Simply Self Storage Reviews
Bloomfield, NJ
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About Simply Self Storage
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Simply Self Storage has delivered storage solutions since 2003. Units come in multiple sizes and include features like climate control and advanced security systems. Simply Self Storage also offers online account management and flexible leasing options.
- Clean and well-maintained facility
- Good communication from management
- Convenient access to storage units
- Frequent rent increases
- Poor customer service during issues
- Hidden fees and unclear pricing
Simply Self Storage Reviews
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Reviewed May 17, 2016
I rented for almost three years (units 1057, 1064). The onsite staff is very good at Finneytown OH/North Bend Road facility. I always got good service. The facility is clean. The climate controlled storage room still got over 85 degrees and very humid in summer. The back wall leaked water occasionally. There was one time the gate was broken for 2 days and no drive-in access was possible but you could walk in if manager was onsite.
My complaint is about lack of full disclosure of financial terms upfront and the vacate policy. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get anything in writing about true charges until you actually rent a unit. Not disclosed initially is that insurance (about 10% upcharge) is REQUIRED. You are charged a monthly fee (!) to put the monthly payment on autopay with a credit card or bank payment transfer. Vacate policy is described glibly as "10 days notice". That is inaccurate: rent is paid on the first of the month and if you give 10 days notice on the 2nd of the month, you still must pay for the entire month - there are no prorated refunds of the excess rent.
The financial terms are not clear or transparent. They are not available on the website. Everything is in literally tiny fine print on a contract which is so lengthy and obtuse and NOT PLAIN LANGUAGE that I would bet no one takes the 1 hour necessary to read it. I cannot find anywhere in writing the "no prorated refunds policy". (Below in the Order number box I put my former unit number.)
Reviewed Sept. 24, 2015
First let me tell you I had my unit here for almost 6 years. They change managers like a clean person changes underwear. The best one they had who was there the longest was Mike. The manager there now, or at least earlier this year, lied to me, my brother and my friends. I never got a letter about the auction date for my unit. My brother was lied to over the phone about making the payments to save the unit. My friends wanted to bid on the unit in the auction and it was not listed during the dates they were told it would be. They mailed me a check for the amount over the amount paid from the person in Ohio who got my belongings.
I am writing to the corporate offices, AH Property, and the Attorney Generals of both states involved. They were on the news for being crooked after my unit was gone. They just think I went away silently. I am not done with them and I am telling everyone to take their business elsewhere. They are a private owned company and act like heartless corporate company.
Reviewed July 28, 2015
I had a storage unit in Cliffwood NJ. It all started out friendly. I had to get a storage unit because the bank came and knocked on my door. They were indicating that they were going to take the house right after hurricane Sandy. I was working at the time trying to get out of that house. But with all the bills I just wasn't making enough to move out. So I took my things to Simply Storage so that I could at least have piece of mind that if I had to move quickly my things would be safe. But then as I was working two jobs and killing myself Simply Storage kept raising their rates. They didn't give me a courtesy call to remind me that the rates were going up. They just automatically withdrew it from my checking account.
When I finally realized it on my bank statement. I called the location. I was upset but the woman explained I had signed a contract. I also told her that it would have been nice to give me a reminder. I told her I can't deal with the payments they are way too much. If there was something she could do. I was paying so much and wasn't gonna be able to deal with the rates going up. Then I lost my jobs. I called again. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing got resolved.. No one called back. My credit card was hacked. And in that pay period I was given a new credit card. I also had an ex-boyfriend causing me problems too. I had to change my number.
After Simply caught up to me with my new current number she was rude and nasty to me. So I made a choice right then and there. I told her "that's it." I've been through too much in the past few years. Mentally and physically exhausted, I said "that's it. I'm getting my things." And she agreed over the phone that I could get my things and be done with the nightmare payments. So I would be done with paying $200 a month. I could breathe a sigh of relief but not for long. Then came the abusive letters telling me they were going to put a lien on my rental til I paid in full. They attached insurance which I don't remember agreeing to and late fees and default fees. For months. After being charged for months at a rate that for some reason couldn't be reduced.
So now after a year they are still charging me. I tried calling corporate. I tried getting help. I've made a lot of phone calls trying to get help. It seems like no one can or will help me. I can't bring myself to even give a start up above. This company should really appreciate the fact that sometimes people lose their jobs and can't pay. If I took all my things out and called, gave notice within the four days that I was told why should I pay... Why do they get to charge me for something I'm not using. After I spoke to this woman and told her I couldn't pay. Told her I was getting my things. Left the unit empty. They still want money... To be honest I'm gonna seek legal help. This has upset me so much. This year for me hasn't been and these threatening letters to pay only cause me anxiety.
Reviewed June 11, 2015
I rented a storage month to month. I had a problem with my unit. I contacted them bunch of time. Never got the problem resolved. After dealing with the issue for about 3 month, I told the manager I am done with them. I packed my stuff and left. After couple months I checked my credit and they put in my credit that I owe them 1100$. First thing if I was late they would have never gave me my merchandise that was stored.
Reviewed April 25, 2015
The facility used to be owned by A-Plus Storage and they were bought by Simply Self Storage in August 2014. We got a letter on August 14, 2014 informing us of the ownership change and new payment structure. We received a call in October letting us know that our payment was due shortly after they were bought by ** (the local site manager). I went to her office with our proof of payment showing that we paid in December of 2013 for a full year in advance with two months free rent thus making us paid in full thru March 22, 2015. She was not aware of this, but made copies of our payment records to get with her upper management. Then in December of 2015, I received another call from the new site manager (**) stating that our payment was late and that we needed to make payment.
Again, I went into the local office to meet with her and document our payment record and that we weren't due until March 22, 2015. She conferred with her District Manager by telephone and they finally said that we were paid thru March 22, 2015. At that time, I inquired as to what our future rate structure would be and they stated that since we had to come into the office on two separate occasions to verify our payments that they would keep our rates the same and offer one month of free rental if we paid for a full year in advance. We agreed to this and thought everything would be fine until our payment became due in the spring of 2015.
When the first week of April came, we received a phone call stating that we were late on our payment. I went to the local office on April 14 to express our apology for being late (we weren't invoiced and since we have always paid for a year in advance, I didn't have a bill pay reminder set-up). The local office personnel on that day stated that ** was at another store and wouldn't be back for two business days. I stated that I had come in to pay for the one year in advance and they didn't know anything about our agreement at the previous rates as Simply Self Storage had raised our rates 11.17% on our unit. I asked her to call ** and she did. ** then stated that she had a new District Manager and that she recalled our agreement with her previous District Manager, but would have to get approval from her new superior as her hands were tied.
She left a voice mail with her new manager and stated that she would follow-up with me the next business day. ** contacted me on April 17, 2015 informing me that her present District Manager stated that isn't the policy of Simply Self Storage and therefore wouldn't honor the previous commitment. I went up to the local office on the 17th of April and spoke to ** in person. She recalled our previous agreement (another employee was present as well) and stated that her new manager wouldn't honor the agreement.
I asked for her District Manager's superior and she gave me the corporate phone number. I called that day and made a complaint. On April 18, we received an email from the present District Manager (**) stating that this isn't the company policy. Thru a chain of email correspondence of which I can attach, we could never reach a workable solution as the principle of the matter is to honor your commitments. Very poor leadership!
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
I have had a unit with this company since 2007. My rent over the year has gone up $56.00. I am now finally able to move out and my fiancé and I just bought a home. They ask for a 10 day notice. I gave them a 3+week notice and they still wanted the month in full. I said I would like a prorated amount. They said that they do not do prorated amounts. I said then I will just move out what I want to take and they can keep the rest. They then told me that I will be fined for "cleaning up my trash". I said “that’s funny because when I was late on a payment 2 years ago you wanted to sell ‘my trash’.”
I then asked for the corporate number and the property manager said she didn’t know it. I then asked for her boss's number and she said “I can't give it to you.” The Regional ended up emailing me twice and I repeatedly asked to speak with her on the phone and she has refused to call me. AWFUL PLACE TO RENT FROM AND AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!! RIP OFF!!!!
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
Breton Road Kentwood, MI - We went to inform of our plans to vacate at office. She said my bill was past due. The bill in my hand said it was due that day. She threatened to ruin my credit and had me on video if I left with my contents and didn't pay, it would be stealing. She walked down to unit minutes later after my nephew arrived, stating we let him in an exit (which there were no signs indicating this or that we broke a rule) and she had called the police. She said she changed the code to get out and we couldn't leave and the police were on the way. She then said we had 5 minutes to leave which made no sense.
We loaded our things and were able to get out with our code but she was waiting in her car for us to leave. She followed me and at a stop light, pulled up next to my car and made a face at me.The six family members there will spread the word any way we can to educate others about this company. I have also reported this to the corporate office.
Reviewed Sept. 26, 2014
8 months of rent on two storage units are being kept on our month to month lease agreement. This company is very unfriendly to those customers who PREPAY rent. They refuse to refund unused money when leasing month to month. Who does that??? Companies who do not care if they keep a customer does that. When asked if I could sublease the 8 months that we prepaid (since we no longer need the space) and was told very vehemently that it is illegal to sublease per their contract. The space is always filthy from the sprayed on fireproof insulation that continuously falls down. I would NOT recommend doing business with this company.
Reviewed Sept. 5, 2014
My rent was $100 seven years ago and every year but one they raise my rent. NOT everyone though. I talked to a guy who had two jet skis in his unit for five years and only had his rent raised once. When I fell behind, they cut off the lock to inventory tournaments for potential auction. I had a 1500 sq" house and hurriedly moved all my household goods into their facility for $99.00 a month. In knowing how much stuff I have & the difficulty involved in moving it, I feel they are unfairly targeting me and others in a similar situation for extortion of rent. EVERY January but one in six or seven years. The guy with the jet skis could hook up his gear & be cleared out in minutes so his rent isn't raised every year. It would take me days to load out and I feel it's greed at the most despicable level to those least able to afford it and have initially, politely (the first three times) told them my feelings and I'm sure they look forward to my reaction every year. They used to give you a $50.00 credit if you recommend someone but the greedy ** lowered it to $30.00.
No matter though as I have told them that when someone asks me about where to store their stuff...I say ANY place BUT Simply Self Storage. I was paying about $112.00 total the first year and now I have to pay $165.00+ due to "their need to occasionally raise their rent" and they also charge me a dollar to allow me to pay online and GIVE BUCKS to phone in my payment. I have no clue what their late fees are y hear days but I'm sure it's over $20.00 because I not pay late again because I feel a class action lawsuit would be ideal to adjust their (I feel) criminal behavior. If they raised my rent and didn't raise EVERYONE else's...that's selective extortion. I would love to be part of a lawsuit to bust their. It absolutely infuriates me every time I have to pay them.
Reviewed Aug. 27, 2014
I went in to the office the day 8/25/14 to fill out my contract, after holding a unit online. I told him that I would be moving in the next day and I already had a lock. He said "That's fine just come into the office when you bring the movers and I will take the company lock off for you." The next day at 1215, I arrived with my moving company. I went to the office and there was a sign on the door that said back at 1300. My movers and I waited at my storage unit for 30 minutes and I was being charged by the moving company. Both I and the company kept calling the phone number and it would go to a voice mail.
Finally they picked up and the guy who I worked with the day before came out to take the lock off. I asked him if they were going to pay the money that I wasted waiting for him and the "manager" to come back from lunch. He just walked away and told me that I would have to speak to the "manager". I went into the office and the manager would not even acknowledge me. We started talking and I DID raise my voice, but did NOT yell. She refused to give me Corporate's number. I had to look it up on my phone and talk to them.
She sent SOMEONE an email while I was there. I got a call back later from a man CLAIMING he was from corporate office and that it was my fault that I didn't call before coming to the unit, EVEN THOUGH THE OFFICE HOURS POSTED ON SITE AND ON THE WEBSITE SAY 0930 - 1800. THEN HE THREATENED TO CALL MY MILITARY COMMANDER FOR MY BEHAVIOR IN THE STORE! He said I was yelling at his employee and that I was cussing at her and calling her names. He also would NOT GIVE ME HIS NAME AND CALLED ME ON A PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER. Then he told me I could come and get my ** out of the unit if I was unhappy. He also told me that there was no one else I could talk to about the situation because he was in charge of Texas and Georgia. He then threatened me that if I was to take this to court, he had corporate lawyers and he would win.
Reviewed July 17, 2014
Simply Self Storage Barnegat, NJ - This place is filthy! Every time I went to collect something, the hand cards were nowhere to be found. Asked about it in the office and I got a shrug of the shoulders and was told I'd have to search the facility for one. "Customers move them" was the response. In my mind I was paying $130 a month to have full use of the facility, including the hand carts. Why should I have to run up and down the aisles of this complex and up and down on the disgusting filthy elevators to look. Management sits in the office on their duff and does nothing more than collect rent! By all means, SKIP OVER THIS JOINT.
Reviewed Oct. 24, 2013
I attended an auction at the Riverside location in Macon, GA on the 23rd of October. There were supposed to be 13 or 14 units sold. There was no reserve placed on these units. The first unit sold for 25 dollars, the second unit sold for 250 dollars. The district manger whose name I was told is Tony ** got angry and said if nobody was going to bid on them, he was not going to give them away. He stopped the auction then. I feel that he wasted my time and cost me and the company money!
Reviewed Sept. 28, 2013
I had been with this storage company for over eight months. I had never missed a payment, neither was I ever late. I had scheduled a move out on September 10, 2013. On September 1, I went into the office to ask for the price that it would be to move out on the 10th. I was told I would have to pay $45.69 and that that balance will remain the same until the day of the 10th. When the 10th came, I was told that my balance was $70.26. I could not understand this but the lady said that I was being charged a late fee??? I told her ,"You told me three times that the balance would be $45.69"??? She told me that the balance was because I did not pay the $45.69 on the day of the first!!!???
I was like, "Why would you not tell me that on the day I came in which was the first???" So I ended up having to pay her $70.26? The date of the 10th, I mistakenly left the lock on the storage accidentally and they stated that they Reached out to my email address but could not get in contact with my email? They stated that they sent me two mailings that I never received??! They also stated that they called my emergency number and no one answered???!!! Finally, I received a postcard that they stated they mailed two weeks prior??????!!!
I ended up having to pay them another $106.81!? They charged me two late fees and one month! $24 and $15. As a consumer that has never been late neither missed a payment, I felt used and abused by this company. The manager of the company basically told me that there was absolutely nothing I can do about it except pay the money with a smile... If you are considering using Simply Self Storage, I urge you NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE, EVER! It's just not worth it :(
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2013
I have 2 storage units with Simply Storage. I placed all of my daycare furniture there after closing down. I kept it because I planned on reopening. Simply Storage has been receiving from my bank 3 or 4 checks a month for $192.00 each. It took me a while to catch this as I am very busy and do not always have time to reconcile my accounts. Simply Storage did not inform me of any overpayments. Instead, they sent me a letter stating an increase in monthly rent. My bank may have recently contacted them because I have received a 2nd letter stating that one of my units had a missing lock that they have just replaced and that I should get a new one. How convenient!! I believe they have accessed my unit and God knows what they may have done with the contents. I plan on taking this to my attorney and possibly suing them. Anyone with similar experience, please call let me know. Thanks!
Reviewed March 7, 2013
I am renting unit ** at ** Rd. in Rochester Hills, Michigan and after several complains to the manager **, she still did not clean the entrance. I am so upset with this cheap company that I will never recommend! I wanted to be out yesterday and I am withholding fees using my lawyer! Give me a break! I cannot enter my unit since February 26th. Today is March 6th! The poor management all does is dump hot water on the unit, dada! This cold weather (below zero) makes the situation worse. When can I open my unit and get out if this terrible facility? I do not recommend!
Reviewed Oct. 26, 2012
My daughter had her (Simply Self) storage unit broken into. There were 29 units that were broken into during daylight hours; no cameras or security were there. They cut the locks on all units. Could the storage company be liable since she is paying for a secure facility? Please call me at **. Thanks.
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2012
Is it legal for Simply Self Storage to charge an additional $1.00 fee to make payments online? It is easier to make a payment online, but Simply Self Storage adds an extra $1.00 to use the online payment method.
Reviewed Nov. 18, 2010
In November of 2009, I was looking for a Self Storage facility to hold my personal belonging, due to I was moving into a smaller apartment. I came across Simply Self Storage located in Bloomfield, New Jersey which is near my apartment. Therefore, I started renting a 5x10 storage unit on a monthly basis (unit #103). In this 5x10 storage unit, I placed many of my personal items such as DJ Equipment, DJ Lights, Amps, Speakers, Subwoofer, Smoke Machine, Mixers, Power Tools, Power Outdoor Tools, and Air Conditioner Unit and among other personal items.
I moved into my new apartment in December of 2009. On February 27, 2010, I went to my storage unit to do two things (1) remove the air conditioner unit to bring back to my new apartment and (2) speak with one of the manager that was on duty to lower my insurance coverage. Everything in my storage unit was in place, there was no problems with my storage unit and my personal items were safely stored. On July 7, 2010, I purchased a new air conditioner from Home Depot. Therefore, the one I removed from my storage unit I was taken it back. The day of July 10, 2010, I went to my storage area to place the old air conditioner back in storage, when I opened the storage unit door I was surprise at what I saw.
Everything in my unit was stolen, the lock that holds the storage unit latch was in place and not damaged or broken, the problem was that the latch cover that holds the latch in place that keeps the door from opening is only held by two small screws and not by a more secured bolt, anyone with an screwdriver can just walk remove the screws and just take whatever they want. After noticing my personal items were missing, I went to the manager who was on duty and advise her of what happened. She didn't seem to helpful or concern, she asked me whether the lock was broken, I replied, "No, it was not." Her response was, "Well, if the lock wasn't not broken then how did your stuff get stolen, we don't have keys to your lock." Again, I explain to her, it looks like they removed the two screws from the other side of the door to get in.
She then advised me that I needed to call the cops to report it, again no assistance. She then gave me a copy of my insurance paper and advised me to contact the police and contact the insurance company to file a report. Within 45 minutes, a policemen came and took down my information. Now this concerns me, my question is are there any type of charges that can be filed against this storage facility for not providing a more secured area. I have pictures of some of the stuff that was stolen. Also, pictures of how the two screws are holding the latch cover. The two small screws they have in place is totally unacceptable, If I am paying a facility for properly securing my belongings they should have some type of accountability for providing a more secured place.
Two bolts should have been used instead of two small screws. Again anyone with a screwdriver can just walk in just take whatever they want. This facility has security cameras on the outside of their building, but there are none inside the building where the storage units are located. Also on July 12, 2010, I contacted their main office at ** spoke with Erica to file a formal complaint.
Recently, I received a denial of my claim from the insurance company stating that due to their investigation, there were no signs of force entry or based on their policies, they do not pay for items that mysteriously disappears.
My problem with this is I'm sure no one fully investigated this matter only took what's on the police report. If they would have went to the storage location and seen how easy someone can break in then the results would have been different. I do have pictures of mostly all items taken and how the storage unit I was renting looks like. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Reviewed Dec. 2, 2009
Simply Self Storage Company Information
- Company Name:
- Simply Self Storage
- Website:
- www.simplyss.com