Are you researching self storage facilities for an upcoming personal or business need? Self storage can be a cost-effective way to organise some extra space, but how safe is self storage? How secure are self storage units and rooms? Here’s what you need to know.
Not all self storage is the same
To answer the question, ‘How secure are self storage units?’ it helps to differentiate between dedicated internal self storage providers like Indoor Self Storage and various other businesses offering containers on their private land.
Self storage is an umbrella term, and the UK Self Storage Association (SSA UK) has revealed that self storage services are sometimes offered by removal services or “bolted onto other businesses”. These often provide limited access and security.
Why indoor self storage is safer than the alternatives
It is clearly easier to monitor and control access to a building than containers in a field or compound, and the good news is that most indoor self storage providers are members of SSA UK. It’s Code of Practice requires members to implement strict security standards such as CCTV, secure access systems and fire protection.
So what exactly can you expect from a reputable indoor self storage company?
- The vast majority (82%*) of indoor self storage facilities now provide monitored 24/7 CCTV, especially at the entrance and around the perimeter of their sites. The most sophisticated systems now use AI and smart algorithms to detect suspicious behaviour. Indoor Self Storage not only uses 24/7 CCTV but also has out of hours remote patrols carried out by an independent security firm.
- Most facilities control access to their site via perimeter fencing and PIN-coded gates and doors. Our access control system uses the latest state-of-the-art technology.
- Individually alarmed rooms are becoming more common, but are still available in less than 50% of facilities*. Indoor Self Storage provides this for our customers.
- An on-site staff presence is a visible deterrent to criminals and can reduce response times should a security incident occur. In fact, 41%* of self storage customers admitted to being uncomfortable with unmanned sites.
- Reputable indoor self storage companies install smoke and fire detection systems.
- Some self storage companies deploy security patrols, although this is becoming rarer.
*SSA UK Self Storage Annual Report 2025
As a result of the measures above, SSA UK-compliant facilities report incident rates of less than 0.1% per year.
However, the industry body also warns that fewer than 1,200 of 1,780 internal self storage companies meet the British Standard for storage security, so we recommend you:
- Check customer reviews for feedback on security.
- Ask about staff presence and access control procedures.
- Look for visible evidence of security infrastructure.
Proactive security measures: going beyond the basics
We believe that accountability and traceability matter, so rather than relying on the technology alone, we take a proactive approach to analysing security data.
For example, in addition to the CCTV cameras monitoring by our security firm, we review the previous night’s CCTV footage on a daily basis, matching the activity we see with data from our site access logs. As a result, we know exactly when people arrived on site and for how long they stayed.
How you can contribute to self storage security
If you decide to use a self storage service, you also have an important role to play in bolstering security. For example, if you are providing your own padlock, it must be of a decent quality, and you should never share sensitive information like site access codes.
And remember: even the most robust security measures won’t eliminate all risk. You must also ensure that your items are insured or otherwise legally protected while they are with your chosen self storage provider.
If there’s one clear message we hope you take away from reading this, it’s that indoor self storage will always offer more protection than exposed containers.
Every extra layer of security provides another deterrent to opportunists and more peace of mind to customers.
