How much does self storage cost?

When you need a place to store your belongings, you have several factors to take into consideration. Location, size, storage duration, and storage facility security are just a few. For most people in the UK, however, the cost of a self storage rental is the most important factor when choosing a storage service. If you are planning to store your stuff for a long time, you want to find a service that offers the best value for your money.

We’ve made a guide to self storage costs in the UK to help you decide what kind of self storage service works best for your needs. This guide is based on the latest figures available in 2022.

Storage cost factors

Most storage services rely on location, unit size, duration, and insurance to determine how much to charge customers for self storage. When looking for a good value on self storage in your area, keep these four factors in mind.

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Location

Storage facilities in larger cities tend to cost more than those in smaller towns. The closer the facility is to the city-centre, the more expensive the storage service is likely to be. For example, a storage unit in central London will probably be more expensive than a storage unit in Hertfordshire. With LOVESPACE, you don’t have to worry about localised pricing. Our convenient storage solutions offer doorstep collections where we’ll take your stuff to one of our secure storage facilities for you, so you don’t pay excessive prices!

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Unit size

Most self storage facilities have units of different sizes available to rent. The larger the unit, the more expensive it is. Units can range from single boxes or lockers to large warehouses. Typically, you’ll find prices listed by square foot. With most services, the price per square foot goes down as the units increase in size. Find the most suitable unit size for your stuff here.

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Duration

You will have to decide how long you want to store your stuff for. Some services let you pay by the month and others offer discounts for long-term rentals. You may be able to take advantage of an introductory promotion if you’re a new customer with the service. Generally, you can pay a reduced monthly rate for self storage if you take a long-term plan upfront.

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Insurance

Many self storage companies will require you to take out a coverage policy to cover your stuff whilst being stored. This policy covers you and the company in case your stuff is somehow damaged during storage. Some storage companies require you to buy a policy from them directly, while others require a separate policy. LOVESPACE offers you a number of different coverage options depending on your storage choice.

Average cost of UK self storage

In the UK, storage prices vary considerably depending on which region you’re looking in. Predictably, London and the South of England tend to cost more than the North, with prices rising again in Scotland. Location is a big factor when determining the price of self storage in the UK and unfortunately, most people don’t have control over this factor. Here at LOVESPACE we have simple and fair pricing for all our customers across the UK.

We’ll collect from your doorstep and store in our secure facilities, so you don’t have to worry about travelling with your stuff. You can’t forget LOVESPACE’s other great benefits, such as promotions for long-term plans as well hassle free doorstep returns from as soon as the next day.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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Average cost of self storage by area

Costs for self storage vary across the UK, however, the nationwide average is £23.94 per square foot per year according to the Self Storage Association UK (SSAUK) 2021 annual industry report. When looking at rates by region, London is the highest with £33.06 and the West Midlands is the lowest at £12.24 per square foot.

Average cost of self storage in London

According to the SSAUK’s numbers from 2021, London has the highest average yearly cost of self storage per square foot, at £33.06 – excluding VAT. Given the population density of London, it should come as no surprise that it’s the most expensive for self storage in the UK, and almost £10 more per square foot than the national average.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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Average cost of self storage in Scotland

In Scotland, the average cost of one square foot of storage is £21.04 per year according to the SSAUK. Additionally, 82.8% of all self storage facilities in Scotland are occupied, which is right in line with the UK national occupancy rate of 82.3%.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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Average cost of self storage in Midlands

When pricing self storage in the Midlands, you have to factor in your geographic location. Self storage facilities in the East Midlands tend to cost more on average than those in the West Midlands & Wales, according to the SSAUK numbers. In the East Midlands it costs an average of £15.71 per square foot of self storage and in the West Midlands & Wales, it costs an average of £12.24.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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Average cost of self storage in North

In the North of England, the average self storage cost is well below the national average, at £17.10 per square foot per year. The North also has one of the highest occupancy rates in the UK, with 84.2% of all self storage facilities in use.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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Average cost of self storage in South

The difference between self storage rates in the South West and South East is significant. In the South West, the rate per square foot of storage is an average of £19.53. In the South East, the average rate per square foot of storage is £23.27.

*The prices quoted above are National Averages reported in the SSA UK Annual Industry Report in 2021 and are not representative of a specific storage location or provider and do not include VAT or insurance.

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What does the price of self storage include?

When you pay for a self storage unit, you’re paying for the amount of space provided to store your stuff, depending on the length of time you wish to store it. The price may also include 24-hour access to your storage, staff assistance with your rental unit, use of trolleys and forklifts to load and unload your storage, and 24-hour CCTV. If often doesn’t include the cost transporting your stuff to a facility, contents insurance, or a padlock to secure your unit, so be sure to factor those costs in as you choose your storage solution.


Types of self storage and costs

As both private individuals and businesses need storage at some point, the sizes available for self storage units vary considerably. From storage by-the-box to larger storage units, LOVESPACE has a self storage solution that meets your needs.

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Storage by-the-box

Storage by-the-box

For storing smaller items such as books, clothes, and toys, you may only need a few boxes. Rather than renting a whole unit, you can pay a storage service to collect your stuff and transport them to a storage facility for you. Storage by-the-box is an ideal option if you need a place to store some stuff for a period of time.

Storage units

Storage units

If you have stuff such as furniture or gardening equipment, then a physical self storage unit is your best option. In these facilities, you rent a small room inside a large warehouse or store and receive the key to lock and unlock your unit. You can typically come and go as you please to access your storage unit, but only during the storage facility’s business hours. However, with LOVESPACE’s storage units service we take the hassle out of your hands. We’ll collect your stuff from your rooms of choice and deliver them back in the mainland UK. You also don't need to worry about stacking and storing your stuff in a physical space. With a physical storage unit, you almost always end up paying for extra space you can't quite use. With LOVESPACE, that's not a problem. We calculate and adjust your unit size based on just the volume of your items in storage, so you can rest assured that you're getting the best value for money.

Removals

Removals

Lots of home removal companies also operate their own storage units that you can rent while moving house. This comes in handy if you need to move out of your old home but can’t move into your new one yet, for example, if there’s a delay in completing or if you’re renovating. Our removals service is coming soon! If you need your furniture or large items stored for a short period of time, our storage units service is perfect for you.

Self storage uses and costs

People from all walks of life need storage at some point, whether it’s a student living abroad for a year, a small company moving to a new office, or a family storing furniture while their home is renovated.

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Personal storage

We all have stuff we don't have room for, but can't bear to get rid of. This is where personal storage comes in! It’s typically considered smaller items as well, such as clothing, books, kitchenware, or small toys. Personal storage tends to be one of the least expensive options, as you can get away with a smaller storage space by storing by-the-box, and by usually only needing to store personal items for longer periods of time, you can make use of long-term plan promotions.

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Business storage

If your business needs to store equipment, supplies, documents, or even collateral that don't fit in your office space, you will need business storage. This type of storage typically pertains to smaller businesses that may not have the capacity to store their stuff themselves. The SSAUK reports that 83% of businesses that use self storage have less than 10 staff. It depends on the type of items you need to store but typically, the larger the company the more storage space you will need. If you’re relocating your office, don’t use your own resource and waste valuable staff time. Let someone from LOVESPACE collect and then deliver your stuff back to your new office with our storage units service

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Student storage

Students often live short-term lets while completing their studies, and so they need a place to store their stuff when they are in between accommodations. Student storage can range from small items such as clothes, suitcases and books to large household items such as microwaves, desks, and other furniture. Students taking out storage may also have to pay for an insurance policy with the storage service, as they typically do not already have building or contents insurance. With LOVESPACE our by-the-box storage has £100 coverage per box included free of charge!

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Furniture storage

Furniture storage is fairly straightforward. You will most likely need a storage rental unit, as a locker won’t be big enough. Furniture storage is most common for those moving house, and who need a place to keep their stuff before moving into their new place. According to the SSAUK, 29% of self storage users are involved in moving house. However, transporting furniture can be a real hassle! With our storage units service we can collect your furniture from any room in your property and then deliver it back to any mainland UK address when you’re ready.

Additional self storage costs

Paying for the storage itself is usually only one of several expenses involved with storing your stuff. You may also have to consider insurance, a deposit or extra fees, moving costs, packing materials, transport expenses, padlocks, and more.

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Insurance

If your storage facility does not offer an insurance policy, you may need to find one from a third party. However, coverage up to £100 per box for storage by-the-box at LOVESPACE is free!

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Deposit

Some storage facilities may require you to pay a deposit to help cover the expenses of maintaining the storage unit. In most cases, you will receive this deposit back once you are done storing your stuff. Here at LOVESPACE, you’ll never pay a deposit.

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Moving costs

For those moving house, self storage is just one moving cost out of many. Hiring a van and labour to help transport your stuff to the storage facility can be very expensive. Rather than paying a moving company and separate storage costs on top, our LOVESPACE storage units service can help you. Our van and fuel costs are included as part of our collection fees for our storage units service, and we can deliver your stuff back to your new property.

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Packing materials

We all have stuff we don't have room for, but can't bear to get rid of. This is where personal storage comes in! It’s typically considered smaller items as well, such as clothing, books, kitchenware, or small toys. Personal storage tends to be one of the least expensive options, as you can get away with a smaller storage space by storing by-the-box, and by usually only needing to store personal items for longer periods of time, you can make use of long-term plan promotions.

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Padlocks

We all have stuff we don't have room for, but can't bear to get rid of. This is where personal storage comes in! It’s typically considered smaller items as well, such as clothing, books, kitchenware, or small toys. Personal storage tends to be one of the least expensive options, as you can get away with a smaller storage space by storing by-the-box, and by usually only needing to store personal items for longer periods of time, you can make use of long-term plan promotions.

What is the right storage for me?

If you have stuff you need to store, you may wonder which type of storage unit is the best for your situation. Of course, cost is a big factor when choosing your storage option, but you also need to think about what you’re using storage for and the size of the unit you need.

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Moving home

If you are moving house, you most likely need a place for your furniture or large appliances for a short period of time. Your best option is one of our flexible storage units where we can pack and collect your stuff from each of the rooms in your property, no matter the size.

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Going to university

For students at university, the best type of storage depends on the stuff you plan to store. If you need to store only a few items as you head home for summer, then by-the-box storage is the best option as you only pay for what you store. For storing furniture and other large items, you will need a storage rental unit.

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Moving office

If your business is relocating to a new office, you will need a place to put all your desks, chairs, computer equipment, filing cabinets, and any other supplies or equipment. Renting several storage units could be a good option but you’ll have to pay to rent the vans and manual labour. However, with our storage units service you will benefit from a flexible storage unit depending on the equipment you need to store. Our specialist team will collect from your new office and deliver it back to your new one when ready.

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Decluttering

For those who simply have too much stuff and want to get some of it out of the house or office, by-the-box storage will be best for you. Having carefully packed your stuff into boxes, you can then manage them on your LOVESPACE account, picking and choosing which individual boxes to return when you need them.

How to get a quote for self storage

You can get a quote for self storage online here. At LOVESPACE you can book all our storage options online with our quick and simple booking system. Once we have provided you with a quote and we know which type of storage you need, you can book it online instantly.

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Frequently asked questions

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