Self storage at Shawford Road, Shawford

paul smith

5

I parked a vehicle there , good value for money

Adam

1

Price has been increased exponentially over the last few years. Far beyond the cost of living increases. Little to no improvement has been made to the yard so not sure what the price increases cover. Most concerning issue: Called recently to ask about renting another container for a friend. When I asked the rent price, I was given a price £330 per year cheaper than I was paying after 8 years of occupation at the site. Clearly the person I spoke to didn't realise that I already had a unit and seemed to run out of things to say when I pointed this out and asked why the rent was so much cheaper to new customers. When I pointed out that the cost was significantly cheaper for me to cancel my current unit and move into one new door, his response was that if I took on the cheaper unit, my annual rent increase would be huge in comparison to the lower rent. If you are paying the lower rent, it sounds like you may be heading towards a rent increase which will be higher than I currently pay, as your rate will meet mine as mine is increased. I'm still trying to establish the logic to this comment from him. ( So paying more now means I wont have such a large rent increase in the future? But...) I escalated my complaint to someone who offered to make a slight reduction but was still far beyond what I would pay if i were to vacate my current unit and move into the one next door. I find it very frustrating that after 8 years of renting at the site, the way I get treated seems underhand and calculated. You need to constantly monitor prices covertly and negotiate rent directly each time there is an increase. As I'm a bit frustrated about the situation I'll use this opportunity to point out that on more than one occasion I have had to call the office to be guided through the process to open the electric gate when its broken down. There was a period of around a year when every time I attended my unit there was a pallet or two leant up against the door. I called the office to ask for this to stop and was told by whoever answered the phone that the person in the container doing it was a friend of theirs and they would have a word. Nothing changed. Also my container was once opened without my knowledge. I cant recall the reason given when the Sentry guy on site at the time told me. I wasn't overly concerned but I did put an additional lock on the door so I would know if entry was ever gained again. I am now looking for somewhere else to rent and would not recommend Sentry Storage, especially not for long term storage.

adam marjason

1

I accepted a fair deal on a large storage container at Shawford and for the first few years the price remained reasonable. Then it jumped forward significantly in cost. I called to discuss this and was offered a slight reduction. But from that moment the price increased exponentially at every opportunity. The price increases each year are huge when looked at as a percentage. Yes, costs may have gone up, although Shawford seems to be a low overhead yard so I’d question how the costs have suddenly soared. But not everyone can increase their wages or income and there comes a point when it gets out of hand. I’ve recently called out of curiosity to find out if new customers were getting a better deal as I can’t imagine many people would be paying the amount I am per month for a container. It was lucky I did. Apparently new customers rates start at £350 per year less than I pay after 8 years of being a loyal customer (this price is for a like for like sized container). I could save myself money by renting new container at this rate under my wife’s name. Or, Sentry could show some fairness after the years I’ve been putting in the pot. When I called to query the unfair pricing I was offered a small discount which was still well in excess of the rate new customers get. I would think after 8 years of custom without so much as a late payment, we would be afforded the same rent as everyone else. I did decline the offer as I will look for somewhere cheaper instead. Once I had declined Sentry didn’t come back with any form of apology or in fact any communication at all. Very poor customer service and very unfair pricing. They will rent a unit cheaper to someone who could be in and out and leave an empty unit for months, than someone who has the unit year after year.

Glen Wakefield

5

Sentry Self Storage has been a lifesaver during our home renovations. We’ve used their container unit for approx. 6 months overall, and the service has been fantastic. Secure, convenient, and great value, especially with their initial 4-week deal. A special shout out to Dave Wills, who went above and beyond to offer us their initial great rate, but then also for an extension period when our project over ran. His helpful and flexible approach made all the difference. Highly recommend Sentry (Dave Wills especially) for anyone needing reliable storage company. They've been great.