Let's talk about self storage.

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  • 1.  Payment Forms or Types you Use?

    Posted 02-15-2024 04:32 PM

    Hi All!

    We currently accept several forms of payment; Checks, Money Orders, ACH, Credit Cards, Debit Cards. No Cash. This is pretty standard I feel, but recently we've been discussing a way to utilize PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or any of those systems. Does anyone use them and if so what do you recomend? Is there a downside to one or more of them? 

    Please let me know what you think, we've had a lot of younger tenants requesting different payment options!

    Thank you for any direction you can give us!



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    Amber Oatman
    Training Coordinator
    Steelcreek Management, LLC
    Addison
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  • 2.  RE: Payment Forms or Types you Use?

    Posted 02-22-2024 03:35 PM
    Edited by Justin Lynch 02-22-2024 03:36 PM

    In my experience, I don't recommend accepting ACH. We allow people to rent a space online and we also rent in person at the office. Several times we've had someone create an account online after the office has closed. They set up an account and pay with ACH. They always rent an expensive unit and choose the most expensive tenant protection option. They use a stolen ID and a phone number that usually doesn't even work. Surprisingly they use a made up email that doesn't even make sense.  They pay with stolen ACH info hoping that our system will go ahead and give them a gate code instantly. They will then come into the facility and steal everything they can before leaving with no plans to ever come back. Since ACH doesn't fund immediately, my system doesn't know that the payment likely won't go through until a few days later. I've had several attempts from people using this method. We shut ACH off just for this reason. 

    We do use Zelle and our customers really like the ease of use that it offers. I'm not a fan of Venmo and haven't tried Apple Pay or any of the other more modern methods that you mention. 



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    Justin Lynch
    Stover Creek Storage

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    Original Message