Self-storage is an excellent option for storing things in a separate location from your home or business at an affordable price. The unit is notably handy when relocating temporarily from the town, remodeling, organizing, or holding items for future use. In some cases, people prefer to share a storage unit to cut costs further, for instance, students going away for the holidays. ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ -a common question in such scenarios. Read on to understand the possibility and precautions in sharing storage space with others.
You Can Make Space for Each Other’s Possessions
One significant advantage of sharing a storage unit is affordability. Before embarking on this arrangement, ensure that the person you’re getting into business with is trustworthy and reliable. You want to avoid a scenario where your belongings are missing or late payments on their share of the rent. Remember that if your name is on the lease, you are solely responsible for whatever happens within that space.
If your storage unit has more space than you need, consider getting a friend or family to share it with you. You can have their belongings on one end and yours on the opposite place. If you’re keen on details, have a metal storage facility painter give your space a fresh coat of paint, preferably in a light color like white, to make the unit appear bigger and brighter.
When scouting for a storage unit, consider a steel building construction, as these are made from sturdy, durable material. Security is one of the primary features to consider; follow this up by asking whether the premise has 24-hour surveillance for additional safety. Have a verbal agreement with your partner to agree that no one should get into the other person’s stuff. While this agreement will not hold in court, it will help maintain peace during your shared tenancy.
It Can Make Things More Accessible
The answer to ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ is a definite no. But you can share the space to make things more accessible for you and your friend or family. Most companies refuse to have two names on the lease to simplify the legal and administrative processes. It is easier for owners to follow up on one tenant when there is a hiccup than reaching out to multiple people, for example, when claiming rent. If something happens or items are claimed to be lost, it is easier for them to begin an investigation or legal suit against one tenant than multiple ones.
Despite these, you can still give your keys to whomever you wish to share the space with. Crane companies offer some of the larger units in the market, although they may come at an additional cost. Ensure the unit is accessible for all parties to reach to improve accessibility. Preferably a location both of you frequent for work, school, or life.
Different units have different features, and you need to know which suits your needs. You need a climate-controlled storage unit if you’re storing delicate items for a significant period. These allow you to access your items without a rush or fear of damage because the belongings are protected from environmental conditions like humidity, water, or excess heat. Also note that it is best suited to hire a storage space with 24-hour access so that you can retrieve the items whenever you need them, day or night, without restriction.
You Can Make the Unit Appear Nice
There is no harm in a little beautification project to make your surroundings look better. Depending on your reasons for hiring the space, you may move in and out of the unit often and stay there longer than you anticipated. However, note that working or living in a storage unit is illegal, as is often expressed on your rental agreement document. If you find yourself in that space for a long time or hope to hold on to it for a significant period, invest in renovation work.
You can DIY the project or hire a professional to put on a fresh coat of paint, some temporary shelving, and temporary flooring for better aesthetics. Since you don’t know the unit, you may not have the right to do more permanent projects and will not require the services of commercial concrete businesses. Focus on renovations that will increase the unit’s functionality, for example, shelves, to add more layers of space and make it easy to clean and track items.
Owning a storage facility is a lucrative business, and if you venture into this field, you can embark on more permanent renovations. Consider the services of bulldozer rentals to demolish some walls so that you can rebuild the structure to your liking. The storage unit business can generate the steady passive income you need for more financial freedom.
Shared Units May Be Easier to Find
If you live in an urban area, you may have noticed that finding a storage unit in a convenient location is more tasking than you thought. Businesses and individuals rent such spaces fast and for long periods because they are conveniently located within their areas of operation. At such times, sharing a storage unit becomes a key confederation for you, and you’re left wondering, ‘can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’
Unless you’re willing to move to the city’s outskirts, where storage units are more available, sharing the space is a viable option. Once you get a fellow business or person to share with, set clear boundaries for privacy. You can use something as simple as parking lot line striping to restrict each person’s space. It would help to balance friendliness and professionalism effectively to keep your arrangement peaceful.
You Can Each Manage Its Cleanliness
Storage units are one of the most neglected spaces, rarely cleaned and hardly ever sanitized by the renters. It is tempting to choose a carefree nature where you rarely clean your space, but this is likely to affect your belongings and not to mention the mountain of work when you finally choose to clean the space. Shared storage units require more frequent maintenance, like dusting, sweeping, and wiping down the containers. These are some of the responsibilities you sign up for when you say yes to the question, ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’
You can share these responsibilities with your partner for more flexibility. Depending on your availability, you can clean the space biweekly, once a month, or once eerie two to three months. The more foot traffic and items in the space, the greater the need for cleaning. Ensure you know each others’ nature of belonging, as you will need more gentleness if either of you stores delicate items like a control panel for pumping wastewater.
You only need to worry about the interiors of your storage space, as the property management will take care of the exterior. Some owners have already hired industrial sandblasting services to smooth out the flooring making cleaning much more straightforward. Having a predetermined schedule is the best way to go about the shared cleaning duties, but if both of you are too busy, you can hire someone to do the job or keep tabs so that each person cleans on their turn, regardless of the timeframe.
You Can Take Stress Out of Your Financial Lives
As mentioned earlier, one of the key reasons why people ask, ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ is to reduce costs. Sharing your storage unit puts less pressure on your finances, primarily if your unit is located in an urban area, making it cost more. If you’re a student with a small dorm, you need a storage unit all year round to make room for your dorm room. Renting a shared unit will make a massive difference to your already tight student budget.
Besides sharing rent, there are other ways to reduce the money you spend on storage unit rentals. Avoid long leases if you know you don’t need the space for long; long leases will keep you paying the rent until the date of dissolution, even if you don’t have any stuff stored in the unit. Even though you may intend to keep the belongings there for years, you can never be too sure about the performance of your business and its ability to pay for the space. In case of an unfortunate loss, you will need bankruptcy lawyers to get you out of this lease, among other financial commitments you may have made.
If you have prized possessions in the storage unit, consider scanning through a list of business insurance companies to find an insurance provider to cover your items. While this may seem counterproductive to your goal of spending less, it will save you money in the long run. If the unit is robbed, your insurance provider will compensate you for all the equipment or machinery you had stored there. The same applies to other scenarios like unforeseen fires, water damage, and theft, among other natural or artificial disasters.
Key Facts, Concerns, and Tips When Renting a Storage Unit With Someone Else
By now, you understand the question, ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ However, there are a few more things to keep the process smooth and help you prevent liability if you share a storage space. Kindly note that there are legal ramifications if things take a terrible turn, whether your name is on the lease or not. If your name is not on the lease, the official renter can deny you access, and it will take a legal process to regain possession of your items.
The best way to deter such a scenario is to have a written agreement, especially if you’re going to store items for your business. The agreement can contain the payment amount, payment date, storage unit rules, cancellation details, and partnership expectations. Contact a general lawyer if you need help drafting this agreement. Such action will ease the anxiety surrounding the concern of ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’
If your name is on the lease, then note that you’re liable for the actions and possessions stored in the unit. Enter into a partnership with someone you can trust to make the right choices. West case scenario is for them to store illegal items or conduct any illegal processes from the location. A run-in with law enforcement is the last thing you want, especially when your name is on the lease and there is little proof to show you do not own the illegal items.
Disorganization is another primary concern when thinking, ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ As mentioned, it is best to divide the unit so that everyone has their space. Check on the space often to ensure no one’s belongings are spilling over to the other person’s territory. While storage units help keep excess items, they, too, have a limit. Ensure your partner knows the need to declutter the space if things get out of hand regularly.
An essential tip is identifying a reasonable business or person to share the space with. Let it be someone with your level of accountability or higher to avoid hiccups. If there is an issue, it is best to resolve it as quickly as possible before it escalates. A mutually-beneficial partnership is possible to attain in the short and long run.
Mentioned above are some basic rules, concerns, and tips for sharing a storage unit successfully. The information has sufficiently answered the question, ‘Can you rent a storage unit for someone else?’ Sharing a storage unit has many benefits and can be one of the most suitable ways to reduce costs for you as an individual or business. Most of the work involves identifying the best-suited person to share the space with. Family ties and friendship may not be the most reliable way to select your storage unit partner; have a written agreement for safety and accountability.