Not cash, deeds or securities, and not one-of-a-kind items. Our storage terms say you must not store "currency, deeds and securities" (clause 18(i)), or "items which are unique in nature and/or where the value to You cannot be assessed on a financial basis" (clause 18(j)). Jewellery and antiques aren't named, but our Contents Protection page also lists "High-value items requiring specialized storage" as not permitted, so call us on 0800 2545585 before you store anything of real value. Anything you do store is at your own risk, must be insured for its replacement value, and if a loss is down to us our liability is limited to £100 in total.
Below: the rules, jewellery and antiques in plain words, then sections for businesses, people clearing someone else's home, and existing customers.
What our terms say
Clause 18 begins: "You must not store (or allow any other person to store) any of the following in the Unit". Two of its items cover valuables.
| Item | Can it go in the unit? | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Cash, in any currency, including cash in cards | No | Clause 18(i), "currency" |
| Deeds, such as the title deeds to a property | No | Clause 18(i), "deeds" |
| Securities (our examples: share and bond certificates; we read premium bonds as included) | No | Clause 18(i), "securities" |
| Anything unique, or whose value to you can't be put in money | No | Clause 18(j) |
| Jewellery | Not named in clause 18. Ask us first if it's of real value (see below) | Clause 18; Contents Protection page |
| Watches | Not named in clause 18. Ask us first if it's of real value | Clause 18; Contents Protection page |
| Stamp collections | Not named; ask us first if of real value | Clause 18(j); Contents Protection page |
| Original artworks | Not named; ask us first | Clause 18(j); Contents Protection page |
| Coin or banknote collections | Not named as such; ask us first | Clauses 18(i) and 18(j); Contents Protection page |
| Bikes, computers and other electronics with a shop price | Not named in clause 18; ask us first if of real value | Clause 18; Contents Protection page |
| Everyday documents and business records | Not barred by clause 18 | Clause 18 |
"Or allow any other person to store" means the rule still applies when a removals firm or a relative loads the unit for you.
Jewellery and other valuables, in plain words
Clause 18(j) bars an item that is unique, or whose value to you can't be put in money, or both. A watch bought new last year has a price: you could buy a comparable one (our reading). A grandmother's brooch or engagement ring, a child's first drawing or a medal that belonged to your father is different: nothing on sale would replace it, and what it's worth to you isn't a sum of money. We read clause 18(j) as covering items like those, so keep them with you or ask us first.
For jewellery with a price, the terms don't settle it. Our Contents Protection page lists "High-value items requiring specialized storage" among the things we don't permit, and it doesn't say where "high-value" begins. So before you bring jewellery, watches or a collection of real value, ask us on 0800 2545585 whether it can go in, and ask what the cover allows for it.
An original painting or print is one of a kind, so it may fall under "unique in nature" in clause 18(j). The terms don't say how we treat artworks, so ask us before storing originals.
If you collect coins or banknotes, ask us too. A collection could count as "currency" (clause 18(i)), as "unique" (clause 18(j)) or as "high-value" on our Contents Protection page. For jewellery, our guide to what you can and can't store suggests that "Fine jewellery and items of serious monetary or sentimental value are better housed in a bank safety deposit box."
Why the line sits where it does
Our terms don't give reasons, but they work in money figures: your goods must stay insured "for their Replacement Value (as set out on the Cover Sheet)" (clause 31), and our Contents Protection covers "the full total replacement value of the Goods as new" that you state (clause 48). Cover is stated "as new"; for antiques, which have no new price, ask us how to state their value on the Cover Sheet. Our short answer on calculating a full replacement value says goods that can't be bought new are valued at current market value. Insurance pays money. It can't give back a one-off heirloom, and an item whose value to you can't be put in money can't be given a Cover Sheet figure.
Units aren't fireproof; see what fire protection our sites have. Our guide also says plainly: "There is no climate control in a self-storage unit." That matters for paintings, frames, stamps, coins and electronics stored for a long time, which can react to cold and damp. Our booking system describes the Shipston-on-Stour and Chipping Norton containers as insulated; ask which unit suits clocks, silver or paintings, and see our container storage page. See whether units get cold in winter and whether units are waterproof.
Is it safe to store valuables? Your risk, your lock, your cover
Clause 30 says your goods "are stored at Your sole risk and responsibility", including theft and damage "caused by any reason". Where a loss results from our negligence or breach of contract, "Our liability will be limited to the sum of £100 in total". That's the total for everything in the unit, not £100 an item. For an item with a price, what protects it is insurance.
You must also keep your unit locked: clause 21 makes you "solely responsible for securing the Unit and ensuring it is locked so as to be secure from unauthorised entry at all times when You are not in the Unit", and says "We will not be responsible for securing any unlocked Unit." For the security at a particular site, see its page on our locations page.
Clause 31 makes insurance a condition of the agreement, and you promise "that the aggregate value of Goods in the Unit from time to time will not exceed the insured value". If you add a valuable piece, raise the figure first. Our guide to how much contents cover you need shows how to add it up.
With our Contents Protection, the risks on our cover page include fire, burst pipes and "Theft involving forcible entry or exit", in a list that "includes but is not limited to" those. We don't value your goods for you: "We do not carry out any valuation of the Goods" (clause 48). The full policy terms, including any excess and any limit on single items or jewellery, are in the Summary of Insurance you're given when you take the cover. Ask us for a copy before you rely on it for anything valuable. With your own policy, check it covers goods in a storage unit and any single-item limit, because our terms add that "You must make Your own judgment as to adequacy of cover even when arranged by Us" (clause 31).
If the worst happens, our page on what happens if your unit is broken into covers the first steps and who pays.
If you're storing for a business
A cash float or takings can't go in the unit (clause 18(i)), and nor can share certificates or bonds. If your stock is high-value, such as jewellery, watches, silver, clocks or paintings, ask us before it goes in. Clause 18(j) bars items "unique in nature" whatever their price, and the terms don't say whether antique stock counts, so call 0800 2545585 before storing antiques. Our terms don't say whether Contents Protection covers stock held for sale. Ask for the Summary of Insurance, and check that your own trade policy covers stock kept at a storage site. Our terms also exclude "loss or damage to Your business, if any, including consequential loss, lost profits or business interruption" (clause 30(a)), so lost trade is for your own business policy. And the unit can't be your office or business address: you must not "use the Unit as offices or living accommodation or as a home, business or mailing address" (clause 22(a)).
If you're clearing someone else's home
If you're an executor, an attorney or a family member clearing a relative's home, sort out any cash, deeds, share or bond certificates, the will, and any jewellery of real value before anything is packed. Clause 18 binds whoever's name is on the agreement, and it covers anything stored in the unit, including things that belong to someone else. Keep deeds, the original will and any certificates with the estate's papers, or with the solicitor if one is acting. Wills aren't named in clause 18, but our guide to what you can and can't store suggests that "Title deeds and wills belong with your solicitor". See storing someone else's belongings.
If it's already in your unit
Take cash, deeds, securities and irreplaceable items out on your next visit. Under clause 32 you compensate us for costs that result from a breach of the agreement. If you're not sure whether something counts, call us on 0800 2545585 and ask.
For everything else, find your nearest site, get a price online, or call us on 0800 2545585 and tell us about anything of high value before you book.
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