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Self storage guide for students

When you are away at university, whether you are staying in halls or sharing a house with others, the end of term can present you with the challenge of what to do with all your stuff! It is likely that, even if you are staying put in your accommodation for the forthcoming term, you won’t want to leave your belongings unattended in a shared house. You probably also won’t want to take them back to your family home just to have to bring it all back again next term.

Self storage can be the answer to this age-old student dilemma. There are more options than ever available for self storage now with facilities conveniently location to most major student towns and cities. Some students even find that self storage can be useful year round to store larger items like sports equipment – especially if space is limited in halls or rented accommodation.

Is self storage right for you?

Before you start, decide whether self-storage is the right solution for you. If you are renting privately, perhaps check with your landlord whether you can leave you stuff in your room over the holidays. For many student houses, rent is not payable over the long summer holiday period and a new tenancy is required at the start of the new academic year. This means that you may need to move your belongings out, even if you are returning.

If you are not able to leave your stuff in situ over the holidays, the most sensible alternative is to If you cannot leave your stuff behind and don’t have any suitable options when it comes to safely storing your belongings, don’t feel that the only solution is to take everything home with you. There is a better way!

Storage options for students

Depending on how much you have to store, most self storage companies have storage options in a wide range of sizes – from around 10 sq ft of space (about the size of a telephone box or the boot of an estate car). Generally speaking, you will be able to gain access to your things whenever you want, although, it is a good idea to check access arrangements first.

Types of storage

As well as the more commonly seen storage options, which are basically a private, locked room, some storage facilities offer some other options which may be suitable – metal cage storage in a shared room is one alternative which we have seen. Another option to keep costs down may be to share storage space with friends or housemates.

Things to remember...

Be realistic about the amount of space you need – if you are not sure what you can fit in a space, have a look at our guide to storage space on our blog.
Make sure you understand when you are able to access the building and that it is likely to be a time when you can visit.
Use good packaging materials. It may seem like a good idea to skimp of packaging materials as they can seem expensive, however, well packed boxes are safer and more efficient to store and easier to transport and move. See our guide to packing for storage for more information.
Invest in a good quality padlock. Most facilities will offer to sell you one, although you may find it is cheaper to buy one from a DIY store.
Compare the cost of storage insurance – Again, most self storage facilities will offer to sell you insurance as part of the package – be cautious however and make sure that you understand the level of insurance you required (full replacement value) as well as the scope of cover being offered. See our blog 'I lost £180,000 in a self storage fire' for more on the perils of under insurance.

From our blog...

Things to consider when purchasing Storage Insurance

21/03/2023

With self storage Insurance now being compulsory at all reputable storage providers, it is another item to take into consideration when renting a self storage unit. More often than not, storage insurance will be included as part of your self storage agreement from the storage providers. However, it is not the most economic option compared to specialist self storage insurance providers like Store Insure, you may also find out too late that it does not provide the appropriate cover for your stored items.

By choosing Store Insure to cover your treasured goods and belongings whilst in self storage, we will ensure you are getting the correct cover and the best deal, after all this is what we specialise in! Despite being experts in the storage insurance sector, we do realise that not everyone shares our enthusiasm, so we have put together a list of things to consider when purchasing storage insurance, to make the process slightly easier!

Aren’t all Storage Insurance policies the same?

This is a very good question and one we get asked all the time. For potential purchasers, being offered storage insurance ‘included’ in a self storage lease agreement can be very tempting. There would be no need to look elsewhere or contact another insurance provider and everything could be kept in one place. However, not all storage insurance policies are the same - you wouldn’t dream of purchasing your car insurance on the spot from the garage without doing some shopping around, so why should storage insurance be any different? When looking to purchase any storage insurance which is included (in particular), we would advise caution for a number of reasons.

Included does not mean free...

We all know the well-worn phrase, ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch’ and this is particularly relevant here. If a storage provider is including the cost of insurance in the storage price, you will still be paying for it – you just don’t know how much it is costing! You are within your rights to ask for a breakdown of the quote, to see what the cost of the self storage unit would be with and without the included insurance. Although it is compulsory to have storage insurance, remember it is not compulsory to purchase storage insurance from the self storage provider. In our experience, this kind of included cover is rarely competitively priced and is often basic in what is covered, you should always get a quote from a specialist insurer, like Store Insure, for comparison.

Make sure cover is sufficient for your needs

Be prepared and take some time to work out level of storage insurance cover you need vs the cover you are looking to purchase.

Is the storage insurance policy sufficient to cover the goods you are storing? We always recommend you calculate the sum insured based on the replacement value of what you are storing.
Are you paying for more cover than you need? Storage Insurance through Store Insure will provide cover to goods estimated at as little as £2,000 increasing to as much as £100,000 if required. Based on customer reviews we are often better value for money than the ‘included’ storage insurance from storage providers.

Like any other insurance you purchase, it is unlikely that the ‘one-size fits all’ included policy from the storage provider, is going to reflect your specific cover requirements.

Is the single item limit cost enough for your specific needs?
Is the insurance cover for a set period of time?
Is the cost of the included insurance calculated monthly, based on the total storage time you have indicated?

Storage insurance from Store Insure can be purchased for as little as one month through to eighteen months and when your cover expires, you can easily get a quote and purchase another policy online at any time – see our FAQ’s for more information.

Is the excess excessive?

Another area of difference between policies is the amount of excess to be paid in the event of a claim. The policy excess on a Store Insure storage insurance policy starts at just £50 (this could increase if you are storing your goods in a container which is kept outside). Your insurance excess should not be so high as to put you off claiming.

Consider the risks...

Finally, with any insurance policy, check what risks you are actually covered for and ensure that they are comparable to our specialist policy. For example, a Store Insure storage insurance policy will cover you for the following risks, both whilst in storage, and, while in transit to and from the storage facility:

Fire, Lightning, Explosion and Earthquake
Smoke
Theft or Attempted Theft
Riot, Civil Commotion, labour disputes or political disturbance
Storm or Flood
Vandalism or Malicious Acts
Collision – Aircraft, Vehicles or Animals
Escape of Water or Oil.
Moth, Insect or Vermin from a source outside of the Storage Unit (certain locations only – please check our summary of cover for exclusions).

We would always recommend that you get your storage insurance from a specialist provider like Store Insure. Store Insure has been a leading supplier of storage insurance since 2015, during this time we have provided insurance cover for tens of thousands of customers. We are one of the highest rated Storage Insurance providers on Trustpilot and pride ourselves on making sure that the storage insurance cover you are buying suits your needs.