A container unit has fewer published protections against theft than an indoor unit. The Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour containers are "lockable" and "located in an access-controlled compound", which our container storage page says is monitored by CCTV, but our booking system lists no alarm on any container, so ask us before you rely on one. An indoor unit sits inside a building with access control on its external doors, and our location pages describe individually alarmed indoor units. Whichever you choose, your goods are stored at your own risk and must be insured; our contents protection page lists "Theft involving forcible entry or exit" among the risks it covers.
Side by side: what our pages say
| Indoor unit | Container unit | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Inside a building. Our CCTV answer describes "access control systems for the external doors" | Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour: "located in an access-controlled compound", monitored by CCTV. Our booking system lists monitored CCTV for each container, including Warminster's; ask us about the Warminster container's compound, alarm and lock |
| Unit alarm | Our CCTV answer says "each unit has its own individual alarm and lock", and our location pages describe individually alarmed indoor units, so check your site's page | Our booking system lists no alarm on any container. Our CCTV answer's "each unit" line and the Chipping Norton page's "individual alarms on every unit" don't say whether containers are included, so ask us. At Chipping Norton, its drive-up units (which aren't containers) are listed as "Individually Alarmed" |
| Lock | Where your site's page says smart entry opens the unit, you don't need a padlock: you unlock and lock it with smart entry on your phone (or a fob if you don't have a smartphone). Chipping Norton is the exception: bring your own padlock, or buy a keyed or combination one at reception (do I need my own padlock?) | "Lockable". Our container page lists "padlocks for sale". Which lock fits: ask us |
| Record of visits | The Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour pages say "Our security systems also log each time a unit is accessed" | Not published for containers. Ask us |
| Fire and smoke detection | Listed on the Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour pages for the site | Not described for containers. Ask us |
| Who is responsible for locking it | You (clause 21) | You (clause 21) |
| Who carries the risk | You, with insurance (clauses 30 and 31) | You, with insurance (clauses 30 and 31) |
Some layers belong to the site rather than to either kind of unit. Our CCTV answer describes "CCTV systems, which are monitored by professionals", secure perimeter fencing and "monitored alarms"; those describe the site, not a container door.
How the container compound is protected, site by site
Our containers are at Chipping Norton (80 and 160 sq ft), Shipston-on-Stour (160 sq ft) and Warminster (320 sq ft, 40ft x 8ft). Our container storage page gives the compound description, and it names only Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour. The Shipston-on-Stour page lists "padlocks available to buy, access control" and CCTV among its container benefits. The Warminster page describes smart entry, CCTV and alarmed indoor units. The Warminster container is 320 sq ft; if your load is smaller, ask for a quote on it and on the nearest indoor size.
On getting in: the Chipping Norton page says "you choose a security pin that lets you pass through the doors", and the Shipston-on-Stour and Warminster pages list smart entry. None of the three says how you open the container itself or which lock it takes, so ask when you book.
Storing household things: furniture, boxes, family items
If what matters most is an alarm on the door you use, our indoor units are the ones whose alarm is published; our guide to unit alarms explains how it works. A container gives you drive-up loading and a single open space, which helps on a big move. Our container sizes guide covers what fits; we don't publish the internal height or door opening, so measure tall items and ask.
Security isn't the only risk for soft furnishings. Our booking system describes the Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour containers as insulated; our booking system doesn't describe the Warminster container as insulated, so ask. See how to stop condensation in a container.
Storing an e-bike? Clause 20(a) says you must not store "any Lithium ion batteries exceeding a watt-hour (Wh) rating of 160 Wh unless they are built-in and cannot be removed from the otherwise permitted Goods", so a removable battery over 160 Wh can't be stored, even fitted to the bike. See can I store an electric bike or e-scooter?
Gifts and keepsakes need thought before they go into any unit. Clause 18(j) says you must not store "items which are unique in nature and/or where the value to You cannot be assessed on a financial basis"; see can I store valuables in a storage unit?
For businesses and trades: container storage security for tools, stock and your insurer
Be exact with your insurer. What you can tell them from our published pages: at Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour, the container is lockable and sits in an access-controlled compound monitored by CCTV, and under clause 21 you are responsible for securing it (which lock it takes is something to confirm with us). Don't tell them it's alarmed unless we've confirmed that for your container. Ask us whether we can describe your container's security in writing.
If you need a record of who opened the unit and when, at Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour, the indoor-unit access log is the published option; ask whether container visits are logged. Your goods are stored "at Your sole risk and responsibility" (clause 30), and our terms exclude "consequential loss, lost profits or business interruption" (clause 30(a)), so lost trade after a theft is a matter for your own business policy. Where a loss results from our negligence or breach of contract, clause 30(b) caps our liability at £100 in total. Clause 31 makes insuring your goods for their replacement value a condition of the agreement, through our contents protection or your own policy. If you use your own, our contents protection page says it should "specify the storage company’s name along with the full postal address of the premises". See what a container costs and how much contents cover you need.
Storing office kit? Clause 20(d) says you must not store "more than ten (10) laptops, tablet computers, children’s toys or other similar items containing built-in batteries", and clause 20.1(b) says such goods must be "not stacked and are stored allowing air circulation". Our battery rules apply to containers too. Archive paper needs to stay dry: keep boxes off the floor, and for paper staying a long time, consider an indoor unit; our container damp guide explains why.
Storing a relative's belongings
Jewellery and keepsakes fall under the clause 18(j) rule above. Drain fuel and oil from motorbike or car parts first (clause 18(c)). Clause 16 says giving a key or access to anyone other than "Your own Agent" is "at Your own risk"; see how to share access to your unit.
Already storing with us
If you want to move between an indoor unit and a container, see can I switch from an indoor unit to a container? If something has already happened, see what to do after a break-in.
What to ask us before you book
- Whether the container you're booking has its own alarm.
- How the Warminster container is protected: compound, alarm and lock.
- Which lock the container takes, and where it goes.
- Whether container visits are logged.
- Who is alerted when an alarm goes off, and how fast.
- Whether we can describe your container's security in writing for your insurer.
Get a price online, or call us on 0800 2545585 and ask these before you commit; our container storage page also gives "01608 532162 for container storage". If none of our container sites is near you, see our locations page.
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