Frequently Asked Questions

General

How does Express Storage work?
Express Storage is the easiest way to simplify and declutter your life, with stress-free storage and access at the touch of a button. You never need to visit a warehouse – we collect and deliver so you can get on with living.

You simply log in to your Express Storage account and let us know how many containers you need. We'll deliver you custom plastic containers in under 24 hours for you to pack your stuff. For every container you can add a title, description and photos right within our app so you have a photo inventory of your stuff at any time.

When you are done packing, let us know and we'll collect the full containers and put them in our temperature and humidity controlled warehouses with 24hr security. Any time you need something back, simply log in, select the items you want back and let us know when and where you want them delivered.

Where is my stuff stored?
We store all items in highly insulated warehousing with 24 hour security and closed circuit television. Express Storage takes all the hassle out of self-storage facilities by providing pick-ups and deliveries of all your stuff at the touch of a button so there is no need to leave your home or office. In order to ensure that all our client's stuff is safe and secure, it is not accessible to the public.

What are your hours of operation?
Express Storage is open from 09:30 to 18:30, Monday to Friday. We are able to arrange collections and deliveries between 09:00-18:00 Monday to Saturday. For deliveries outside of these times, please contact us as there may be surcharges involved. We will be offering even more flexible delivery and pickup windows in the near future - stay tuned!

How can I see my stuff online?
Simply log in to your Express Storage account and you will be able to access all the details for all items you have in storage or with you along with any photos and descriptions that you have provided.

TIP: Save my.expressstorage.co.uk to your favourites or if you are on a smartphone, you can even save it to your home screen for quick access with only one click.

Is there an Express Storage mobile app?.
You can always access your stuff in your account by logging in at my.expressstorage.co.uk. To make things even more simple, you can save the page to your smartphone's home screen for quick access with only one click.

Containers & Packing

What is an Express Storage container?
Express Storage containers are made from strong plastic designed specifically to safely store your stuff. They are waterproof and have tamper-evident security seals to ensure that your stuff is always kept sealed and safe until you decide to open the container again.

What can I store in an Express Storage container?
Pretty much anything you need stored with the obvious exceptions being anything perishable, liquids, any illegal substances, explosives, flammable materials, hazardous materials or very fragile or high value items.

You are responsible for packing your stuff and ensuring that items are safely wrapped in bubble wrap or packaging paper as necessary. All items should be carefully packed so that they can be safely transported and stored.

How do I know how many containers I need?
We have provided examples on our website of what a typical person could store in a container for your reference. We can provide extra containers for you and we will collect any empty ones along with the full ones. Don't worry, you will only ever be charged for containers that you actually use.

If you have packed your containers and still need more, just give us a call or order online and we'll send you more empty containers for you to store your items.

Is there a weight limit?
From a health and safety perspective, it is important that each Express Storage container or any other item does not weigh more than 20kg. Our employees move a lot of containers every day and this is an important consideration for them. If you have heavy items such as books, please separate them into multiple containers If a container is too heavy when we come to collect it, we may ask that the items be split into separate containers.

How do I securely close my container?
Ensure everything is well packaged with no items overflowing outside the container. The 2 parts of the lid should interlock and then you can add 2 tamper-evident security locks into the rectangular hole in the centre at either end of the container.

How long can I keep the empty containers for before they are picked up?
We ask that you please schedule a collection of your filled containers within 1 week from the date that the containers were delivered to you. Once the 1 week period has passed we will need to charge you as if the containers were in storage.

Will you open my containers?
No. You pack and seal each container with our tamper-evident seals and we won't open them. However, if in the rare case that we suspect there is something dangerous, illegal or smelly inside or if required by the authorities we may need to open the container. In such case we will do our best to contact you before hand.

Can I use my own boxes to store my stuff?
Assuming that the box size is similar to that of our containers and does not weigh more than 20kg, you may store your own boxes. Please note that all boxes must be in good condition and well packed and sealed in order to ensure items are safe. We hold the right to refuse to store any boxes if we are not comfortable with the quality of the box or its dimensions. Storage of goods not packed in containers is stored at your own risk. If you have large boxes you wish to store, please contact us first.

Can I store items that don't fit into a container?
Aside from storing containers, we can also store other items as long as they are of a reasonable size that one person can carry. Examples include sporting equipment (bicycles, golf clubs, snowboards, skis, wakeboards, etc.), luggage, small furniture, small appliances, etc. Our usual weight restriction of max 20kg per item will apply for any items stored. Please contact us for a quote.

If you have any doubts or would like to store something not listed here, please just give us a call to see if we can help.

Deliveries & Collections

How do I schedule a collection of my items??
Simple. Just log in to your account and select the containers in the 'Stuff with you' section and click on 'schedule collection'.

What’s your coverage area?
We are currently serving Carlisle. Please contact us for any exceptions or if you have any questions.

How much advance notice do you need?
Bookings made before 3PM can be arranged between 9AM and 1PM the next day. Bookings made by 9AM can be arranged between 1PM and 6PM the same day.

Where will your driver collect my items?
We try to offer as much convenience as possible and our drivers have a very busy schedule of deliveries and collections every day. We therefore ask for items to be ready on the ground floor if there is no elevator available. If required, we can collect from your floor.

How do I get my stuff back?
Simple. Just log in to your account and check out your 'Stuff in storage'. Select any items that you want returned and click on 'schedule delivery'.

Can I get my stuff delivered to a different address?
Absolutely. Just enter the address you need the items sent back to and we'll deliver them there. If you want them to be delivered to another person, please enter their information. For the delivery, make sure they have a photo ID on them so that we can ensure that your stuff is being delivered to the correct person.

Can you help me move?
We'd be happy to help. The prices will follow our usual pricing. You can store your items with us until your new place is ready or we can arrange to deliver them to your new apartment the same day. Oversized items can be handled as long as they are easily carried by one person. For other items, we'll try our best to help but you'll need to give us a call first so we can discuss your exact requirements.

Pricing

How and when do I pay for storage and deliveries?
We have fully automated billing integrated into our system, which means you don't need to worry about paying an invoice manually every month.

You will be required to enter your credit card (Visa or MasterCard) details or link your PayPal account to your Express Storage account prior to placing an order with us. We will then bill you on a monthly basis for all storage and service charges.

We work with Braintree Payments (a subsidiary of PayPal) to process all payments and your credit card details are stored securely with them.

Business users that require invoices to be issued and would like to pay by bank transfer or cheque, please contact us.

What other fees should I be aware of?
We provide free delivery of empty containers and free collection of full containers. Where we must incur parking fees in order to arrange deliveries or collections, those fees will be added to your bill.

We provide 1 free collection for each delivery of empty boxes.

Some locations will have surcharges which are listed when you place an order for boxes online.

Urgent delivery or collection requests may be subject to a surcharge.

What are the minimum requirements?
We only require our customers to store at least 1 container with us for 1 month.

What happens if I order my items back within 1 month of putting them in storage?
We do not prorate months for storage. If you have your items returned before the next billing cycle you will not be charged for the following month. If you arrange a return within a billing cycle, you will be charged for that whole month but not the next.

What happens if I order more containers than I need?
We actually recommend you to order a couple more containers than you will need just in case you underestimate how much stuff you want to store. We'll collect all full and empty containers together and we'll only charge you for the storage of containers you use.

What happens if I change my mind and send back all my containers empty without storing them?
In the case that you do not have any full containers to store with us, we'll have to charge you £30 for the cost of delivering and then collecting the empty containers from you.

Is the stuff I store with you insured?
Insurance coverage can be requested by giving us a call or sending us an email. Please review our terms and conditions for more details regarding insurance and how claims would be handled.

How much do containers cost?
Use of our containers is totally free when storing items with us. You can keep empty containers for up to 7 days, after which we'll charge you as if the containers were stored with us. If you wish to keep empty containers for yourself, we'll charge you £16 per plastic container, and £250 per wooden MSU container, as well as a one off fee £15 for the delivery of those boxes to you.

What happens if I miss a payment?
While we understand there may be unforeseen circumstances that lead to a delay in payment, we will be required to impose fees for delinquent payments after a few reminders. In the case of missed payments for an extended period of 60 days, we may be left with no choice but to auction off your items in order to settle outstanding payments, administrative fees, etc. Please see our terms and conditions for further details. This is why it is always important to ensure that your contact information and credit card information is kept up to date.

What happens if I cancel or change a collection or delivery or if I am not available to receive it?
If you reschedule or cancel a collection or delivery after 6PM the day before the scheduled time, we will be required to charge you. This same fee applies for any failed deliveries or collections. As a result, it is always best to contact us as soon as possible so that we can do our best to avoid having to charge you unnecessarily. Rest assured that we will always do our best to accommodate any changes without charging you but sometimes this won't be possible if done after 6PM.Content