Public Storage — Local services in Carrboro

The staff at this facility is wonderful (5 Stars) and Logan is especially helpful with any questions or rental needs, but her hands appear to be tied when it comes to management policies at Public Storage (2 Stars). The facilities are very well maintained, but beware of their unfriendly policies if you intend to store your stuff here for an extended period of time (years).

The Backstory: My friend and future wife had been using the Morningstar storage facility for a number of years before we started dating and were later married. Based on her positive experience, I also rented a 10 x 20 unit to accommodate my household relocation to Chapel Hill. After being acquired by Public Storage a few years back, a number of consumer-unfriendly changes were implemented. These included the padlocking of the dumpster on the property and steep annual rent increases. I vacated my unit this summer when the rent became too much to justify (outside 10 X 20 unit for $265 mo) after several annual 10% + price increases.

The environmentally controlled 10 x 20 space rented by my wife also experienced steep annual price hikes to where she was being billed $377 per month after another 10% price hike this year (2016). Curious about whether she was being treated equitably, I checked the current prices for this storage unit using the Public Storage online tool. I was surprised to see that current renters would be able to save $173 per month over the rental that my wife was getting billed ($204 versus $377 for 10 x 20 environmentally controlled space).

When she asked at the office about an adjustment, she was told that there would be no rate adjustment even though the current "web only" rate was 46% lower than my wife was being billed. She offered to rent a "new" unit in order to secure the lower price and was told that "transfers" do not get the online pricing either. In order for me to get the online price of $204 / month, she needed to terminate her lease, vacate her current unit and move four doors down the hall to a duplicate 10 x 20 storage unit that I rented under my name. Note: If I was named anywhere on her rental agreement (emergency contact, authorized user, etc) I would not be eligible for the online pricing. Thankfully I was not named on any of her paperwork so the online pricing was available to me.

After packing and moving my wife's things 40 feet down the hall from her old unit to my new unit, we are now paying a market price of $204.....but what a hassle. BEWARE: If you remain a customer of Public Storage for several years, your rental cost will eventually be FAR...

Beware, they get you in at a low price and then jack your rate up. I signed up and moved in 5 months ago. For my 5th month's bill I noticed my payment had increased by 18%. When you call their support number, if the system recognizes your phone number from being on file, it will only direct you to the local office (this one for me). The person working at this office said that rates go up regularly and that I should call the national office if I wanted to attempt to reduce the increase. I had to figure out for myself that I needed to call from another number because after many more calls to this office, no one picked up. I finally was able to talk to Brienne (not sure of spelling) in customer service from the national office. She told me that rates go up and that it was in my contract. Not "I'm sorry" or "here's the reason why the rate went up". She was cold and could care less about my complaint. To me this indicative of a company culture that knows that once they get you in, they have you. No one wants to have to move all of their stuff just after moving it. I asked Brienne if there was any way they could reduce the rate increase. She said that the rate was still below "market price" so they could not. This "market price" term she used reflected the price on the Public Storage website for a walk up. I asked if I could speak to her manager and she told me she could transfer me but it would not help. I still asked her to transfer me and it directed me to voicemail. I left a message with my details and asked for a callback. That's been 12 days ago and I do not expect a return call. I would highly recommend you take your storage needs elsewhere if you want a rate that does not increase in less...

Morningstar was great. Good facilities, conscientious and friendly employees. They have just been bought out by Public Storage. Public Storage cleared out all of the folks from Morningstar and replaced them with staff who have all the charm of meter maids whose entire wage is a percentage of penalty fees and proceeds from auctions. They are brusque and unpleasant. Worse, they seem disinterested in helping you resolve problems that originate with their business practices.

Immediately upon purchasing Morningstar, they began rejecting monthly payment checks from lease holders that were made out to Morningstar. They called all of us and left threatening messages informing us that we were in violation of our leases and would be assessed penalties if we didn't have new checks in their hands by the end of the week. Those who had third parties covering their leases would mostly just have to pay the penalties. This kind of crap seems to be part of the Public Storage business model.

Just two days ago--a full two months after Public Storage took over Morningstar--leaseholders got written notice of the buyout and a copy of their new lease.

I will be looking to get my stuff out...