Reviews

This profile includes reviews for SmartStop Self Storage's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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SmartStop Self Storage has 248 locations, listed below.

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  SmartStop Self Storage

  10 Terrace Rd Ladera Ranch, CA 92694-1182

  
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  SmartStop Self Storage

  852 Metcalf St. Escondido, CA 92025

  
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  SmartStop Self Storage

  970 Industrial Blvd Chula Vista, CA 91911

  
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  SmartStop Self Storage

  11658 West Bell Rd Surprise, AZ 85378

  
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  SmartStop Self Storage

  12220 E Riggs Rd Chandler, AZ 85249

  

Review Details

• Review fromPedro W

  Date: 04/08/2025

  1 star
  This is a zero review for this business. Hands down worst storage experience ever. Reneged on active duty military discount multiple times in spite of documentation provided each time. Unresponsive, unreliable, and non communicative via phone or email. Filed complaints with ******************************, ********* and Florida City leaders and left zero review on ****** Maps.

• Review fromHanna C

  Date: 04/04/2025

  1 star
  My daughter rented one storage unit to store all her artworks and other things. Then, suddenly she passed away and we could not locate the key. We supplied a death certificate and the birth certificate proving me as her mother, but they insisted on a legal document that proves that I was allowed to remove her things. I begged them for their indulgence on compassionate grounds. None of these worked while the manager with deciding power never came to the phone hiding behind the powerless office managers communicating back and forth in the middle. The funeral director called the head office but got the same results. They requested to produce a legal document, like a probate or administrator ****** which takes a minimum of 6 weeks to process, not to mention the legal fee of over $4000. Further, the funeral was just a short time away. Searching after searching the internet and consulting greedy lawyers, one law office called me back. They were looking for my business. The caller was disappointed that my daughter's estate was too small to accept as their client, but informed me to try an Urgent Probate Court. This, I followed up, which led me to various courts and finally a Civil court. I was told to file an originating application and an affidavit and upon serving the affidavit to the opposing party, a Justice would hear me on the 5th day. While the storage GODs pretended to know the law, the Justice did not have a single question to ask to issue an order. The legal team of the storage did not even show, let alone offer the customary condolences! We barely made it, and were able to bring all her paintings to surround her journey to heaven peacefully.I want to say that they think they are trying to protect the renter. But at what price should they insist on a piece of paper, further aggravating the grieving family? Too many lawyers in this world make people scared to use their head and heart. Just how many renters end up dying?? One star is too many.

• Review fromSonia K

  Date: 03/12/2025

  1 star
  Through Smart Stop's error, I was charged three times for my monthly rent. For the last 2 1/2 months I have been calling to resolve this error and have my money returned to me, but nothing has been done. This company conducts its business in a fraudulent ********* not use them.

• Review fromTiffany O

  Date: 02/10/2025

  1 star
  If i could give a 0 rating i would. I paid December 2024 for the month on 12-02-24. I received an email shortly after saying i could change the date of payment and i thought oh thats nice i can spread my bills out a little. So i went i to the office 12-18-2024 to change the date of payment from the 2nd of the month to the 26th of the month. I had to pay a prorated rate and i did. On the 2nd of January they call me to tell me i owe that months rent and i said no, i changed the date. I was told by the manager that i had to pay to months in advance for it to cycle through in the 26th of February. So again i pay money for the month of January and i signed two papers on January 7th 2025 stating that my next payment would be February 26th. Well February comes around and i get a call saying i owe the months rent. I said no not until the 26th. I go into the office after speaking to someone on the phone and they say they cant find any receipts for me of anything i signed and locked our access to the gate and to our storage unit with a PAD LOCK until i paid and oh how graciously they waived the late fee that SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN LATE. So our experience was absolutely awful. I am still dealing with them to close my account and i want part of my February months payment back. Absolutely horrible people and customer care. The worst part is I dealt with the same lady through the whole process except for the day we moved our stuff out on 02-09-2025. The worker played dumb the entire time and before we even got in the car to leave she put a lock on the unit preventing us from making sure we didnt leave anything or before we could sweep!!. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE

• Review fromKyle D.

  Date: 01/06/2025

  1 star
  Nice Storage, Predatory ************ just over 18 months they have increased my monthly payment from $340 to $634.Government has done nothing to protect the people of this province in that regard.Residences are capped at a 3% increase per year. Rent is already extremely expensive in *********, so people are forced to rent places that are smaller than meets their needs. People supplement this by renting small storage units for seasonal belongings and belongings that support their small businesses.

• Review fromCarrie G

  Date: 12/27/2024

  1 star
  On July 31, 2022, my boyfriend paid cash for our self-storage unit for August 2022. However, on August 15, I received a call stating our rent was overdue and included a $20 late fee. I explained that we had already made the cash payment, but the representative claimed there was no record of it and asked for a receipt. My boyfriend recalled that the employee who accepted the cash said a receipt would be emailed to us since they were transitioning to a new system and couldnt print receipts at that time. I searched my emails but found no receipt, so I ended up paying the rent again using my debit card.A few days later, we went to the store to speak with the employee about the double payment, but he became defensive and rude, insisting he didnt remember my boyfriend making the initial cash payment. Frustrated, I decided to let it ******* forward to August 31, 2024, when we closed our storage unit after discovering that most of our belongings had been destroyed by rats. I requested a copy of my payment history and was shocked to see both the cash and debit payments recorded. I contacted the store to inform them about the overpayment and the late charge. Despite repeatedly providing evidence over the last three months, they insist they have no record of my debit payment and only acknowledge the cash payment I was initially told didnt ********* its December 26, 2024, and I havent received any communication after sending a demand letter for my money back along with all the evidence. I was informed my claim for the damaged items would be processed within 5-6 weeks, but its been over 8 weeks.I dont understand how this is legal. How can a company raise rates to unaffordable levels while failing to maintain security and cleanliness? They charge exorbitant amounts for insurance that claims to cover $2,000 in personal property but only pays a maximum of $500 in damages, with no laws governing reimbursement timelines. I am going to send my story to the media!

• Review fromJonathan A

  Date: 11/22/2024

  1 star
  Stay away!!!!!Unfortunately, I have to retract my previous positive review after my experience over the past four months. To start, I was given a faulty lock that had to be drilled out, which took several days and three different employees to resolve. The attitude of the staff noticeably changed for the worse once I had rented the unit. Then, this month, they nearly doubled my rent without warning!Ive also called twice over the past week, requesting to speak with the corporate manager, but I still havent received a call back. If I were you, Id go with another company.

• Review fromJoanne P

  Date: 11/19/2024

  1 star
  My very dear friend had to sell her home in a distress sale due to unfortunate circumstances so she put her beautiful furniture and many personal belongings in unit 3012.She moved in with me about a year and half ago, hoping to eventually find a reasonable place to live.However, last January she began feeling unwell and was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She went downhill pretty fast.She owed me a lot of money for many things I looked after for her (like several months payments on her storage unit), she offered me her furniture in lieu of payment, and I agreed.Before we could work it all out, she was in palliative care in the hospital and life as we knew it came to a halt. She passed in August. I opened a letter from Smartstop dated September 20 as I knew that was for her storage unit. There was $1,077.96 owing on the unit and the letter stated it would be going to auction on October 23, 2024 at 2 ******** I signed up for the ibid auctions and watched very carefully every day for her unit to appear. It did not.****** personnel said they had made many calls to her, however her cell phone was cut off from non-payment at some point so she most likely did not receive any of them.I truly believe this was an inside job, where the employee(s) of 24 ****** St did not follow protocol and got "first dibs" on my friends unit. The woman at reception actually said "Ahhh yes, the beautiful furniture. It's sold." How did she know it was beautiful furniture...out of how many units?? So unethical.I am so upset. My friend would be devastated that her precious belongings went to a complete stranger.If I had known this disgraceful behaviour was going to take place, I would've paid the amount owing on the unit to secure the furniture.Thieves. Plain and simple.

• Review fromZare A

  Date: 11/06/2024

  1 star
  I've been with them 12 years, started paying $265 per month, but every few months consistently raise the rent. I now pay $965 per month even though same locker they offer new clients for $500. And get this they refused to give me same new locker so I could move them into it for half the price. Never ever support these thief's.

• Review fromChris E

  Date: 11/04/2024

  1 star
  Do not rent from this storage location - your items will NOT BE SECURED!! Our unit was broken into. We had a circle lock as recommended, but the thieves wedged bolt cutters to cut the latch and remove the lock! Our unit is climate controlled, located within a larger building that has a coded entrance. After we were informed that our unit was 'likely' broken into, we immediately went to the factility to assess the damage. The unit was completely ransacked - **************** thrown everywhere and many items stolen. We have a really large unit with a ton of boxes so clearly, the theives were there for a long time without being seen by anyone. Upon questioning the staff, I learned that there were other units broken into, that there are no cameras in the hallways (only at the access points), and that some "people don't leave after closing". While the office closes at 6pm, people can access the storage until 8pm. After askng if we need to move our stuff, staff just said they could replace the latch. Upon inspection around the facility, I noticed many latches replaced and signs of bolt-cut latches. During the initial assessment, we were at the facilty after 6pm and noted a person that looked like they were living out of the storage unit and another person coming out of one of the storage buildings to meet up with the person sitting in his storage unit. When we went back on a Saturday to clean/inventory damage, the building smelled as if someone was cooking in the sotrage building; and not one staff person was on patrol in the 4+ hrs we were in our unit. I tried going to the office 3x during that period to talk with a staff about next steps and no one was in the office that entire time which were during business hours. As everyone else said, during the same month our stuff was stolen, our rent was increased by $100!! What a sham! High prices and no one cares about the safety and security of people's belongings.