Berkeley Self Storage

Excellent management and great prices and services! I highly recommend Berkeley Self Storage for your storage and moving needs!

I really can’t recommend BSS enough.
I’ve been with them for a maniacle eight years! For the first six or so I was in a very large double space. Then finally into a 5×15 or so and yesterday was my last day with a storage space since I left Los Angeles. With these payments, I could’ve had a new car. :)
Through those years I have seen a change of management, office managers come and go. but one thing stayed constant: The customer service. Honestly, I don’t know how they managed it. Granted, I didn’t need much service. I came and went and really didn’t make a ruckus but still, they were always friendly, especially Adrianna, Jessica (hope that name is right/​younger Latina woman?) and their recent addition Neza. They also keep the space very clean, safe and functional.
I’ve also had a storage space with Public Storage during this duration and I definitely prefer Berkeley Self Storage. I came to know the staff and they treated me like a regular: Which is what you should do for customers that patronize your business even for a limited amount of time!
For example: When I closed my storage space I didn’t realize they had a clause that stated I needed to give 30-​days notice. This could technically make it possible for them to keep the rest of my rent for the month. But that would be a rotten move just because of some fine print. I forgot to give that much notice but Adrianna was very cool about it and will be mailing a check to me next week. The little things count.
Thanks guys for all of your help and service. Keep up the good work!

Writing this review as an update. After my initial review, the staff at Berkeley Self-​Storage has been more than helpful regarding my storage rental. I thought it fair to upgrade the review due to their hospitable service and great attitude. While I may wish for them to have better hours or after hour access, my rental is stable for the moment and see no reason of leaving anytime soon.

I hardly know where to begin with this review. False advertising and using my credit card for unauthorized charges are the first things to come to mind. This business is in serious need of new ownership/​management. I will add more later about their charging me a 240% rent increase without notice, and the recent 100% increase that I became aware of when I checked my bank balance. I had just signed up for automatic bill pay the month before –and this is how they treat a trusting customer of over 2.5 years?
If you need it, use it and get out quick as they will be preying on you with steep rent increases if they think you have no where else to go.
Oh, and their response to my inquiry as to why my card had been charged double the rent «your space is really large and you are paying so little for it». I moved into that space because I had a lot of things after losing my home, and I could afford the rent they were charging at the time. Now they are just getting greedy.

Have been renting a unit here for about a year. I wish I had space in my home to store my stuff, but given that I don’t, this place is the next best thing, especially since they’re only 6 blocks from our house. Super convenient. I’m here often, usually in the morning, and one of the staff is always cleaning when I arrive, either the floors of the building or using the leaf vacuum to clean up the parking lot and sidewalk in front. The place is very well cared for. Staff is friendly. Everything’s been running smoothly for us at BSS since we’ve been renting here. Minus one star because it’s pricey.

Three months ago they raised the rent 33%. This month they raised it again 7.5%.
WHEN DOES IT STOP???
There’s been no explanation of what the increased operating costs are. There’s been no explanation of the «upgrades» or how they help me as a customer.
If I were in Berkeley I’d go down today and pull my stuff out. But I’m not in Berkeley, so I’m stuck.
I hate this place.

Got a call regarding my son’s storage — they could not get his boxes to him on Tuesday, as promised; but on Saturday, four days later. You may be asking «why five stars?» Because sometimes things happen, and you have to work with people. We have all been there. Charles worked with us to get my son’s stuff to him on Tues, as originally promised. Why? Because we had a medical situation where there were prescriptions in the boxes that needed to be taken that night, and Charles made it happen. I am very grateful to him, and to this company. They are great people who are trying to do their best. I would rather give my business to someone who is wholehearted and sincere, then a corporation who just doesn’t care.

I really like these folks. Super-​duper friendly staff, helpful, and they went out of their way to help me find a unit next to my friend’s unit, so when I bought some of her gear I could move it easily into my new unit. No problems with billing and willing to bill for partial month when I moved in and then again when I moved out. Clean, good location, gates always open and closed at the times indicated. Winter gate hours close a little early for someone working M-​F 9 – 5 but other than that, no complaints.

Many of the storage companies in Berkeley offer great deals, but if you dig a little deeper you will find that there are all kinds of hidden fees. Not the case with Berkeley Self Storage. They are very reasonable and helpful. Only draw back are the gate hours. Highly recommend otherwise!

They have exceptional service and have really good rates for students. The facility is large, clean, and ventilated very well. Definitely will continue using their service.

Pros:
Local business, clean, safe (CCTV, well lit, busy street patrolled by BPD, and locked up at night), and superior to all competition with 3 miles. Good hearty breakfast available across the street at Quince Café everyday except for Monday. Initially I rented storage here because I loathe Patrick Kennedy (see UC Storage) and I wanted a local storage place. I stayed here because the prices are competitive, service is great, and the place is well kept.
Cons:
On-​site owner/​manager is never in the office when I have been there. When I show up, usually around opening or closing time, the officers open late or close early. I understand it’s hard to find good people, which they are that are willing to work for as little as the owner pays them. However, it’s not fair for tenants to expect the office to be open 15 minutes after published opening time or closed 30 minutes before published closing time.
Conclusion:
If the office opened and closed on time, I would give 5 stars. I will adjust my rating if the office hours are correct next time, as it could have been a family emergency or exceptional situation, exigent circumstances, etc. Aside from that, this is the best storage place I have ever been to. Also, I have never had problems with automatic payment for my storage, and I automatically get invoices every month. As long as you keep your card payed off, you won’t have any problem with recurring charges. Pay by check, and expect them to call you following up, just like any business.

I don’t understand the bad reviews this place has gotten. I moved from the east coast and needed some space for my furniture. The staff was very helpful at every step of the move. They even took care of scheduling when the moving company was going to drop off and all the details. I already started to work during this process and was not able to be on the phone constantly with movers. They normally close around 7 but waited just for me until almost 8:30. The owner’s three year old grand kids were there when i was checking out, this is not your typical sketchy storage place. I was pretty happy with the whole process.

This a great storage facility– clean, well-​maintained and secure. There are several large hand trucks and a freight elevator so if you get a space on the second level– like I did– it’s no problem.
I feel like my stuff is very safe– the gates are closed at 7pm, I have two fat locks on my space and there are video cameras throughout the entire building. It’s in a decent area of San Pablo so you don’t have to worry about sketchy stuff outside of the parking lot.
Laura was very friendly, helpful and detail-​oriented. It was a pleasure doing business with her. Highly recommended!

I checked out several local companies and liked the vibe and the people here. It’s clean and I feel very safe when I am on the premises.
My stuff has stayed dry, clean and in generally good condition. They have nice hand ttrucks for the customers to use and everything is well-​lit.
Good value and good service.

We have had a storage space here for several months, and our in-​laws have had one for several years. We’ve never had any problems, and their daylight hours are convenient for us. We like that it’s a mom & pop business and not a huge corporation.

I have been using Berkeley Self Storage since 2006 and have been completely satisfied with the service. I have used other storage services in Berkeley. The difference with this one is the people who run it are courteous and friendly. The units I rent are clean and readily accessible. The rental rates are very straightforward — no tricky come-​on ads like some other places. It’s an old-​fashioned business that actually VALUES its customers. I have recommended it to many of my friends.

I started using this storage company when various departments within my business started dumping their «sometimes needed» AV equipment down into my office along with server boxes the dev team wanted to keep «just in case we have to return the server»… you know, 3 years later.
So finally I get fed up and clear out all the junk my coworkers want us to keep and go looking around for storage nearby. There were cheaper options (at least at the time), and even closer options (to us), but this place seemed a bit safer than the location down on Frontage Road and was easy enough to get to. Given the previous reviews from back in 2007, I’m guessing the owners had turned over a new leaf or something since I’ve never had issue 1 with these guys —
* no hassle leaving my credit info with them; they even called when my credit card numbers had been swiped and I’d been issued a new card. They let me know to call them back before a certain date when late fees would be charged.
* location is clean and well-​kept, although I can’t speak to the gate being open before/​after business hours as I’m not around during those times (9 – 5 is my range).
* the staff are alert and remember me from the one time I actually came into the office to fill out the paperwork. Nice to be remembered!
* available moving equipment, without having to go into the office, for hauling in things.
I’m not a big storage space user, so I couldn’t say anything about all the frills storage places give you — but all the basics are there and the service is great. The only reason I give it ⁴⁄₅ is the monthly price is higher than others nearby. Pretty sure it has to do with higher rental costs (frontage road is pretty cheap, I’m sure) and since they’re not a big chain they don’t have the profit margin to shave.

While the place isn’t filthy and has nice geraniums — don’t be fooled! It is a nightmare to have your stuff there. First off, the hours are weird and the gate always seems to be closed when I need something, but the biggest problems have been with my monthly payments. I had my stuff there for about six months (before I finally stopped being lazy and moved it somewhere better) and EVERY single month this would be our routine:
I would pay (within the first few days of the month) by
a). calling in a giving my credit card number,
b). mailing a check in, or
c). dropping a check off.
Then, come about the 7^th of the month would come the first «courtesy call» that my rent was late and needed to be paid. Hmmm… what was happening to all of my checks? Every month I would then resolve the dispute by printing out a copy of the CLEARED, as in already cashed, check from my online banking site and bringing it in to show them. Their response: oh, oops. Never an «I’m sorry» or «This will never happen again.» Finally when I’d had it with them and I informed the manager I’d be leaving, she just said «OK.» Riiiight…
I highly don’t recommend this place — you would be better off tarping your stuff in your backyard.