ComplaintsforStorage Sense

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  As a Veteran poisoned from contaminated water, fighting to get his benefits, a senior citizen and as an individual who is disabled; I am concerned regarding the increases that derived while retaining a rental unit since 2018 and the price increases that have occurred particularly during COVID when I thought that there was a moratorium on increases due to the Pandemic. I have gone from 116 to 139 a month and two of these increases occurred during the COVID period. Can you help to explain as I thought the Federal Government was helping its Citizens from this kind of exploitation and price gouging to take place. Thank you.

  Business response

  02/08/2023

  ******************,

   

  We have previously responded to **. ************************* regarding his issues.  Revisiting this matter for your benefit, please note the following:

   

  • There has been no Federal Government “moratorium” on price changes in the private sector, whether during the COVID time period or any other time in the past several years.
  • The rental increases since 2018 a five year period have averaged slightly over 3% annually, which is far below the current rate of inflation and are considered reasonable and customary.
  • Our contracts are month to month, allowing either party maximum flexibility to change or terminate at their convenience.

   

  Despite the unusually adverse impact of inflationary pressures on our business, we will always work with our customers to try to meet their needs.  We are available for dialogue at any time.

   

  Thank you for the continuing support of the Better Business Bureau.

  Customer response

  02/08/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I requested a reason as to why the previous increases occurred and there was NOT an appropriate resolve rendered and then another increase occurs. Storage Sense is DBA Dreamers Storage which was considered a local community based business NOT a conglomerate to compete with competitive rates that is why it lasted so long. It provided an affordable means to accomodate peoples inability to afford adequate means to maintain their property. When asked further about the recent increase it was explained because there had been no increases in the past ten years that we (the clients) had gotten away easy. It was also passed on that we were now incurring the cost of repairs made when the facility operated just fine as was. The unit is outdoors, and the rates are not suited to being appropriate as the advertisement on the office indicates these units are climate-controlled and they are NOT. DBA means maintaining the same integrity as was conducted before with the same "good faith" practice that was the context of the previous existing relationship. NOT "doing things my way". PLUS the new owners have limited access to the facility (from 6am to 10pm, when it was 24 hours which was one of the convenient features) which means we no longer have unlimited access to our property as before. Why are we paying more and getting less than when we started? The unit was obtained as it was the most reasonable to afford on a fixed income that doesn't increase with regularity, a living which not does keep up with cost of living increases, as many clients are older and under such conditions. The prior owner received a host of complaints when the price increases began. I am deeply upset as a Citizen, as Veteran fighting for his rights, and as a Senior person on disability that these increases over the course of their conduct of business has not taken this into consideration amongst this community enterprise, but has moreso taken advantage of our prior need with Dreamers Storage facility and the customer driven conduct of its' previous owner who had to seek to care for her older parent.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

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