But I'm only late 2 months...

[DairyGirl]

...my tenant just said to me when asking why he owes so much. "My rent's only $69 a month". So, I listed each charge: past due rent for December AND January, a $10 late fee for December (January's hasn't hit yet), a lock cut fee of $25, a lien notice fee of $25, and a mail fee of $6.85 to send you that notice. It went out yesterday". He stood there looking at me, blinking. "You cut my lock?" "Yes, I cut your lock to take photos of the unit contents in preparation for the sale. In the event you don't pay. He asked how long he had to pay, I told him February 2. He said thank you, and left. I thought he was coming in to pay because his wife called yesterday asking what was owed. He clearly didn't think what she told him was correct and had to find out for himself. LOL

[KrisinCali]

I have been emphasizing late fees at move in.
Me: "And here are ALL of the late fees imposed and when, so you're not surprised if you pay late and it's more than you expect. We also do auctions about every other month."
Because if I had a nickel...

[SimplySpace]

I have been emphasizing late fees at move in.
Me: "And here are ALL of the late fees imposed and when, so you're not surprised if you pay late and it's more than you expect. We also do auctions about every other month."
Because if I had a nickel...

We do the same and everyone is still shocked when they are late. On the bright side, we know that we go over our fees thoroughly so no one can claim they weren't told. "Sir/Ma'am, it is right here where our employee highlighted it on your contract for you."

[KrisinCali]

I once got into an argument with a woman who 'knew how the lien process worked bc she worked for a car company before and there was no way she was in lien as she wasn't 30 days past due yet.'
I was literally, "That's not how this works! This isn't cars or whatever, it's self storage and you're late so many days, therefore YES, you are in lien."

Apparently since I was new she thought she could argue late fees with me. Ha. No.

Yeesh.

[AngelaESSTX]

On the 2nd our gate locks past due tenants out. You'd be surprised how many people call afterhours around that date because they can't get in. My favorite is when they say "That girl never told me that!!" LOLLLLL I AM THAT GIRL! And yes, I tell everyone

[MamaDuke]

Ignorance of the law (rules) is no excuse! You signed it. I can't help it if you chose not to read it first...or later!!!

[SimplySpace]

I once got into an argument with a woman who 'knew how the lien process worked bc she worked for a car company before and there was no way she was in lien as she wasn't 30 days past due yet.'
I was literally, "That's not how this works! This isn't cars or whatever, it's self storage and you're late so many days, therefore YES, you are in lien."

Apparently since I was new she thought she could argue late fees with me. Ha. No.

Yeesh.

Customer: I thought you give a 10 day grace period?
Me: We do, today is your 11th day.
Customer: Um. What's 1 + 10?
Me: It's 11, but are you telling me the 11th is the 10th day of the month?
Customer: You need to go back to school. It's basic math.

SMH

[DairyGirl]

I do get a kick out of the ones who repeatedly enter their code and, when the gate won't open, come marching in asking if I changed their code because the gate isn't working. No, it's because you're 3 weeks late with rent, that's why the gate isn't opening. It's even better when they then say "but I just paid you". Yes, you did. But that was the past due rent for last month. You still owe for this month. Haha

[KrisinCali]

On the 2nd our gate locks past due tenants out. You'd be surprised how many people call afterhours around that date because they can't get in. My favorite is when they say "That girl never told me that!!" LOLLLLL I AM THAT GIRL! And yes, I tell everyone

Lordy-again, if I had a nickel for every time a tenant tells one of us, "But that other person said...."

[AngelaESSTX]

Lordy-again, if I had a nickel for every time a tenant tells one of us, "But that other person said...."

When anyone tries to say that about my assistant, I tell them: We keep detailed notes so I see what he told you AND NO he didn't because I'm the one who trained him!

[Bubba]

People.

We recently took over our 2nd facility and the facility had the reputation in town that you could store there and not pay! Over the last few months that reputation has gone away completely. We no longer accept cash, check, or money orders. You must pay with a credit card since I'm physically not there. We have an old fashion gate that you have to open and close. We change the lock monthly on it and each time someone wants the code we verify their info is up to date. We have three auctions to go to get the place "cleaned out."

One of these people didn't pay since August. She acted confused on why we were auctioning her stuff off. Bye Felicia!

[Lou G]

...my tenant just said to me when asking why he owes so much. "My rent's only $69 a month". So, I listed each charge: past due rent for December AND January, a $10 late fee for December (January's hasn't hit yet), a lock cut fee of $25, a lien notice fee of $25, and a mail fee of $6.85 to send you that notice. It went out yesterday". He stood there looking at me, blinking. "You cut my lock?" "Yes, I cut your lock to take photos of the unit contents in preparation for the sale. In the event you don't pay. He asked how long he had to pay, I told him February 2. He said thank you, and left. I thought he was coming in to pay because his wife called yesterday asking what was owed. He clearly didn't think what she told him was correct and had to find out for himself. LOL

Y'all got some cheap late and lien fees! We charge $20.00 or 20% which ever is greater. Then you get a $120.00 lien fee plus a 2nd late fee!

[DairyGirl]

Y'all got some cheap late and lien fees! We charge $20.00 or 20% which ever is greater. Then you get a $120.00 lien fee plus a 2nd late fee!

The lien notice fee used to be $15 but I raised it hoping it the (slightly) higher amount would cut down on the amount of units getting them. It hasn't. No point in raising to something like $75 or $100 (or more) because if they can't pay what they owe with the $25, they won't be able to pay anything higher. Not my problem I know, but no point in putting paying a past due amount so far out of reach some will never be able to do it. As far as late fees, we can charge the $20 or 20%, we just aren't at this time. I seriously thought about doing it but I don't know how to set it up so that it charges each account accordingly.

[SBAZ]

The lien notice fee used to be $15 but I raised it hoping it the (slightly) higher amount would cut down on the amount of units getting them. It hasn't. No point in raising to something like $75 or $100 (or more) because if they can't pay what they owe with the $25, they won't be able to pay anything higher. Not my problem I know, but no point in putting paying a past due amount so far out of reach some will never be able to do it. As far as late fees, we can charge the $20 or 20%, we just aren't at this time. I seriously thought about doing it but I don't know how to set it up so that it charges each account accordingly.

exactly/ if we charge so many fees and they cant pay the rent/ then it goes to auction and we have more bad debt on the books than we would've, my Boss leaves it at a small amount for the lien fee. I do have something I just started though, if they go into auction, they go to the standard rate, no discounts, they get raised in 30 days to the standard rate.

[DairyGirl]

SBAZ ooohhhh that's a great idea. I'm stealing that. Haha