Online rentals allow self-storage facilities to be “open” around the clock, attracting customers who are unavailable during traditional office hours or those looking for a contact-free experience. But while they create opportunity, they also have a drawback: Because managers don’t meet prospective tenants in person, they don’t get to weed out the undesirables. When dealing with potential renters on the phone and in person, operators often look for red flags, sometimes relying on their “spidey sense” to know when a transaction might go wrong. They can then refuse to rent. Once a customer has already completed the transaction online, however, turning him away becomes much more complicated.
In this thread on Self-Storage Talk, the industry’s largest online community, members are discussing ways to get out of an online-rental obligation, if necessary, and what policies and laws to bear in mind when doing so. Have you had to decline an online rental? Share your story.
