Have you ever wondered if living in a storage unit was legal or not? If you found yourself suddenly without a home due to financial hardship or natural disaster, where would you go? For some, that could mean living with family or friends. For others, that could be living in a storage unit where they keep their belongings. While a storage unit might seem like a viable option, it’s not sustainable or safe.
It’s illegal
Living in a storage unit is prohibited by various local and federal housing laws. Storage facilities must evict any person they find living on the premises to comply with the law and most insurance policies.
There are good reasons why this restriction is in place. For starters, living in a storage unit is unsafe.
The doors lock from the outside
Most storage unit doors are garage-style roll-up doors that lock from the outside. Also, in many storage facilities, management is tasked with doing multiple walkthroughs throughout their shift to ensure all the doors are closed and locked. This task is performed for the safety of renters’ belongings, but if you’re living inside a unit, there’s a chance you could get locked inside. At best, this could mean you feel slightly claustrophobic for the night. At worst, this could result in fatality.
There are no windows or natural light
Natural light is an essential component of psychological well-being. People living in a storage unit could find themselves depressed, lethargic, and claustrophobic due to their living conditions. This lack of space and light can be especially detrimental to children.
Storage units don’t have running water
If you opt to live in a storage unit, you’ll have to spend most of your day outside the unit or sit inside it quietly and discreetly since doing so is illegal. Either way, you’ll be limited on options for bathing and using the bathroom. Your personal hygiene and health can suffer without access to fresh, running water.
Cooking inside a unit is a fire hazard
There are a variety of activities that could cause a fire inside a storage unit. One of the most probable is people attempting to use stoves or grills without proper ventilation. Unfortunately, people living in a storage unit are commonly to blame for fires breaking out.
You will get caught
The viral Youtube video above talks about the need to be invisible to be able to live in a storage unit. Most storage facilities are well equipped with cameras and security protocols, so it’s unlikely a person will get away with hiding out in a storage unit for long. Once caught, you can face civil charges and could lose access to your unit and your belongings.
We offer storage solutions to our clients across Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley with storage units in Chilliwack (Chilliwack U-Lock Mini Storage), South Surrey and White Rock (White Rock U-Lock Mini Storage), Burnaby and Vancouver (Burnaby U-Lock Mini Storage), Victoria (Victoria U-Lock Mini Storage), Nanaimo (Nanaimo U-Lock Mini Storage) and Parksville (Parksville U-Lock Mini Storage).