Tenant Protection Plan

During the summer, it’s a common occurrence for college students to move home. This, of course means that their stuff is stored in your garage, attic, or basement. While having your student home for the summer is nice, it can be exhausting to carve out extra storage space for their belongings.

To avoid this problem, a self storage unit is a great solution. This will streamline the process and save time, money, and your sanity. You won’t have to worry about renting a truck to drive your student’s belongings home or finding a place to store these items.

As a note of caution, don’t forget to take out insurance to protect yourself in case of any losses. Even more importantly, check to see if your facility provides a tenant protection plan.

Why a Tenant Protection Plan is a Good Idea

We love our college students, but wise decisions are not always their superpower. To be fair, this is probably their first experience of living away from home. They’re not accustomed to taking care of themselves. In fact, very few of them have had to worry about safeguarding their possessions. Until now, someone else has taken care of those decisions.

It’s a good idea to help you students find the right storage facility. It’s not likely that they will be as concerned as you with safety and security. And, it’s doubtful that they’ll prioritize a tenant protection plan. All they will care about is finishing the process quickly so that you can leave and they can return to studies (and their parties).

Search For a Secure Self Storage Facility that Offers An Optional Tenant Protection Plan

Most reputable self storage facilities use advanced security features. Video surveillance, entry gates with keypad access, and keyless entry with Bluetooth technology guard customers’ possessions effectively.

In order to reduce the risk of loss, most storage facilities require either self storage insurance or “off-premises” home insurance. To provide additional security, it’s becoming more popular for self storage businesses to offer optional tenant protection plans. An example of these plans is Storage Shield, which furnishes coverage for certain losses not included in insurance policies.

The Insurance Information Institute, states that homeowner’s insurance policies typically include “off-premises” personal property coverage. These policies typically cover damage to items in a storage unit from fire, lightning, theft, and vandalism. Self-storage insurance will generally provide after-deductible compensation for losses, which may include damage from:

• Fire
• Theft
• Hurricane
• Tornado
• Wind
• Hail
• Lightning
• Leaking Water (excluding flooding)
• Smoke
• Earthquake

A tenant protection plan, on the other hand, is a contractual agreement between the facility and the tenant. With this plan, operators agree to pay customers for damages to their belongings up to a specified dollar amount. For more detailed information read Is There a Difference Between Insurance and a Tenant Protection Plan.

Prior to settling on a tenant protection plan for your self storage unit, discuss these plans with the facility manager. He can explain the plan, and you can decide if it’s your best option.

Find the Right Self Storage Facility to Ensure The Safety of Your Student

It’s essential to ensure the security of your possessions with a tenant protection plan. Nevertheless, don’t forget the most crucial thing: your kid! We recognize that safety isn’t always a priority for college students. It’s a good idea for you to select the storage facility.

Here are some features to consider that will help keep your student safe.

• A facility in a safe, convenient location
• A clean and well-maintained facility
• Well lit property
• Perimeter fencing
• Gates equipped with electronic access
• Twenty-four-hour video surveillance
• An indoor unit with keypad access
• If available, gates equipped with keyless Bluetooth access using any mobile device
• On-site and/or resident managers
• A disc or cylinder lock that is resistant to tampering

Be sure to remind your student never to share the gate access code with anyone.

In Conclusion

Be thoughtful when choosing student self storage, but don’t worry. Most of today’s self storage facilities are safe, clean, and secure with plenty of amenities. You won’t have trouble finding a good one. And don’t forget about that tenant protection plan. It may not seem like a priority at this moment, but you will appreciate it if anything is damaged or stolen.