To Whom It May Concern,
Before choosing Valley Storage, Akron, Ohio, we phoned to ask if the facility had video surveillance and if staff checked on the units at least once a day. The employee we spoke with assured us that their video protection was 24-7 and an employee always inspected the facility at least once a day. We moved our belongings into a Valley Storage unit in December 2019 and thankfully, nothing of note happened during the next two years. In February 2022 we received an email from Valley Storage asking if we were aware our padlock was broken. This was news to us, so we requested they placed a new lock on the unit at once. At that time we advised the staff member we would require a copy of the video surveillance to give to the police. During that phone call, the staff member informed us it would take a day or two for the supervisor to review the video and provide us with a copy. We would later find out that statement was false. A week or two later, while responding to our unfavorable Google review, a district manager told us that Valley Storage Akron rarely experienced this kind of situation. We found out later that this statement was untrue as well. Roughly a month later we went to Akron to check on the unit and make a police report. When the Police officer arrived, she stated that this storage facility is constantly being robbed. Especially during the winter months when snow piles up in front of the entrance gates leaving the facility completely unprotected. The officer said that the facility never makes an effort to remove the snow and as a result, the gate is not closed and locked for days at a time. When we reached the unit, we were devastated to find it completely ransacked. More than half of our belongings were missing, and the thief vandalized the property they did not steal. Furthermore, it is logical to assume the person stealing our property enjoyed an abundant amount of time in our unit. The thief ripped through our boxes choosing what to steal, and the items that remained were rearranged and damaged. Drawers had been dumped out, and clothes were stolen off their hangers, leaving the hangers behind. During that visit to our storage unit, the employee at the main desk offered some clarifying information. She explained that while there is video equipment for the facility, only certain areas are videotaped. We were shocked and dismayed to discover our unit wasn't and had never been, videotaped. At the beginning of this ordeal, we made repeated requests for the video of the theft in progress. The supervisor kept asking for our patience and promised she'd deliver the video soon. The supervisor blatantly misled us knowing no such video existed. And when a district manager finally contracted us, he promised we'd receive a video two days after our conversation. That was a year ago. Valley Storage advertises video surveillance by posting signs everywhere and informing potential customers over the phone. The signs do not say only certain units are under surveillance. The employee at the desk further explained she had never been instructed to inspect the facility daily, nor had she seen any other employee doing this check. While the police officer was obtaining our information, she mentioned that every year during the winter, the front gate freezes in the open position, unable to close for days on end. Subsequently, our unit did not have video surveillance, employees do not survey the units daily, and with the front gate being stuck in the open position we were completely vulnerable to theft on a constant basis. We have calculated our losses to be around $15,000. We have consistently paid Valley Storage every month and so far, we have paid over $2,500 for the rental of this unit. The staff at Valley Storage misled us, was untruthful did not provide sufficient protection for our possessions, and on multiple occasions, the entire facility was unprotected. Valley Storage's false advertising, faulty equipment, and their not removing snow banks that block the gate in the open position have constructed an entirely unprotected facility. We are asking for a portion of the monies we've paid, in good faith to Valley Storage, to be returned.
L. Cava
Sent from Mail for Windows read more
