Peer-to-Peer Self-Storage Storage Marketplace Stashbee Launched in the United Kingdom

Stashbee, a London-based peer-to-peer self-storage marketplace, has launched in the United Kingdom. Similar to other shared-economy networks, the company matches people in need of storage with local hosts willing to rent available space in their homes. The company has amassed 30 hosts across London, according to the source.

The company was founded by management consultants Anthony Paine and David Mantle, who claim the service can be up to 90 percent less expensive than traditional self-storage. Storers pay £5 per month per box or standard-sized item. The monthly fee increases to £8 for larger items, such as a bike or nightstand, and £12 for oversized items like a bed or washing machine, the source reported. Stashbee receives 20 percent of storage fees, according to its website.

Stashbee performs background checks on those who apply to be storage hosts and will conduct checks on storers at the request of hosts for £5. Storers are given one free site visit to access stored items and are assessed a fee for subsequent visits, according to the company website.

For the model to work, a level of trust must be reached between the storer and host, according to Paine. “They commit to each legally that they are not going to do any funny business,” he told the source. “The guest is saying, ‘I’m not storing anything illegal,’ and the host is saying, ‘I’m not going to steal anything.’”

The company estimates hosts who store 20 boxes can earn £960 per year, while those who fill garages to full capacity can earn more than £2,000 annually.

Stashbee has made its marketplace available across the United Kingdom but is currently focused on escalating service in London, according to its website.