Usually it isn’t anyone being sneaky. It’s that a storage bill has five or six parts, and most places only advertise one of them. So here’s the whole thing, in plain English, so you can compare any facility in the Lehigh Valley on the same terms — including ours.
The monthly rate
This is the number on the sign. Two things to know about it.
It’s tied to a specific unit, not just a size. A 10×10 on the first floor near the door and a 10×10 upstairs are different products at different prices. That’s not a trick — people pay more for convenience — but make sure you’re comparing the same thing between facilities.
Ask whether it’s a promotional rate, and what it becomes. A lot of storage pricing is an introductory rate that steps up after the promo ends. Ours is right on the sign: 50% off your first two months, then the standard rate for that unit. You should be able to get that same answer from anyone in one sentence. If you can’t, that tells you something.
The administrative fee
A one-time charge at move-in to set up your account. It’s standard across the industry — nearly everyone has one — but it’s also the line most often left out of a phone quote. Ask for it by name.
The lock
You’ll need one, and most places require a specific type. Usually a disc lock rather than a padlock, because a padlock shackle can be cut in a few seconds. Some facilities include it, some sell you one, some let you bring your own if it meets spec. One question, quick answer.
Insurance or a protection plan
This is the part that surprises people most, so here it is straight.
Your belongings are not covered by the facility’s insurance. The facility insures its building. You insure what’s inside your unit. Every lease in this industry works this way, ours included, and any place that lets you believe otherwise is doing you a disservice.
You’ve usually got three options:
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Your existing homeowner’s or renter’s policy. Many already cover belongings stored off-site. Check your declarations page or call your agent — this costs you nothing and takes five minutes.
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A standalone policy.
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The facility’s protection plan. Convenient, and typically the cheapest option for smaller amounts of coverage. Often not the cheapest if you already carry renter’s insurance.
Whichever you choose, ask what’s excluded. Plans in this category commonly limit or exclude water damage from certain sources, mold, and high-value items like jewelry and collectibles. Read that part before you decide, not after something happens.
Rate increases
Storage rents go up. Every operator in this market raises rates on existing customers, including us. Your move-in rate is priced to earn your business; it isn’t a rate locked forever.
The fair questions are how often, how much, and how much warning you get. Ask all three. If a facility won’t answer that before you sign, assume the answer is one you wouldn’t like.
Late fees and what happens if you fall behind
You’ll probably never need this section. Read it once anyway.
Know when a payment counts as late, what the fee is, when access gets shut off, and how many months behind triggers the lien process. Pennsylvania law governs how that works and your lease will spell out the timeline. Life happens, and if you’re heading for a rough month, call us before the bill is late — there’s almost always more we can do at that point than after.
The six questions
Call three places. Ask each of them for these:
- The monthly rate for the exact unit
- Whether that rate is promotional, and what it becomes
- The administrative fee
- The lock — included, or what it costs
- The protection plan cost, and what it excludes
- How often rates go up, and how much notice you get
Six answers. Any facility that gives you all six without hesitating is one you can plan around. That’s the whole test.
Our six answers
| # | Item | Budget Store & Lock |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard rate after the promo — how a renter finds it | It will be on your lease |
| 2 | Administrative fee | $ 22.00 |
| 3 | Lock — included, sold, or bring your own | $11.00 for a disc lock |
| 4 | Protection plan monthly cost range | $9.00 for $2,000 in coverage to $83.00 for $20,000 in coverage |
| 5 | Rate increase frequency, typical size, notice period | $5.00 to $25.00, depending on unit size, no more than once a year, and we’ll let you know at least 30 days in advance! |
| 6 | Late fee and when access is suspended | $20.00 |
We’re a local, family-owned business that’s been in the Lehigh Valley since 1997. We’d rather tell you the whole number up front than win your business and lose your trust in month three.
Want to talk it through? Call us at (484) 246-6436 or stop by 2813 Lehigh Street in Whitehall, Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
Unit access is 6am to 10pm, seven days a week.