I rented two units at CubeSmart (215-01 42nd Ave, Bayside, NY), trusting my belongings would be…read moresecure and accessible. Initially, everything seemed fine. But on move day, what should've been a smooth transition devolved into a nightmare of mismanagement, hostility, and complete disregard for customer care.
The day before, I stopped by to buy boxes. The employee who rented me the units assured me they'd be open Sunday. On 4/27/2025, I arrived with a fully loaded 28-foot truck to find the facility closed, despite posted hours until 6 PM. At least five other customers were locked out. Corporate reps tried reaching local staff and the district manager. No one responded. A callback by the District Manager was promised and never came.
Corporate customer service rep found me a unit in Flushing, forcing me to rent a third unit I didn't need. My movers charged extra. I had to rent a U-Haul again days later, take time off work, and redo a move that should've ended that day, adding significant costs and stress.
When I returned to Bayside a few days later to complete the move, I had been unloading for over an hour when elevator access was shut down at 7:45 PM, despite posted hours until 8 and no warning. I knocked on the office door. The employee refused to look at me and said "We're closed." When I pointed out the access hours, she smirked and dismissed me. She refused to give her name (later I learned it was Isis). When I asked for help again, she became hostile and threatened eviction. Her complete lack of professionalism was staggering.
Then she called the police.
The officers arrived. I calmly explained everything. They asked her to let me secure my unit before leaving. She agreed--until they left. She immediately reneged and ordered me to vacate over the loudspeaker. I called 911 again. Police returned 30 minutes later. By then, I had reloaded all my items into the truck. I didn't want to continue unloading--just to confirm the unit was locked. She initially resisted but finally allowed access with police escort.
Days later, I found a paper notice taped to my unit stating my lease had been terminated, with a deadline to vacate. No email was sent, violating the lease. It was clearly retaliation for challenging their behavior.
After weeks of silence, I sent a formal complaint to CubeSmart's VP of Operations. A few days later, the district manager finally called. She offered a partial refund--but only if I vacated both facilities and signed a release and NDA. I explained that my costs far exceeded their offer and relocating again would add even more expenses. She denied my request for full reimbursement.
Fearing further retaliation and mismanagement, I hired movers to clear out both units and transferred my belongings to a different company. My total out-of-pocket losses now exceeded $3,500. I followed up with another letter to the VP documenting everything. It's been weeks. No response. Not even a courtesy acknowledgment.
To this day, CubeSmart hasn't explained why the facility was closed on my move day, why their staff acted so unprofessionally, or why I received an unlawful termination notice. No apology. No accountability. Just silence.
I trusted CubeSmart with my belongings. What I got was stress, financial loss, and absolute negligence. Their disregard for lease terms, failure to communicate, and hostility toward a paying customer proved one thing: CubeSmart does not prioritize service, safety, or basic respect. I strongly advise anyone reading this review to reconsider and not rent at this--or any--CubeSmart location.
