Your first payment is taken when we accept your booking: a refundable deposit of two weeks' rent at your unit's standard weekly rate, plus your first four weeks' rent, plus your first Contents Protection charge if you take our cover. After that, rent is charged automatically every four weeks, which is 13 payments a year, not 12, and each payment is taken before the four weeks it pays for. You pay in advance because our terms are built that way: each payment buys the storage time ahead of it, and your right to store runs "So long as all Fees are paid up to date".
Booking ahead of a move? Start with booking day. Paid monthly? See the payday section. Running a business, or already storing with us? Each has its own section below.
Your payment timeline
| When | What happens | Where it's set out |
|---|---|---|
| We accept your booking | Deposit, first four weeks' rent and, if you take it, first Contents Protection charge | Terms clauses 4 and 5(a); booking FAQ |
| Your start date | Storage begins on the date agreed when you booked | Terms clause 3 |
| Every four weeks after that | Rent (and Contents Protection, if taken) charged automatically, before the period it covers | Terms clause 5(a); payment FAQ |
| After each payment | An electronic invoice is sent | Terms clause 5(a) |
| When you leave | Deposit refunded within 21 days, less any deductions; unused days after your notice period refunded | Terms clause 4; move-out FAQ |
What you pay on booking day
Our booking FAQ says: "You will pay for a 2 week deposit and your first 4-weeks of storage upfront". The deposit is two weeks' rent at your unit's standard (non-offer) weekly rate, so it varies by unit and site, and your quote shows the exact amount before you pay. The total in your quote is what you pay; nothing is added at checkout.
If you book ahead of your move-in date, this money leaves your account when we accept the booking, not on move-in day. Clause 5(a) says we take the first payment "on acceptance of Your order", and clause 3 says "The Storage Period will begin on the date agreed with You during the order process". Budget for it on booking day. Whether your first four weeks run from your booking date or your start date isn't published; ask on 0800 2545585. The online booking page says you can book "up to 2 weeks in advance of your move-in date"; to book further ahead, ask on 0800 2545585.
Contents cover is part of the cost too. Our insurance FAQ says "All customers require contents protection for their stored goods" and that you can either "accept our contents protection cover, or arrange insurance at your own expense". Our cover's charge depends on the replacement value you declare; no rate is published, but it appears in your quote once you enter that value. See do I need insurance for my unit?
The deposit comes back under clause 4, "by cheque or electronic transfer within 21 days of termination of this Agreement", after any deductions for unpaid fees, cleaning or repairs. More in do I have to pay a deposit, and when do I get it back?
How often you're charged: every four weeks
Our payment FAQ says: "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." Our price lists quote every unit per week and per four weeks.
For a 50 sq ft unit, the median (middle value) of the listed prices on our September 2026 price lists is £143 per four weeks, before any introductory offer. That median is not a price any site lists: 50 sq ft prices run from £82 to £304 per four weeks, depending on site and floor. Prices include VAT; nothing is added at checkout. A January 2020 post on our blog listed Chipping Norton containers "Starting at just £100 +VAT"; ask on 0800 2545585 which basis applies to your quote. At £143:
| Per payment | Payments in 52 weeks | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent every four weeks | £143 | 13 | £1,859 |
Contents cover is on top of that.
Comparing with a monthly price elsewhere? A month is longer than four weeks, so a four-week price always looks lower than the same cost charged monthly. Convert both to a yearly figure first. £1,859 spread over 12 months is about £154.92 a month; that is our own arithmetic, not a price we charge. Our glossary explains the billing cycle and payment in advance.
If you're paid monthly or on a set day
Thirteen payments in a year means that at least one calendar month each year has two payments in it. Plan for that month. And because 13 four-week periods add up to 364 days, your due dates drift a day or so earlier in the calendar each year.
If your due date sits awkwardly against payday, clause 5(a) allows payments on the invoice date "or other date agreed with You". Whether we can set a different date for you isn't published; ask on 0800 2545585 when you book. If you pay by Direct Debit, ask too which day the money leaves your account when a due date falls on a weekend or bank holiday.
Why you pay in advance
It's the structure of the agreement. Clause 5(a) says: "We will take the first payment on acceptance of Your order and will take subsequent payments in advance on the invoice date for each Storage Period or other date agreed with You (Due Date)." Clause 1 grants your licence to store goods "So long as all Fees are paid up to date". Our refunds guide puts it simply: "When you book, you pay ahead for a period of storage. That payment covers every day of that period."
That means you can pay for days you don't use. When you leave, our move-out FAQ says we refund "any unused days on your contract after the notice period". Unused days inside your notice period are not refunded. Notice is on the front page of your agreement ("Normally 14 days"), and the minimum term is two weeks. The sooner you give notice, the sooner charges stop: see how to give notice.
If you're a business: invoices
Clause 5(a) says: "We do not normally bill for Fees but will issue an electronic invoice following payment". So there's no bill to approve before payment: the payment is taken on its due date, and the invoice that follows is your record for the accounts. Whether that invoice shows VAT you can reclaim is not published; ask on 0800 2545585. See do you provide VAT invoices for business storage?
If you're already storing: keeping payments on track
Clause 5(a) puts the responsibility on you: "It is Your responsibility to see that payment is made directly to Us on time and in full". A payment counts only once it is received "in cleared funds". Before your card expires, call 0800 2545585 with the new details.
If a payment is late or cancelled, 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. While a debt is unpaid, clause 6(a) lets us "refuse You and Your Agents access to the Goods, the Unit and the Facility and to overlock the Unit until the Debt has been paid in full". If you're on an introductory offer, clause 6 (in the list that begins "You acknowledge that", point (c)) says that if you don't pay on the due date, "the value of any discounts and special offers (including periods of free storage)" becomes payable in full. If money is tight, talk to us before the due date: what happens if I miss a storage payment?
Questions to ask on 0800 2545585
- Can my due date be moved to suit payday?
- On Direct Debit, which day does the money leave my account if a due date falls on a weekend or bank holiday?
- How much is the Late Payment Fee?
- For a business: does my invoice show VAT I can reclaim?
To see today's price, deposit and first payment for your nearest site, get a price online.
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