I have had a storage unit for several years. I pay over $200 per month for the unit. I had fallen behind on my payments after losing my job. I have not been able to catch up and will be behind til about April of this year when my new job begins. What work I have been able to get is paid on the last day of the month which is when I make my payment.
There were 2 different occasions when the payment was notposted until the first of the month. The both times I was on dissaster duty in different states.
Thefirst, I went to a location to make a payment. No one was there and I did not have my account information and did not have my checkbook with me. I waited for over 20 minutes past the time posted on the door for the return. I had appts out of town for 3 days and had to get on the road to make my first appt. This was on a Wed. The last day of the month was on Fri 2 days later so I thought I could come back then. There are no other locations in the state other than the city I was in. I came back on Fri at closing time and no one was on site. I put my payment in the drop box.
I returned first thing the following morning and was told they received the payment. I was later informed of lien fees etc. When I asked about the reason for all of the fees, I was told that they had to pay attorneys etc for filing the court papers which is there procedure. My problem is that no one can tell me the attorney, what attorney was working on a Saturday morning and what court office was open on a Saturday to file the paperwork. I was also told that because the payment was made, they stopped the lien proceedings.
Again, no one can tell me what proceedings were stopped when they were never started as the payment was processed prior to any attorneys or courts being involved.
The second time this occurred I was again out of state on a short term dissaster assignment. I went on line to make my payment and could not log in. The system said that my email address and ID did not exist in the system. I printed this out with the date and then called customer service and they were closed.
I had to wait until the next morning to call customer service to have help logging in. It was a problem on their end. There is not a public storage in the state I was in to go make the payment. They for a second time attached all of the lien and attorney fees to my account. Amazingly enough, this was also on a Saturday. Courts in Colorado nor do any attorneys I know of work on Saturdays. They have not provided any proof of this.
My biggest issue is that I am trying to get caught up. I must keep the unit as part of divorce proceeding as it has all of my childrens school records, medical records, keepsakes and family heirlooms in addition to other items. I have not been able to afford to get back to Colorado for over 2 years to sell off items or to move into a smaller unit. There are also business records that I am required to keep for the IRS.
Last month I was told that they have changed their policy and require a $0 balance at the beginning of the month and I am now scheduled for auction. I have made my monthly payment with late fees as usual but do not have the money to pay all the lien fees.
I have tried to work this out with them. The district manager says that I need to call customer service. When I call CS they say that the DM can work out those fees and so on. No one seems to be able to work with me on this.
I have explained my situation in detail. I asked the DM point blank if they were going to auction off my things over 2 questionable liens and potentially ruin me and her reply was yes. They changed the policy and a zero balance is a zero balance.
I can catch up by tomorrow or have a roof over my head. Nice choice! I am not looking for sympathy. I am not a deadbeat. I am not someone who does not follow through or tries to get out of my responsibilities. I do feel that this is wrong. It is unethical and taking advantage of someone who is truelly trying to get back on his feet and do what is right. I pay over $2600 per year for the unit and often have more than one at a timewhich is even more moneyand feel that if this was a good company, they would not be auctioning off everything for $200-$300 dollars.
I have again told them that the financial hardship I am in will be taken care of in the sping. This to no avail. I would love some input on this situation. I have spent my life helping people in bad situations which may be part of why I have a problem with this. I don't ask for help or often need it but this is of utmost importance.
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