Public Storage, Farmingdale, NY - items damaged during storage - want reimbursement for damaged items

# 31 for April 16, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on April 15, 2003:

From: Email User

RE: Public Storage, Farmingdale, NY - items damaged during storage - want reimbursement for damaged items

Once again Public Storage in Farmingdale, NY has *** me.

Last April the Mgr. & Ass't Mgr. stole items from my unit. They were both arrested & convicted of this crime. While all this was going on I refused to pay the rent on the unit. I settled with Public Storage in October of 2002. I was told all fee's would come out of my settlement. All fee's would include back rent, late fees & INSURANCE. Well, now I think everything is OK. NOT!!! On January 16th, 2003 they had a water pipe brake due to the arctic weather we were having here in NY.

I received a call from the District Mgr. Robert Cohen @ 1:45pm stating I should come down & check on my unit for any water damage. The pipe broke @ 6:51am according to Mr. Cohen. I was on my lunch hour with my 15 yr. old daughter when we went to check on the unit.

Upon arrival I noticed water along the sides of my unit. There was no employee's around to help me remove my items from a 30x30 unit. Now I'm in heals & a skirt, with my daughter. We start removing some of the items. I noticed my mattress's were wet which I pointed out to Mr. Cohen (I had dealt with Mr. Cohen when the robbery had happened). Also, my bedroom furniture was wet.

I advised Mr. Cohen I would be moving out on February 1st. He stated I should leave any water damaged items in the front for the Insurance Adjuster to look at.

I paid my February rent since I wasn't moving out now until the 8th of Feb. I filed all the paperwork with the Insurance Co.... A few weeks later I received a letter stating I wasn't insuranced due to non-payment. I explained to the Representative Olga what had happened & I was under the assumption I had insurance. I then called Mr. Cohen & he stated he too thought I had insurance. He now puts me in touch with the Regional Mgr. Mr. Reeves. After going back & forth for 3 months he tells me they are not responsible. In the mean time the only thing in the unit is the damaged items. Now they want rent for March & April. they are also, threatening to auction off my items. I told Mr. Reeves that the only thing in the unit is the damaged items.

I advised him that this was the same response I received when the robbery took place, but they settled that claim. Plus, I had no insurance @ that time. This time I did. He said there was nothing he could do for me. I asked him why then do they advertise "All units are climate controlled?" When obviously they are not otherwise the pipe wouldn't have broke to begin with. He was unable to give me a response. I proceeded to ask him how they can do local moves when they aren't allowed to do so according to the Department of Transportation. Again, no response. According to the NY Dept. Of Trans. they are not allowed to drop off or pick up those containers to someone's home. This is considered a local move. Interesting Huh?

All I want from Public Storage is to be reimbursed my $3200 for three new beds & one new bedroom set. I've been in contact with my local Better Business Bureau & I'm planning to contact my local news agency about the fraud Public Storage is committing everyday.

If anyone is interested in my previous complaint about Public Storage see my post from July 9th, 2002.