Let’s be honest for a second. When you rent a storage unit, you’re usually thinking about now. You’re thinking about the junk in your garage, the boxes of winter clothes, or that furniture you just don’t have room for but can’t bear to sell. You think about yourself.
But life has a funny way of throwing curveballs. What happens if you’re out of town? What happens if you’re sick? Or, in a more serious light, what happens if something happens to you and your family needs to get into that unit?
It’s a thought that makes most of us squirm a little. We don’t like to think about it. But if you have a storage unit, you owe it to the people who might one day have to deal with your stuff to figure this out now. Trust me, the last thing you want is for your spouse, your kids, or your parents to be standing outside a locked metal door with a broken lock and no way to get inside.
The “What If” Scenario
Let’s paint a picture. You’re on a two-week cruise with no cell service. Your daughter calls because she needs her birth certificate for a new job—the one you told her was “in the storage unit.” She knows where the unit is, but she doesn’t have a key, and she isn’t on the lease.
Or, consider a worse scenario. You are suddenly hospitalized for an extended period. Your partner needs to access the unit to get your business documents or your work tools. They are stressed, they are scared, and now they are dealing with a storage facility manager who doesn’t know them and has strict rules.
This is where things get sticky. We run a storage facility, and we see this situation happen more often than you might think. It’s usually a moment of high stress for the family member trying to get in, and we want to help—but we have rules to follow too.
Why Can’t They Just “Get In”?
You might think, “They’re my family, it’s my unit, they should be able to get in!” It seems logical, right? But from our perspective, it isn’t that simple. We don’t know your family. You could be getting a divorce, you could have an estranged kid, or you could have a sibling trying to take your stuff.
We have a legal and moral obligation to protect your belongings. If we just let anyone with your last name walk in and empty the unit, we wouldn’t be doing our job. We are the gatekeepers of your stuff, and we take that seriously.
The process isn’t designed to be a hassle. It’s designed to protect you.
What’s the Solution? Let’s Plan Ahead
The good news? This is a super easy problem to fix. You just have to think about it before you sign the lease (or right now, if you haven’t yet).
Here is exactly how you can ensure your family has access to your storage unit without the headache:
1. Add an Authorized User
This is the absolute best way to handle it. When you first rent the unit, our rental agreement allows you to list other people who have access. This is often called an “Authorized User” or “Alternate Contact.”
- They get their own gate code or key.
- They can come and go as needed.
- You can remove them anytime you want.
It’s that easy. If you already have a unit and didn’t do this, give us a call. You can usually add a person to the lease with a quick visit to the office.
2. Give Them a Key or Gate Code
This is the simplest step. Make sure at least one trusted person knows the gate code and has a physical key to the lock.
- If you use a combination lock, tell them the combo.
- If you use a key lock, get a spare cut and give it to them.
Don’t just hide it in your desk drawer. Put it in their hand. It saves a whole lot of trouble.
3. Make Sure They Know the Plan
This is the “soft skill” part of the process. You can have a spare key, but if your partner doesn’t know you expect them to go to the unit in an emergency, they won’t think about it.
- Sit down and have the “Where’s the stuff?” conversation.
- Show them exactly where the unit is in the facility.
- Tell them about the gate code and the lock code.
4. Keep Your Paperwork in a Safe Place
If your family does need to access the unit and they aren’t on the lease, things get a little more complicated. In the event of your passing, they will need a copy of the lease and a Death Certificate (or legal paperwork if you are incapacitated) to legally take over the lease.
The “Emergency” Scenario
If you didn’t add an authorized user and you have an emergency, don’t panic. We aren’t monsters. We work with families in these situations all the time.
- If you are out of town, we can sometimes work with you over the phone to temporarily authorize someone, but it’s a process.
- In the case of a medical emergency, you’ll likely need to provide power of attorney or a doctor’s note.
The paperwork can take time. In a crisis, time is the one thing you don’t have.
How We Make It Easy
At our storage facility, we want to make this process as painless as possible. That’s why we encourage our renters to set up these access protocols from day one. We know life is busy, and we know you don’t want to think about the “worst-case scenario.”
We’ve designed our system to be flexible. You can add an authorized user online or in person in just a few minutes. We believe that your storage unit should be a solution, not a problem for your family down the line.
Don’t Leave It to Luck
Look, you don’t plan for the rainy day. You just have the unit. But by taking a few minutes today to add a name to your lease and hand over a spare key, you can save your family a world of stress.
They’re already going to be dealing with the situation—whether it’s a lost item or a loss in the family. Don’t make them fight with a storage facility gate too. Give them the access they need, because when they need that stuff, they need it now.
Taking care of this small detail means you are taking care of the people you love. So, go ahead, call your spouse, text your kid, and make sure they know where the key is. It’s a tiny act of kindness that will pay off big time in the future.
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