Whether it’s for business or pleasure, garages happen to be in hot demand.
Some people are looking for cover for their prized vehicle as winter arrives, while others want a secure compound to store equipment for their business.
If you fall into such a category, today’s guide is for you. Let’s now take a look at some of the key tips that you should look to as you hunt for a garage to rent.
What will You be Storing there?
Quite often, garages are no longer used for their original purpose. Many use them as storage facilities for their business or even personal hobbies.
The answer to this question will dictate what type of garage you should be looking for. After all, many of these buildings were constructed decades ago – when cars were much smaller. It means that most modern-day vehicles no longer fit in them and as such, you might not be left with an abundance of choices.
If, on the other hand, you are not using your garage for vehicles, the net is widened. It’s at this point where some of the other factors that we’ll talk about will come into play.
The Security-Factor
In an ideal world, this wouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately, as we all know, we reside in anything but such a world and security needs to be a very real consideration.
Garages are prime targets for a lot of petty thieves as they can be very easily compromised. Most are armed with very basic locks and as such, we would always recommend that you inspect a potential garage before handing over any money. Ideally, as well as the door itself being properly secured, you’ll want to find a garage that is in its own gated area. This is usually a sufficient deterrent for thieves, for the simple reason that there are so many garages that are not situated in such a compound.
The Extra Business Considerations
As we’ve mentioned, many people will be turning to a garage rental for business purposes. In these cases, there are other considerations. For example, what about insurance? Will your insurer accept you storing expensive equipment in something which tends to be deemed as quite accessible to criminals? Or, what about the construction of the garage. Will you be legally allowed to store some of your equipment in older buildings? There’s an interesting list over here which says the things you should never store in these buildings.
It’s worth mentioning that there are other options in this case. For example, Safestore offer an alternative to garage rentals with their on-site facilities, which can mitigate issues such as the above.
Location, Location, Location
It’s those three words again. Whether you are looking for a home or for a garage, very similar rules apply.
Unsurprisingly, garages which happen to be on the outskirts of town or neighborhoods are the ones which attract the lower rents. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for something a little closer to home, you’ll generally pay more or even have to wait your turn. For example, many councils offer garages to rents around their homes but unsurprisingly, waiting lists can be long.
