Yes. By the close of business on the day your agreement ends (the Termination Date), everything needs to be out of the unit and it needs to be clean and in good repair. In practice that means swept out, no rubbish or packing left behind, and nothing stuck or fixed to the walls or door. If it's left dirty or damaged, our terms let us charge a cleaning fee or the reasonable cost of repairs or rubbish disposal, and keep all or part of your deposit; clause 4 returns the balance. Clearing a relative's unit, or a business unit? There's a section for each below.
What our terms say
Two clauses of our storage terms cover this. Clause 23 applies the whole time you rent:
"You must maintain the Unit by ensuring it is clean and in good repair during the Storage Period. In the event of uncleanliness or damage to the Unit or Facility, We will be entitled to retain the Deposit, charge a Cleaning Fee, and/or claim full reimbursement from You of the reasonable costs of repairs, replacement, restoration, proper compensation or disposal of refuse."
Clause 41 sets the standard for the day you leave: "You must remove all Goods in the Unit before the close of business on the Termination Date and leave the Unit in a clean condition and in a good state of repair to the satisfaction of Us. In the event that Goods and/or rubbish are left in the Unit after the Termination Date, Clauses 7 and 23 will apply."
In plain words: "to the satisfaction of Us" means we decide whether the unit is clean enough, so it pays to leave no room for doubt.
Will I get my deposit back?
If your agreement took a deposit, clause 4 says the balance comes back: the Deposit "(or the balance of it after any appropriate deductions for unpaid Fees, repairs, cleaning or other charges to put right any breach of this Agreement by You) will be refunded by cheque or electronic transfer within 21 days of termination of this Agreement." Our managing director's guide to our terms says the deposit "is there to cover the agreement, not to be whittled down over ordinary wear", and that a deduction could arise from "a genuine cost left behind", such as "goods or rubbish not removed, or damage beyond normal use". The terms themselves don't define wear and tear. Do I have to pay a deposit? covers the rest.
Is there a cleaning fee?
There can be, if the unit is left dirty. Clause 23 says we're "entitled" to charge; any cleaning fee or repair charge is invoiced at our discretion (clause 5(e)). The terms don't set a figure for the cleaning fee, so if you want to know it, ask us.
What "clean" means in practice
The terms don't give a checklist. Our managing director's guide to our terms describes a clean exit as "emptied, padlock off, swept out, with nothing left for someone else to deal with". On your last visit:
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Every item out, including broken furniture and things nobody wants | Anything left can be treated as abandoned (clause 7) |
| Floor swept, with no loose packing, tape, dust sheets or pallets | Rubbish left in the unit brings in clause 23 |
| Spills, oil and paint splashes cleaned up, or mentioned when you call | "clean condition" (clause 41) |
| No hooks, screws, stickers or tape on the walls or door | You mustn't "paint or make alterations to or attach anything to the internal or external surfaces of the Unit" (clause 22(d)) |
| Any new dents or scrapes reported, not left for us to find | Damage you, or anyone you send, causes is yours (clause 22(f)); report it straight away (clause 24) |
| Your padlock, if your unit takes one | See below |
| Let us know once the unit is empty: call us on 0800 2545585 | So we know you've finished |
Removing your padlock: if your unit has a padlock (some sites use smart entry instead), take it off unless your site tells you otherwise. At Chipping Norton the location page asks you to bring your own padlock for the unit; at several of our other sites the location pages describe a door you open with smart entry. Only ever lock your own fitting: clause 21 says a padlock put in our overlocking position may be "forcefully cut off at Your expense". Do I need my own padlock? has the site-by-site detail.
Our move-out FAQ sets the benchmark: leave the unit "in the same condition as at the commencement date". Take a dated photo of the empty, swept unit before you close the door, and compare it with any photo you took when you moved in.
Anything left behind, and rubbish
The last few items are the easy ones to leave: a wardrobe nobody wants, a broken lamp, a stack of flattened boxes. Under clause 7, goods left after the agreement ends can be treated as abandoned and sold or disposed of, with storage fees and disposal costs charged to you. What happens to anything left in a storage unit explains the steps, including the written notice we send first.
Rubbish doesn't go in the corridors either. Clause 22(g) says you mustn't "leave items or refuse in any common space within the Facility". For household items such as a broken wardrobe or a pile of flattened cardboard, your council's tip or its bulky-waste collection is the place to take it; whether your site has anywhere to put rubbish is covered in is there a rubbish bin at storage sites?. If in doubt, plan to take it with you.
Damage, including by movers
Clause 22(f) says you mustn't "cause damage to the Unit or any part of the Facility (which includes by removal, haulage or delivery contractors)". So a scrape made by a removals firm or clearance team you've hired counts as yours. If something does get damaged, clause 24 asks you to tell us "immediately it is discovered".
Check your own belongings as you take them out too. Clause 42 asks you to tell us about any loss or damage to your goods "as soon as is reasonably possible".
If you're clearing a relative's unit
As an executor or family member, you may be clearing things you've never seen. Build in time for a second trip: the unit has to be fully empty, and deciding what to keep can take longer than moving it. If a clearance firm does the work, only you or people acting for you may access the unit, and you're responsible for them (clause 14: "Only You or Your Agents may access the Unit. You are responsible for and liable to Us and other users of the Facility for Your own actions and those of Your Agents."). Some of our location pages, such as Lincoln's, say you can share access with someone through smart entry, and at Chipping Norton you tell us who to add. The damage rule above covers the firm too, so check the unit after they leave. The terms don't say whether you need to be there on the last day, so ask when you call, and ask the firm for a dated photo of the empty unit. Call us before you start, so we know who we're dealing with. What happens to a storage unit when the renter dies covers who can give notice and access the unit.
If you're a business closing a unit
A trade unit may hold tools, freestanding racking, offcuts, plaster dust and pallets. All of it has to go: sweep out the dust, and clean up any spills or paint splashes, or mention them when you call. Racking should already be freestanding, because clause 22(d) says you mustn't "paint or make alterations to or attach anything to the internal or external surfaces of the Unit"; if anything was fixed, remove it and ask us before making good. Trade waste and offcuts need a business waste route, such as a registered waste carrier; is there a rubbish bin at storage sites? covers this. If a courier or haulier collects your last load, clause 22(f) applies to them as it does to you. The terms don't say whether you need to be there when the unit is checked, so ask when you call.
Timing and notice
The deadline is close of business on your Termination Date, which is at least the number of days on your agreement's front page (the Cover Sheet) after we receive your written notice (clauses 39 and 41). Our move-out FAQ says that's "(Normally 14 days)", but the figure on your Cover Sheet is the one that counts. The terms don't give a clock time for "close of business"; your site's page lists its office hours, so check it, or aim to finish the day before. Our short move-out FAQ gives the steps in brief, and how do I give notice to leave? covers how to send notice and what happens to your money.
Before your last visit
If you're unsure what counts as clean for your unit, or you've found damage you want to mention, call us on 0800 2545585 before your final trip. The terms don't say whether the unit is checked with you there, so ask when you call, and if there were marks when you moved in, say so then.
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