the person who is renting the storage unit. To make sure your policy extends to self-storage, contact your insurance company directly. If it does cover your storage, bring in a copy of the declaration page at the time of rental.

If you do not have homeowners or renters insurance, we offer a self-storage insurance coverage from a 3rd party provider in the office and you can purchase a policy at the time you complete your contract.

Can I store a car, boat, or motorcycle in a unit?
Yes, we allow vehicle or vessel storage in our units. Check with the facility manager to find out what unit will fit what you are trying to store. Sometimes the vehicles may be too large to fit through the doors. So, it is important to have measurements before you come in.

What is required to store a vehicle or vessel?
At the time of rental, we will require the following:

1. Copy of the title or registration of the vehicle or vessel

2. Insurance on the vehicle to be stored

Both items will need to be in the name of the person renting the unit. Call the facility manager for more information or if you have questions.

What type of storage units do you offer?
We offer all drive-up storage units. Drive-up storage is perfect for those who need quick and easy access to the storage unit. You can drive straight up to the unit, park & unload (or load).

What are some common mistakes made when renting a storage unit?

Not purchasing adequate insurance

Not following the facility rules (no smoking, leaving trash around the facility, urinating behind buildings, gate hours, etc)

Ignoring the policy of no storage of food or perishable items in your unit. When tenants leave trash or store items that pests and rodents are attracted to in their units, this can cause a problem not only for that tenant but other tenants as well.

Not communicating with the facility manager. We try to keep an open line of communication but when tenants don’t respond, it can cause issues.

Can the storage facility share my information?
No, we do not share tenant information with anyone.

What if I want my unit to be under two names? If you want to give access to someone else, that’s fine as long as they have the gate code and key. However, our office will only put one name on a rental contract.

What is not allowed in a storage unit?

- Hazardous materials

- Stolen or illegal goods

- Weapons or ammunition

- Wet items*

- Living (or dead) items

- Food or perishable items

- Priceless or irreplaceable items

- Money/cash

- Unregistered or uninsured vehicles

*Wet items:
While you can store items that are intended to get wet (surfboards, scuba gear, kayaks, etc.), they are going to need to be dry before you store them. Mold and mildew grow in dark, enclosed spaces like your storage unit. Also unloading items into a storage unit while it’s raining can cause moisture issues. Be sure to take the time to dry items off before they are stored. 

Tenants sometimes disregard our warnings about storing wet items, food, or perishable items in their units.
This can attract unwanted pests and insects in the unit or nearby units. Tenants are allowed to add their own pest control devices in their units, but they need to be monitored by the tenant regularly.

We recommend a product called Damp-Rid, which helps remove moisture from the air.

What are the tenant’s responsibilities?
These are set forth in full in the rental contract, which our managers will review with you before you sign it. The most important one is to make your monthly rental payments on time (on or before the 1st of the month).

Another important tenant responsibility is to notify the manager of any changes to your account (address, phone number, alternate contact, payment info, etc.) so they can make those updates. This also applies to giving proper notice if you want to vacate the unit.

Finally, we ask that you please respond when we call, email or text. We only contact you if there is something that we need from you.

ACCESS

Do the facility manager or owners have access to my unit?
Once you’ve placed a lock on the door, the facility manager or owners have no access to your unit.

What is the difference between Office Hours and Access Hours:
Office Hours: This is when there is a manager onsite and in the office. They are they to help with customer service and answer any questions and also assist in merchandise sales if you need any boxes or moving supplies.

Access Hours: The hours that a tenant has access in and out of the facility to get into their storage unit.

Who has access to my storage unit?
Once the unit you have rented is secured with your lock, only you can decide who has access to your unit and who doesn’t. Although we don’t recommend this, you are free to provide your unit number, access code and key to anyone of your choosing as long as you are comfortable with them accessing your unit. Our policy is to never give out information about our customers or their unit.

Will my stuff get sold at auction?
If you pay your rent on time, there is no risk of your unit going to auction. However, if payment is not made by the 1st of the month this will start the default process. After the payment is 7 days late, your account will start to accrue late fees and access to the unit will be denied, Late fees will continue to accrue until payment is made in full. 

After two months of non-payment, the unit can be sent to auction, Once the unit goes to auction, any proceeds from the auction are applied to the account balance, and the remainder will be sent to the tenant. If the proceeds are less than the account balance, the account is sent to collections.

COMMON PROBLEMS

I can’t find the key to my unit. What can I do?
Contact the manager and let them know. We can set up a time for a profess For reasons we hope you understand, we do not allow tenants to cut their own locks off. Please keep in mind if you do cut your own lock off you may damage the latch and door, both of which you will be liable for.

Why is my gate code not working?
Double check you are entering the correct code. Is your account past due? Most of the time this happens, payment on the storage unit has not been made (the account is in default). Once payment has been made in full, access to the facility will be promptly restored.

Check with the manager during office hours and we are happy to help.

ENDING YOUR LEASE

I am ready to move out of my unit. Do you require notice?
Yes, we require a 14-day written vacate notice. This means 14 days before your next rent is due. (Example: rent is paid thru January 31st, we will need notice on or before January 17th)

The unit must be completely empty, swept clean and the lock must be off. You will also need to notify the manager that your unit is vacated and they will inspect it to check for damage or items left behind. Once that has happened your account will be closed and your contract is terminated.

What if I need the unit longer?
If you decide you need the unit longer, that is OK. Just let the manager know and you can continue to rent the unit. You will want to communicate to the manager if you need to push the vacate notice back another month or just remove it until you are ready.

If you have any questions regarding your unit or rental contract, please don’t hesitate to speak to the facility manager, we strive for the best customer service experience possible. One way we can achieve this is by having an open dialogue between the staff and our customers.

VEHICLES

WHAT TYPE OF BOAT AND RV STORAGE DO YOU OFFER?

Our facility has enclosed (indoor) storage only. We do not offer any outdoor or covered storage at our facility.

What types of vehicles can be stored?
RVs, boats, trailers, automobiles, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles.

Do you have a dump station?
Yes, the dump station is for customer use only. The water hose provided is for clean up only and is not potable water.

Do you have a wash area for my vehicle?
Washing or rinsing your vehicle is allowed on-site by our customers. We also work with a mobile detail and washing company that is authorized to wash your vehicle on-site, and they will perform the necessary cleanup and mitigation.

Can I work on my vehicle on-site?
You are allowed to perform any mechanical maintenance necessary to make your vehicle road ready (change a tire, battery, etc) but no major mechanical work can be performed on-site.