If you and a friend have a few things you need to store in self-storage units, you can save money by sharing a self-storage unit. However, this shouldn't be an automatic decision because the arrangement can attract a few potential complications. Here are some of the complications you need to prepare for first:

How to Share the Space

Don't assume that you will automatically work with a fifty-fifty arrangement; decide beforehand how much space each of you will have access to. This is necessary because even if both of you only have a few items to store now, the inventory might increase after a short while. You don't want to come back after a month to find that your buddy's furniture is hogging all the space.

Storage Accessibility

You need to decide whether both of you need to be present when either of you has to retrieve items from the store or you can just access it individually. For example, insisting on joint accessibility will help you to avoid accusing each other of lost or damaged items. This is especially true if you are storing expensive or fragile items. However, it might not be practical if either of you need frequent access to the unit.

How to Share Fees

This is another thing you shouldn't assume you will share on an equal basis. For example, you can share it based on the space allocation or on the value of the stored items; whatever works for you should be agreed on beforehand. That way you won't have squabbles when your friend insists on paying lower fees than you because they are only keeping a few clothes in the unit and you are keeping your family's heirloom.

The Appropriate Climate Control to Set

Lastly, if you are renting a climate-controlled unit, you should agree on the settings to have beforehand. This is because different items require different temperature or humidity requirements. An agreement will help you avoid a situation where one of you need to store things at room temperature while you need to lower the temperature a bit.

As you can see, there are a lot of things you need to agree on before renting a storage unit together. In fact, some storage facilities don't allow more than one name on the contract precisely because of these complications. Therefore, even if you have agreed on how to share a storage unit, you may also have to decide whose name goes on the contract; remember this person will be liable for any damages that your unit may suffer. Another great option is to invest in one of the versatile storage trailers so you can keep your belongings on your property.

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