You pay by credit or debit card or by Direct Debit; we don't accept cash or cheques. When you book, you pay a refundable deposit of two weeks' rent at your unit's standard weekly rate, plus your first four weeks' rent, and the quote shows the exact amounts before you pay. The total in your quote is what you pay; nothing is added at checkout. After that, rent is charged automatically every four weeks, which is 13 payments a year, not 12. We don't normally send a bill first: an electronic invoice is issued after each payment. To change your card or bank details, call us on 0800 2545585 before your next payment date.
What you pay when you book
Your first payment is taken when we accept your order, before you get access to the unit. It covers:
- a deposit of two weeks' rent at your unit's standard weekly rate (not any introductory offer rate);
- your first four weeks' rent;
- your first Contents Protection charge, if you take our cover.
There is no single deposit figure, because it depends on the unit and the site; your quote shows it. Under clause 4 of our terms, the deposit (less any "deductions for unpaid Fees, repairs, cleaning or other charges") is "refunded by cheque or electronic transfer within 21 days of termination of this Agreement". More in do I have to pay a deposit?
Contents cover isn't optional. Our insurance FAQ says "All customers require contents protection for their stored goods", and you either "accept our contents protection cover, or arrange insurance at your own expense". The Contents Protection rate isn't published; your quote shows the charge, or ask on 0800 2545585.
You can book and sign from a distance: when you book online, signing the licence agreement is one of the steps, along with an identity check and payment.
Card or Direct Debit
Our payment FAQ puts it in two sentences: "We accept credit or debit cards but not cash or cheques. Ongoing 4-weekly payments will be taken via an online card payment system or by Direct Debit."
| Method | Used for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | Your first payment, and ongoing payments | Ongoing card payments are taken automatically, so you're authorising us to charge that card every four weeks |
| Direct Debit | Ongoing payments from your bank account | Covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee (below) |
| Cash or cheque | Not accepted |
Whether you choose card or Direct Debit for ongoing payments isn't published. If it matters to you, ask on 0800 2545585 when you book: "Can I pay by Direct Debit from the start, or will you take ongoing payments from my card?" Bank transfer isn't one of our listed ways to pay either; ask before you book if you need it.
If you take our Contents Protection, it's charged on the same four-weekly cycle as your rent. When will I be charged? covers the timing in detail.
If someone else is paying for you
The person who signs the agreement is responsible for the fees. Our terms say "You are responsible to pay" the storage fee, and "You" means "the customer named in this Agreement". A relative or an organisation can pay some or all of it, but that doesn't move the responsibility: if their payment fails, it's the named customer's account that falls behind.
Payments must also be identifiable. Clause 5(a) says fees paid "will not be credited to Your account unless You identify the payment clearly and as directed by Us". So if someone else is paying, call us first and ask how they should set it up and what reference to use.
When a payment counts
Clause 5(a) makes paying on time your job: "It is Your responsibility to see that payment is made directly to Us on time and in full". A payment only counts once it has reached us "in cleared funds", so a card that declines or a Direct Debit that bounces hasn't paid anything.
If you rent more than one unit, all your agreements "form one account", and we may put any payment against "the oldest amount due" on any of them.
If a payment fails
Clause 5(b) charges "a Late Payment Fee each time a payment is late or cancelled". The amount of the Late Payment Fee is not published; ask on 0800 2545585. You also pay our reasonable costs of collecting unpaid fees (clause 5(c)).
While a debt is unpaid, clause 6(a) lets us "refuse You and Your Agents access" and overlock the unit "until the Debt has been paid in full", and clause 6(c) lets us put your deposit towards it. Call us as soon as you know a payment will fail. The full sequence is in what happens if I miss a storage payment?
Changing your card or bank details
Call us on 0800 2545585 as soon as you know: a new card is on its way, a card has been reported lost, or you're moving to a new bank account. Whether you can update a card online isn't published; ask when you call. When your card is replaced, the Financial Conduct Authority says recurring payments may move to the new card automatically, "But this is not always the case".
If you're going abroad or paying from overseas
Automatic card payments can stop when a card expires, so tell us your card's expiry date before you go and plan to give us the new details before then. Direct Debit isn't tied to a card's expiry. Our guide to managing a unit from overseas says: "If you are paying from an overseas card or an account that does not support UK direct debit, confirm this with Wigwam at the point of booking." 0800 numbers may not be free, or reachable, from outside the UK, so check with your provider before you travel. For everyday questions you can also email hello@wigwamstorage.co.uk.
Stopping a payment doesn't end your storage
You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time through your bank or building society (Direct Debit Guarantee), and your card issuer must stop a recurring card payment once you ask (Financial Conduct Authority), if you ask by the end of the business day before the payment is due. But stopping a payment doesn't end the agreement, and clause 5(b) charges a Late Payment Fee on a cancelled payment as well as a late one. Storage ends only when you give written notice: to info@wigwamstorage.co.uk, or by hand or post to the address on your Cover Sheet (clause 39). See how do I give notice? Once you've left, our move-out FAQ says we refund "your deposit and any unused days on your contract after the notice period".
The Direct Debit Guarantee also means you're told in advance of any change to the amount, date or frequency (normally 10 working days ahead), and you're entitled to a full and immediate refund from your bank if a payment is taken in error. Recurring card payments are not covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee (Financial Conduct Authority).
If the price changes
Clause 45 says we tell you in writing at least 28 days before a change takes effect; see why has my storage price gone up?
Invoices and your balance
Clause 5(a) says: "We do not normally bill for Fees but will issue an electronic invoice following payment." Each invoice is the record of the payment it follows. To check what you owe, or for a copy of an invoice, call us. Whether your invoice shows VAT you can reclaim is not published; ask on 0800 2545585, and see do you provide VAT invoices?
Need to set up or change something?
For a new card, a new bank or a question about a payment, call us on 0800 2545585, or get a price online to see your deposit and first payment before you book.
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