Public Storage
Reviews and Complaints

I pay for a storage unit with Public Storage at their 5544 Centinela Ave location in Los Angeles.

Before the Thanksgiving holiday last week I attempted to access my storage unit at about 7:30pm. Posted hours are 6:00am-9:00pm daily (per website, recorded information and speaking to a call center representative). I was unable to access the unit, and kept receiving a "area is closed" response on the access keypad. I spoke with a call center rep, who couldn't understand why I couldn't get in, but also could not assist me other than to have me contact the property manager during office hours. The call center rep verified that the access hours should be 6am to 9pm daily. Because I couldn't access my storage unit, I was forced to ask my son to store the property I was trying to unload, since we were taking my truck out of town for the holiday weekend and needed the space in my truck. I still have been unable to access my storage unit over 1 week later, since I was out of town for the weekend.

I contacted the office on Wednesday morning this week and was told that the new gate hours are the same as office hours (9:30-6:00 M-F and 9:30-5:00 Sat/Sun). I received no notification of this change. They told me that they didn't know if the corporate office was aware of the change, but that it was permanent.

I requested the phone number for the regional manager, Shaina Magdaleno and left a message for her, requesting a call back, with no response in 2 days. I have called numerous times and have been unable to reach a live person- only voice mails.

I pay almost $300 per month and expect to be able to access my property as agreed when I contracted with Public Storage. Basically this change only allows me to access my property on the weekend, since, like most people, I am at work during the weekday hours.

If this change is to be permanent, I will be forced to find another storage facility and incur the cost and inconvenience of moving my property. I expect some reimbursement to offset this significant inconvenience.

Note that it appears the property managers live onsite, as there were lights on in the upstairs rooms of the administration office when I was there last week and there is a sign on the access keypad to be quiet so as to not wake the sleeping baby.

If customers accessing their storage spaces between 6am and 9pm is disruptive to the care of their child(ren), maybe they should not be property managers for a storage facility. Customers who pay good money for the service expect to be able to access their property during the posted and agreed to hours. If I had known the access hours were going to be this limited, I wouldn't have contracted with that location to store my property.

We vacated our storage unit and waited almost 2 hours during their "lunch break" and no on showed up to provide the "necessary" move out paperwork. After several visits and numerous phone calls, we went online and requested a "move out". Still no response or returned phone calls. Now a month later they are still billing us for the rental or our unit after it was emptied, moved out and completely vacated.

Absolutely, the worst customer service experience one could imagine!

I currently have a storage at I-30 & Lamar in Arlington, TX and from the first notion information was entered incorrectly so I was not notified properly until my storage was going up for auction. Went in and paid the fees info still not entered correctly had to contact Customer Service to find out the discrepancy. When you call and speak with Donna she is rude, unprofessional and impatient. I have rented from public storage before and this is the worst experience I have encountered with public storage. Management team needs to evaluate their employers because people will stop using the storage when dealing with difficult people. I will be moving my things out on 11/30/2017 and would not recommend public storage to anyone.

My unit was robbed. Not very happy with public storage. I paid enough money a month and then I also paid for the insurance. I've been a customer with public storage for about 10 years . I took my stuff out back in February and I just realize while unpacking all my things that I'm missing a Box . I called management and I call supervisors and no one seems to care. No one wants to take responsibility .I will never use public storage again

I rented a unit from Public Storage on Imperial and Bellflower Blvd. and August 12th move my stuff in locked my unit did not again return for like two weeks later when I got a voicemail on my phone from someone at the public storage telling me that while doing the routine checks they came across my unit and supposedly my lock was not secure and that I needed to come down and secure it when I got down there there lock was on my unit just to supposedly secure it for me I took off their block replaced it back with mine and then left but I know for a fact my lock was locked properly initially the first time to me for some reason that was a cover-up knowing that they had intended on trying to do something. The following week I went to put more items in my unit I got there for some reason my key didn't seem to be working in my lock which was interesting I went over to the office reported it to the manager and employees that were there gentleman walked over to my unit with me helped me try and unlock my unit and was unsuccessful I told him at that time I knew for a fact there was nothing from on the inside blocking the door from being able to open he told me that he needed to call and have the door and latch replaced and to leave him my key for them to be able to get into my unit this was my only key and I left it with him he said he was going to put it in my file in the office about a week and a half later I returned to get a follow up on my unit and to place more items into my unit they had replaced my lock with a public storage lock and handed me two new keys not giving me an explanation on what happened to my lock free of charge they said I went to my unit at 10 a.m. opened up my unit didn't have a problem as I started to clear out some of the stuff from my unit to reorganize it I realized that all three of my TV's were missing in shock I couldn't believe it I walked to the office and reported it to the manager all she did was hand me a pamphlet on my insurance and said I would just call the police department make a police report I did however there were no obvious signs of a breaking and entering but it was a clearly theft nothing else was taken that I could see there was no scraps no bent lock no foul play with the door with the lock with the hinge once again because it had all been replaced. After completing my police report and submitting documentation I contacted the insurance company submitted my claim they came back a week later and told me that they were not going to cover my claim over my losses because they don't cover theft or mysterious disappearances. I am very angry I'm a single mother who is legally blind. And I am on SSDI I have no job unable to drive and I purchase those TVs with my hardworking money when I was able to now they're gone and nobody wants to replace them me personally it's obvious it was an inside job but no one wants to take the blame for it I'm very angry and so I am making my formal complaint to you. I am requesting that something be done about this as soon as possible thank you for a quick response

Rats pissed and pooped all over my stuff.. ate water hose and pool. I took out insurance to get the run around. I submitted pictures of the dead rat also left there in unit after being ran out by another big rat that went to the room behind us...These places needs to get inspected due to so many people experience the same treatment. It's been to long for me to be getting the run around about my stuff that was destroyed in public storage unit. My stuff was at to of your locations to get destroyed at both...The health inspector and code enforcement needs to take a visit..they make you pay insurance, but to file a claim you get the run around..I need someone to investigate this matter..

I needed assistance to enter my unit. I get here at 9:30 am and I hace been waiting for MORE THAN AN HOUR and nobody comes. Its supposed to be 9:30am to 6pm Mon-Frid. This is UNACCEPTABLE.

I had an emergency and I lost my key to open my unit. They have an spare key I gave them and I am waiting for somebody to come. They should ALWAYS be someone here to help.

Extremely disappointed

Racism and discrimination. Lack of interest by the Corporate office, in dealing with its District Manager, Byron Young, who has acted racist in his actions towards me. Mice at the facility and a lack other services, such as the lights being permanently shut off, in front of my locker. As well as the staff on site, refusing to clean the area at my locker. And turning on the alarm, as they see me enter the gates. An increased rent over a period of months. Other harassments from them.

First time use public storage. No any statement on the payment duedate and late fee penalty, when receive the email asking payment. When I paid the bill, it said I pass their due date (3 day!) How do I know exactly about the due date without the actually statement? Call the public storage store management. She was very rude and did not admit their neglect on the billing. Call the custom service phone number and never has a real person answer the phone.

Will never use and recommend anyone use public storage again!

On September 27th, Public Storage in Dallas Preston Frankford sold all of my personal things without any warning (no email or phone call). They have n ot answered any of my emails or phone calls about how to get my things back or how to retrieve personal pictures or documents. I want to know where my things are, why they were sold with no warning, and how I can get them back. Brett Vick is a thieve and sold all of my things with no warning. I want them back.
Please help!
Sara Hall
[protected]

So I paid my bill on 28th of September and I needed to move out and told the property manager and she said I couldnt until I bought another 25 dollars lock box so I paid total of 330 on September 28 and now they locked me out and I need my things I will pay a week worth and I need my things can someone please help me thanks please have some one else contact me Dan told me no-one talks to customers but him he is not going to help me resolve the issue

my property the content of Three Units were auctioned off, and it cost me future employment, exposed to identity theft...

It was at their Gold Street location in Brooklyn, New York

acct# [protected]
space(s) # 5089; 5084; 5074

which were originally Big Yellow - then Shurgard, now Public Storage

all I wanted was to whom ever they auctioned to contact information so that I could access and acquire some of my properties

the company ignored my request and made no attempts to provide

I have been a Public Storage tenant in Los Angeles since 2013 with no history of any problems and issues.
For the last year, I noticed security vulnerabilities that started to develop in my facility.
Parking gates do not work.
Anyone could park in Public Storage parking.
Tree branches obscure critical corners of the facility, allowing anyone to park undetected.
I have brought this to the attention of my PS manager ( Regina) and nothing was done. More recently around the beginning of the year 2017, many burglaries happened at my site and other sites around the neighborhood. And still management did not do anything to remedy the security issues.

On April 19, 2017, at around 8pm, I caught a burglar who had already busted three units and was on his way to busting more including mine. I noticed at the same time, another tenant who I realized later was his accomplice.

I called the police, which led to the capture that night, inside my PS facility of a serial burglar who was known to all LAPD detectives as an active burglar and criminal. In fact they had pictures of him hanging in their offices, a fact confirmed to me by one of the police officers present on April 19, 2017 when the arrest happened.

On April 20, 2017, I emailed Tony Gradford, an executive at Public Storage about the security issues which persist until today.

In return, PS management retaliated against me by issuing an eviction notice and denying me my gate code access since April 20, 2017. Although I had paid my bills.

Attached is my PDF file with my original complaint to PS management in which I included a detective from the LAPD.

I plan on suing Public Storage for $100 millions for Directly Endangering my Life and Future earnings, as well as their breach of the California Tenant/Lease I signed with them.

Below is all the Video evidence showcasing the security failures I mentioned.

1- August 9, 2017: Evidence showing Public Storage’s breach of contract by having a lock on my door starting from July 5, 2017. The evidence also shows how any one can leave the gate open for thieves to come in a burglarize the place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaahDz8fUDI

2- August 10, 2017: Evidence showing that my gate code was not working, the same situation as when I visited with the police on July 4, 2017 to find out that my gate code was not working although I was fully paid for the month of July.
Part1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDRoTMn1QiY
Part2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sTuxLiPJdE&t=4s

3- Video Evidence showcasing the security failures of my PS facility as well as suspicious activity at other PS locations. As well contrasting evidence from Public Storage competitors and how their security is much better than Public Storage.

August 12, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDg56sNgyz8&t=6s
August 18, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajo0tl22dHw
August 19, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OMEfZV8if4
August 25, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04iLSq6ntK0

4- Video Evidence showcasing that although Mrs Katz ( Public Storage) told me I could go get my belongings and move out, I was still being denied access.
August 31, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EVLMST1Ud8

And Finally, their company locksmith drives a truck with male genitalia hanging from behind.

On September 5, 2017 at 12:06 p.m. call my daughter and discussed with her my personal business. I personally would like to see that she is fired for disclosing my business, it against the law. Now they are trying to charge me for a lien fee and late fees even after I explained to her I was in ICU until 09/06/2017. I feel that due to this issue I should be credited for all fees that are due. I am thinking of filing a law suite against the manager and public storage.

I had a unit at public storage but wouldn't be there for the full month. They rang down my phone day and night for a payment. I asked if this payment would cover the next month and the employee told me YES. Now i go to retrieve all my items and i have no access to my storage unit because they're saying i owe for the month and now there a 200 dollar late fee. Why would i pay 200 to retrieve my items after the employee told me i was cleared for the month and just had to call back to let them know when i was moving out.

I paid $188 for 2 months parking space. From 8/11/2017-10/01/2017. $82 set as monthly rent feel. That would make 2 months at $82 plus a $24 admin fee. I vacated today 8/31/2017 to be told my refund for a whole month paid is only going to be $60. Not only am I 100% dissatisfied but I will never rent nor refer anyone to public storage. Biggest rip off I have ever experienced. As well as my reason for early vacating. Which was others parked in my spot. Constant activity around vehicle resulting in damage. Rude notes left in vehicle stored. Most unpleasant experience of my life and I want my money back! Very unjust and unprofessional thieves!

My location is in corona 1351 Pomona RD corona ca the Manager on site Krystal .. is not Proffessional at all her attitude and demeanor is horrible, not hopefully at all there is no customer service, as a customer I felt threaten but her actions and attitude I tired to work out my situation because there are charges on my account that I didn't agree on

Over the past 15 years, I have had a storage unit with Public Storage in many different facility locations, and I have never had any problems. I always set up my account on auto-pay, I have never had any fees put on my account after move-out. Nothing.
A few months ago my debit card got stolen, so needless to say the payment for the 2 storage units did not go through the following month. I called the Public Storage office and let them know that once I got my new card that I would pay them immediately. I had moved out of town, about 45 minutes away, Public Storage will not take payments over the phone, and I did not feel safe putting my new debit card number on the computer. The first chance I had, I made the drive to the office, paid for both units, and asked them to update my auto pay. Which they did.
The following month, I noticed that I did not get an email receipt for auto-payment like I normally do. I called the office and asked about it. They looked up my account and said that payment for 1 unit had been made, but not for the other unit. It was determined that the clerk who updated my autopay had only put the new debit card number on one account, not both, as Public Storage had never merged both units onto one account. So there were 2 separate accounts.
Again, they don't take payments over the phone, their system would not let me open up a separate account on my computer so that I could access information regarding that 2nd unit thus I could not pay online, and it was becoming more and more difficult to take an entire day to drive out there and back. However, I continued to stay in constant contact with Dan, the manager.
During this whole time, it became evident that I would need larger storage space. Another Public Storage just down the street had a 10'x30' unit available at a much cheaper price. I let Dan know that I was going to be transferring units. As I did not want to be double paying, I tried to strategically plan which day to transfer my belongings over. I was told multiple times that if you vacate within the first few days of the month that you only pay for just those days and not the whole month. In fact, I was told that right up until the very moment that I walked through the office doors to make my payments.
So, on August 2 2017 I secured the 10'x30' at the new location, paying $445, then went to the location where my belongings were currently stored. First thing I did was go to the office to pay for the unit where autopay had not been properly updated by their own personnel, then to make prorated payment for 2 days for the current storage units. I was told that my balance due was over $550. My jaw dropped. I said, " No. I should be paying only $227 plus maybe $30 prorated for 2 days of each unit". The clerks response "We don't prorate anymore". I had a panic attack. I had just spilled out $445 for the new unit (rent, insurance, administrative fees, those special cylinder locks that I had to have cause those round locks like everyone else uses doesn't work on their property). Now they were wanting over $550. I told them that I had been told over and over that I would only have to pay for those 2 days.
The property manager, Jessica, over heard the conversation and stepped in. She said that Dan knew that I was transferring over and overrode the full month payment. I was still saddled with a lien fee of $55 because the payment was late...even though I had been in constant contact with them.
Whatever. I paid the $227, plus $55 lien, plus 2 prorated days for the 2 units coming to a total bill $312. My account was now current.
I then went on to pack up the 5'x8' trailer to move my belongings over. And I might add that I was doing this by myself in probably the hottest day of the year.
I was not able to get everything in my 1st unit in one load. I closed the storage door, placed the lock back on it, and headed over to the new unit at the other location to unload the trailer. About 5 minutes later, I get a phone call from Jessica chiding me about the stuff that was left by my unit. I told her that I was not finished, as should have been evidenced by the closed and locked storage unit door, and that I had to unload the trailer at the new place. This new storage facility had bizarre hours. There was no customer access to their units once the office closed. So the whole facility closed at 6pm on weekdays, 5pm on weekends. Jessica stated that she understood, and I told her I will be back at her facility to finish loading from the 1st unit as well as emptying the 2nd unit. She said ok.
Once I finished unloading, I headed back to the other facility. I was so hot and dehydrated that I was finding it difficult to even unlock that big round padlock on the unit door. All that was left in that unit was only just a couple of bedrails, as I had cleared everything else out, and I was running out of time before the other facility closed. So I rushed over to my 2nd unit to begin clearing it out. I packed up not only the trailer but my Tahoe. However, there was no room for a couch that was being removed from the storage unit. A friend called around to find someone with a pick-up truck who could help me move that couch off the property and was successful in finding someone who would come move it as soon as he got off work. On that note we left the property but I was unable to unload the trailer because the other property was closed.
The guy with the truck got off work really late. We rushed over to go get the couch and the bedrails to find that, now, the gates were closed on that unit, too. The manager, who lives onsite, and her boyfriend came to the gate to see what was going on. I told her that the help that I needed to move the couch was finally available and was there any way we could get in just to pick up that couch. I was told there was not. Arrangements were made, right before the managers very eyes, for the guys to pick up that couch and get the bedrails out of the other unit first thing in the morning. Everyone was in agreement as to what the arrangement was.
I headed back home with my full trailer. Bright and early at 6:55am I got a text message saying that the unit had been cleared and cleaned and that the couch would be picked up. I thought everything was taken care of.
I went to work at 1pm that day. At about 6:30pm I checked my messages only to find an angry message from Jessica saying that someone has to come immediately to remove the bedrails that apparently were just thrown to the side of the unit and the couch. I was shocked as I was told that all that had been done. I called the Public Storage office, which by now was closed, of course. I left no less than 5 messages letting Jessica know that I had just gotten the message and that I was making multiple phone calls to find someone who could pick up the couch and rails. I finally found someone who could pick them up first thing in the morning before the office opened.
The following morning I got confirmation that the couch and rails were picked up. I even called the Public Storage office to have their staff go and verify that the couch/bedrails were removed. Carlos, the clerk on duty, verified that yes they were gone. This was on a Friday and I paid $50 to the person who removed those items for me.
The following Monday morning, I got an email from Public Storage with notification that I was being charge $316 for "abandoned goods removal". Shocked, I called and spoke with Jessica. She stated that those items had been hauled off Thursday night (and, hey, thanks for the 4 hour notice before you hauled it off and slapped me with a $316 bill). I was infuriated at the person who had claimed to pick up the stuff. If it was hauled off Thursday night, how could she have picked it up Friday morning? Jessica had me believing that I had been lied to and robbed of $50 in payment.
I called and texted the person who had "picked up" my stuff, stating how she had lied to me. She texted back that she had not lied, that she picked up the couch and rails, and sent me pictures to prove it. Upon further discussion with her, it became evident that she was telling the truth and that it was Jessica who had lied.
In just the few hours since I had last spoken with Jessica, the property manager, I was saddled with even more bills. And to top it off she had spread the bills out over 3 accounts including my new account at the other facility. $225, $150, $75 all for "abandon goods removal", $55 lien fee, $111.37 for rent on a unit that I was paid up on...all of these bills suddenly appearing on my accounts with threats that if I don't pay it then I will get even more fees and sent to collections. ALSO, I had forgotten to turn off auto-pay, so $95 for the smaller unit that I had vacated was also drawn from my bank account.
What I found most interesting, though, was the email that stated "the property manager determined that you did not leave the storage unit in 'as rented' condition so we are charging you $150 for abandoned goods removal"...this fee was placed on the unit that I HAD JUST MOVED IN TO!
Seriously? There was obvious fraud going on here. I called and asked for an invoice from the company that supposedly "hauled" my stuff away. Never did get an invoice no matter how many times I asked.
I went straight to Corporate with my complaint, as I did not want to waste my time with Dan the Regional Manager (who apparently used to be the property manager at the facility) because I suspected that Dan taught Jessica everything he knows about defrauding customers on their way out.
I spoke with Derek Coffill, District Manager, and told him the whole scenario. He promised that he would thoroughly investigate. I felt confident that those fees would be dropped because I knew that the person that I paid to remove the items had done so as I had pictures.
I also told Derek that I was going to vacate the unit at the new facility because I don't trust any of those guys (apparently it was the manager at the new facility who had put that $150 fee on my account, so both facilities were in on it)
Several days later, I got notification that my complaint had been reviewed and those charges were still on my account.
So how deep does this defrauding of customers go and how high up the ladder of management does it go? Does a system wide audit of all of the post-move out fees need to be done to find out how many millions of dollars PUBLIC STORAGE IS STEALING FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH FRAUDULENT CHARGES.
After having been a customer of Public Storage for over 15 years, I am sick to my stomach that such practices are in place. But from the reviews that I have been reading over the past few days, this corruption goes to the very highest level. Maybe a RACKETEERING investigation needs to be started on these criminals at Public Storage who are defrauding innocent customers who are still being charged as guilty even though they have solid proof of their innocence. Jessica even changed my move out date from Aug 2 to Aug 6 so that she could slap me with a full month rental fee on both units as opposed to the prorated fee of 2 days that I had already paid.
PAY ATTENTION, PUBLIC STORAGE. YOU WILL BE INVESTIGATED SYSTEM WIDE.
The attached photos are a picture of the couch picked up on Friday 8/4/2017 between 8:30am and 9:am, as well as a photo of the truck used for picking up the items. You can clearly see bedrails in the back of the truck.

The storage unit i rented had a elevator and is on the 2nd floor unit #2694 at 10280 e. Colonial drive, Orlando, Fl. The elevator has been broken for over 5 weeks and i was told i would get the month of August free to allow me once elevator fixed to move out. As of today they are telling me i need to be out in 2 weeks or they r charging me. The elevator is still not fixed and i do not have anyway to get that stuff out without the elevator! The front desk person is rude and i can't get anyone from corporate or district manager to contact me back. I feel this is ridiculous and i am being treated unfairly.

Michele Carlson
[protected]

Don't use these guys if you value what you're storing. PS is apparently all about selling your stored items rather than being in the customer service / storage business. BEWARE! Here's what happened to me.

Columbus Ohio Hamilton location. PS did not provide written notice of a rate increase as required in the agreement. They don't even mail you an invoice so this comes as no surprise, but it required under the lease. Instead, I received an email indicating I had an outstanding balance, which was my first indication there was a problem. I immediately called PS and they told me how much to pay to correct and refused to accept responsibility to properly notify me. In their mind, the customer is always wrong and their records are always right.

After making full payment using their numbers, I received a lien notice that I am still $3.28 in arrears and PS intends to sell my property. No call - just the lien. Perhaps they charged me a fee or gave me the wrong amount to pay, but all my efforts to resolve in good faith have only encouraged PS to pursue the sale of my goods over $3.28! The total I was in arrears for at the worse case was around $40. It would be funny if not true.

Obviously customer service and customer retention is not what PS is all about or concerned with. Rather it appears their mission is to ensure they can take possession of your stored materials and sell them for profit using deceptive and punitive tactics. That is the only conclusion this saga results in.

I have made plans to remove my goods since PS within the next 30 days to protect me from their interest in profiting from my contents rather than my rent fee. Perhaps someday they will do this to attorney who is compelled to file a class action lawsuit to help PS find a path toward good business practices. I know I'm not alone and would sign onto that in a heartbeat. Until then, protect yourself by staying away from these guys.

Best, SH