I guess you pay for convenience.
This Public Storage location was extremely convenient to my future apartment, so I went with them. Online reservation is convenient, but you still have to contact them personally by phone or in-person to confirm the unit and rental payment. They will not hold/reserve the unit longer than a couple of days if you don't answer their calls during business hours right away. Which was difficult when I was working 2 jobs. However, even with a 50% Off 1st Month's Rent, I left the office paying $167 for my first month for a 5x10 unit. I was beyond disappointed with that, especially when a bill for the second month was only $145 flat. They charge you administrative fees, require you to pay for their insurance (whether minimum or maximum), and also tack on $20 for the lock. Why offer a discount, when they hardly apply to your rental at all? If this rental wasn't needed somewhat last-minute, I would have shopped around for a more affordable alternative. I also wouldn't believe the "Pay $1 for 1st Month" advertisements, based on my situation with the 50% Off discount. The office staff was very nice, and the units themselves need some outside maintenance.
- Kelli