Extremely poor customer service twice in one month after 2 years of storage rental!!!
I request for the owner to contact me when I posted the review on their website which I noticed was deleted. Aug 20, 2024 Once again, there’s an issue with their assistant manager. In late July, we encountered an issue when we weren't informed about a significant rise that I was told was an overestimation of the market value of storage units (a $60 increase, with subsequent increases every 2-3 months on an unpredictable schedule based on market value) - our automatic payment unexpectedly failed, likely due to an error initiated from the action of the assistant manager, with whom I had problems the previous month. He marked my account for cancellation even though I did not cancel. This must have disrupted the auto pay, which I had been making payments without any problems for nearly two years. I spoke with a senior management employee in late July about an issue with him, but no one has reached out to me regarding my auto payment not processing in the last two weeks, either by email or phone. I only found out about the late payment through a notification I saw over the weekend, which I noted and called their 1-800 number to make a payment, but there was no one available to assist me. I contacted their office the following Tuesday morning, but I had to call back later due to an urgent home matter. After that, I called their 1-800 number to make the payment. I informed the representative that I was unclear about why my auto payment failed, resulting in a late fee on the bill, especially after being told that my rate would be temporarily reduced to address their oversight and align with the market value rate. I inquired about the possibility of a refund for the late fee and was informed that it is likely to be reimbursed, as he noted my consistent on-time payments throughout my lease. The representative suggested I speak with one of the onsite managers, who can assist me with reimbursing the late fee situation, as I have never been late with my payments before. I also mentioned that no one reached out to me and that I did not receive any emails regarding a late payment. I believed this matter was settled, and that I only needed to speak with a manager the following day. I went to my storage unit to retrieve some belongings, and as I was leaving, the assistant manager from Life Storage waved for me to stop moving the car from leaving. He kept insisting I follow him to the office for some matter which I told him that I’m in a hurry and do not have the time. He emphasized that there was a matter that needed to be dealt with. I asked him what this urgent issue he has with me, and he informed me that "You are 24 days overdue, and you need to pay up." He refused to believe me. I very clearly reiterated to him that I understood the situation and that I already made payment, and asked what his issue was with me now since he did not want to believe I paid my bill. He responded that he would need to confirm it when he goes to the office. I told him 'I did not have the time to deal with this', and 'inquired why I wasn’t contacted when the auto pay failed, and also why I did not receive any calls to remind me that my payment didn’t go through?' He stated that there would be email and call records concerning my claim that no one had contacted me regarding the payment issue. He asked if I had called over the weekend on a Sunday, implying that no one would have picked up since they don't work on Sunday. I inquired whether the late fee could be refunded since no one reached out to me earlier about the auto payment not working and there were no calls/messages before today, aside from 'him calling me back'. He mentioned he would check if I made the payment first before he will refund the late fee. I found his tone towards me to be disrespectful, and he clearly didn’t trust my claim that I had already made the payment! Furthermore, if I hadn't made the payment, entry into their facility would have been denied, let alone tolerate the condescending attitude and disrespectful conduct. Telling me to follow him into the office when I’m in a rush, is ridiculous and very poor customer service especially when I have not been late with paying before. He was rude and demeaning in how he talked down to me. As a good customer without any problem until the month prior with him, I have no interest in prolonging any dealing with him and he went out of his way to stop me from leaving. When a customer tells you that she/he has paid, you do not go on trying to enforce what he thinks not what is real otherwise he’d be making the customer pay double. He could have handled the situation by saying he will check with his records and get back to me, not insist I stay follow him into the office to settle the bill!! It would be unwise for me to naively accompany him to the office, given his apparent issues with me due to his actions.