Storage units in Nevada may seem like a clever solution to a downsizing problem, but not so much when rents for your space keep going up.
Nevada has zero rent control laws.
These storage unit renters are aiming to change that.
In Nevada, there is no limit on how much storage companies can charge, and no rules are in place regarding price hikes.
These are frustrations locals reached out to us about, and a petition to fight back is gaining momentum.
In the face of skyrocketing inflation, Velvet Wehrman told me she found a creative way to face those high costs and stay afloat.
She moved into a room in a shared house and rented a small storage unit to hold the rest of her personal belongings.
“Rent is so expensive—it is cheaper to rent a room in a house and pay for a storage unit, but now it’s almost the same price as a one bed apartment,” Wehrman told me.
At first, her 5×10 unit seemed manageable at $128 per month.
Three months later, though, that rate jumped to $160.
And it didn’t stop there.
“Less than two years and almost $100 more,” Wehrman said.
From $160 to $185, then to $215.
This echoes a similar story that I covered last year, in which a UNLV study found that Las Vegas carries one of the highest rental burdens in the United States.
Others are feeling it, too.
Wehrman’s story isn’t unique.
In Nevada, storage unit operators can raise rent with as little as 30 days’ notice.
There are no laws limiting how often or how much they can raise prices, pushing some Nevadans to their breaking point.
A petition addressed to Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and state lawmakers is now circulating online with more than 200 signatures.
It’s called the Storage Fair Unit Pricing Act and demands change, calling for price hike caps and clearer notice policies.
Shari Sutton, owner of SW Creative Group, handles marketing for local storage companies.
I spoke to her about the concerns locals have.
“There is high demand still, but it is a saturated market,” Sutton told me.
I asked her if she could explain how rent increases can happen and why some of these storage unit facilities keep doing this.
“It’s not just exclusive to our market, so it’s like anything with rent increases.
Those things [rents] are gonna go up,” Sutton responded.
Knowing that in most cases, rent typically goes up once a year—sometimes twice—I wanted to find out from Sutton how locals can better prepare themselves before (and even after) renting.
“The key is to ask them [storage unit companies] about their rent increase policy.
Ask how often, how high.
Ask about insurance.
Ask about any other fees,” she told me.
However, even savvy renters like Wehrman say it’s still tough to keep up, especially when prices change with little warning.
Her advice?
“Shop around.
I can guarantee that if you go a little out of your comfort zone to get to your unit, you will get a better price,” Wehrman said.
What can you do if you feel you’ve been treated unfairly?
I reached out to the AG’s office to get you this answer.
They told me:
If a Nevada customer feels that their rental contract is deceptive, misleading or fraudulent, we encourage them to file a complaint with our office.
However, our office is not currently leading any regulatory or legislative action to restrict storage unit costs.
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