ComplaintsforAll Purpose Storage West Rutland

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had a unit at Rt 4 Self Storage for 10 years A new company took over in late 2022. The new company stated current customers would need to sign a new lease with them in January. At that point our rates for storage would nearly double due to what they perceived were under market value. I opted to move out before January instead. This proved more difficult due to the door to my unit being broken. When notified by phone since no one was ever on site now, I was told they would look at it in a few days. The problem was my door was half off track and a large opening on the side would allow animals and potentially people to gain entry to my unit. I had already pulled 3 items out of it myself thru the hole. This didn't change anything. This was in November of 2022. They told me to leave the jammed door unlocked and we would be notified when it was fixed. **** days later my father checked the unit to discover it was fixed AND unlocked. I was not notified by phone, by email or by text. My unit was left unlocked with no notice. When on the phone with them a couple weeks later I cited this lack of communication and after the phone call I was THEN told by a text and an email that the unit was fixed. Far too little far too late. When I finished emptying the unit, I sent an email to tell them I no longer had a unit there and it was now empty. I had told them this several times over the phone prior.. After the January 1st, I began receiving notices an overlock was placed on my unit, my payment was overdue, etc. I responded to them repeating I had notified them I no longer had a unit there. On 1/17/23 they responded saying they received no such notice and according to their lease agreement I owed them. A lease agreement I never received never signed and wouldn't have been held to until January AFTER I'd moved out. Today I received a collections notice for these fees assessed AFTER I had already moved out. I want them removed from my credit report and the claim dropped.

  Customer response

  06/19/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint. I am not surprised as I presumed they would ignore it the same as they ignored when I told them I no longer had a unit there and never responded to any of my responses to their false assertion they never were notified I no longer retained a unit.  They never even sent me the requested copy of their lease they were holdings me to despite my never receiving it or signing it. This business is a sham. 

  Business response

  07/20/2023

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing a former customer's concerns regarding ****************** account being placed in collections after nonpayment of his storage unit due to his claim of allegedly moving out prior to January 1st.  After reviewing his account, we did not receive any verbal or written notice from ************** requesting to schedule a move-out from his unit which leads one to believe the customer continues to occupy the unit and utilizing our storage services.  This resulted in January rental charges, fees being applied, and sent to our third-party collection agency for non-payment after several documented attempts in contacting the customer.  We understand that a customer may become upset and disagree when a new owner purchases a facility where they have been previously a long-standing customer and the new owner provides a minimum of 30 days' notice of upcoming changes.  Please understand that sending any customer's account to collection is only a last resort after all efforts have been exhausted to connect with the customer due to the customer's nonresponse. 

  In a good-faith effort to **************, we will reach out to our third-party collection agency and request they consider closing his account and cease further collection efforts.  If we can be of any additional help and support, please do not hesitate in reaching out to me.

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  

  But I would be remiss if I didn't point out the frustration I have with their assertion I did not notify them and that I was nonresponsive. I clearly supplied evidence of me notifying them BEFORE the 1st of January that I no longer would have a unit there. I also supplied my responses to them messaging me that I owed a late fee. I was the exact antithesis of nonresponsive. Despite these frustrations, I will accept them reaching out to the third party to have them cease harassing me for a collection I never owed. 

  
  Regards,
  
  **********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩