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Risk Management

From criminal activity to onsite injuries to natural disasters, self-storage operators must predict and and mitigate all manner of business threats. Important aspects to managing risk include understanding legal issues, practicing theft prevention, investing in insurance coverage, and keeping pace with laws that affect the industry.

But Did They Get It? Hitting the Highlights of Your Self-Storage Rental Agreement With Customers

Oct 18, 2022

Your self-storage rental agreement is a critical legal document that protects your business from liability, outlines site rules, and lets customers know what it means to rent with you. Whether your lease is long or short, digital or printed, it’s...

Manager Fatally Shot During Altercation at Westminster, CO, Self-Storage Facility

Oct 14, 2022

A self-storage manager was shot and killed at a Storage Etc. facility in Westminster, Colorado, on Oct. 7 by a woman police believe is the estranged wife of a man the victim was dating. Tanya Scowden, 47, was on the phone when the suspect entered...

When Your Self-Storage Employees Steal: A Guide to Deterrence and Discovery

Oct 14, 2022

Self-storage operators defend their property against theft using a variety of security measures, but crime can also strike from within. Find out why and how dishonest employees steal, red flags to look for, and ways to prevent it from happening to...

Hammer-Wielding Woman Attacks Police at Glen Burnie, MD, Self-Storage Facility

Oct 12, 2022

A woman wielding a hammer attacked police officers on Sunday at a Glen Burnie, Maryland, self-storage facility. Authorities were called to Ritchie Mini Storage at 3 p.m. by a person who claimed the attacker stole their phone and was making threats...

Watch Out! Preventing and Responding to Personal Injuries at Your Self-Storage Property

Oct 11, 2022

Personal injuries can and do happen at self-storage properties, but facility operators can take measures to prevent them. Read about the kinds of accidents that are more common, how to minimize hazards, and how to respond if an accident does occur.

Self-Storage Operator Shoots Alleged Burglar at Grants Pass, OR, Facility

Oct 11, 2022

A self-storage operator shot an alleged burglar at a Grants Pass, Oregon, facility on Saturday night. The shooting at U-Stow-It Mini Storage happened after the operator, an undisclosed male, attempted to make a citizen’s arrest, according to...

Hosting a Football Tailgate at Your Self-Storage Facility: Party On or Accident Waiting to Happen?

Oct 07, 2022

Football tailgates have become part of American culture. They’re a weekend ritual and lifestyle for millions of sports fans. When news broke this week about tenants at a Massachusetts self-storage facility hosting pregame parties in and outside...

Hurricane Ian Triggers Price-Gouging Laws That Could Affect Self-Storage Operations in the Southeast

Oct 04, 2022

Days following Hurricane Ian, governors in the Southeast United States have declared a state of emergency, activating price-gouging laws that could impose limitations on self-storage rental rates. The affected states are Florida, Georgia, North...

Pueblo West, CO, Considers Restrictions on Self-Storage Development

Sep 30, 2022

The Pueblo West, Colorado, Metro Board is considering restrictions on self-storage development along major roadways. The topic came up during a Sept. 26 meeting after the board discussed approving water taps for three storage developments...

North Attleboro, MA, Considers Ban on Self-Storage Development

Sep 29, 2022

The town of North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is considering a change to its zoning that would prohibit future self-storage development. The council’s economic-development subcommittee will present a proposed amendment at a meeting on Monday...