When you’re based in London for university of college, it’s likely you’ll need to store your belongings over the holidays, especially if you are an international student. It’s certainly an added cost, and storage can be expensive if you don’t know where to look. Here we’ve put together a post of cheap storage in London for students, so that you don’t pay over the odds, and can check out what each provider offers, all in one place.
When you have other things to think about like nights out, trips with friends, and making the most of your time at university or college, storing your stuff over the holidays is the last thing you want to think about. So, with that said, let’s make sure that we can find you a good deal on student self-storage in London.
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How much does student storage cost in London?
As a student in London, you’ll be paying a premium for most things, it will feel especially obvious if you’ve got a mate who’s at university in Liverpool paying about half of the cost of your rent. From accommodation, to food, trips and nights out, you can certainly feel the pinch.
But when it comes to storing your stuff over the holidays? As long as you take the time to look for a great deal, you don’t need to be paying over the odds, and you might find you’re paying a similar amount to other cities in the UK.
If you’re a student, you’re less likely to be storing large pieces of furniture, and you could even organise storage with friends and housemates and split the cost between a few of you to help bring the price down.
Before you commit to a storage provider, be sure to consider the type of storage that you’d like. Do you want your possessions to be collected and stored? Or are you able to travel to a self-storage unit that you can access yourself with a key? Different providers will offer various solutions, so make sure that you do your research and find a provider that is offering what you need, and at the best price.
Can you get student discount on storage in London?
For London-based students, there are several options where you can store a couple of suitcases using a compact 10 sq. ft space (approximately the same size as the boot of an estate car). Providers can also be surprisingly flexible for students, and offer discounts. Great news for a student budget!
So let’s take a look at some providers who offer cheap storage in London for students…
easyStorage
You’ve heard of easyJet, but have you heard of easyStorage? They form part of the ‘easy’ family of brands. Just like the airline, they offer a low-cost storage solution, which they claim is up to 50% cheaper than other self-storage options. Perfect for students!
easyStorage is a very convenient storage option- they will store your possessions in easyPods. Each pod is 35 sq.ft, and the team will come to your door with the pod, load it up, seal it with a security seal, and take it away to be stored at a secure easyStorage warehouse. Your pod will then be returned to you when you’re ready to take your stuff out of storage after the holidays.
It’s a great option if you don’t have your own form of transport, and is a pretty seamless way to store your stuff.
The cost of one 35 sq.ft pod (described as the size of a garden shed) depends on your area. I used a west London post code and the price came back at £19.50 per week. Not bad when you consider that the transport costs, and the lifting and carrying are already taken care of! If you wanted to share the storage with a couple of friends, you could split the cost 3 ways and pay just £6.50 per week each.
Psst… easyStorage are also the cheapest storage option out of ALL of the options we looked at for this article.
Pros of easyStorage
- Live chat option
- Free callback service
- Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot
- Online booking available
- Collection and return service available at no extra cost
- £19.50 per week for 35 sq ft (average size)
- All prices are clearly shown on the website
Cons of easyStorage
- Genuinely couldn’t find any cons!
Safestore
Safestore are a really flexible option for students, offering a 10 sq. ft storage option (approximately the size of an estate car boot), with short-term storage specifically designed with students in mind.
They are a fairly well-known provider when it comes to self-storage in the UK. Have you ever seen the distinctive blue storage warehouses on the sides of motorways and railway tracks? They have over 125 locations in the UK, and 47 of those locations are based in London.
You can also benefit from a low-price-guarantee, which means that if you find a cheaper comparable quote from a local provider, they will not only match it, but beat it by 10%. Pretty impressive! You can also benefit from a new customer discount- 50% off your first 8 weeks of storage if you commit to store your belongings for over 2 weeks. Perfect for the student holidays!
Pros of Safestore
- 47 different locations in London
- 50% off for the first 8 weeks
- 35 sq ft (average size) costs £40 per week, including VAT
- Additional 10% discount for members of the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and NHS workers which continues past the initial 8 weeks
- 14 different unit sizes ranging from 10 sq ft to 500+ sq ft
- Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot
- Offer storage for businesses
Cons of Safestore
- Prices are not readily displayed
- You have to subscribe to get a basic quote
Vanguard Self Storage
Vanguard Self Storage is something of a storage veteran, having been a family run business for over 55 years. They have a large variety of storage sizes, including storage solutions specifically designed for students- with 10 sq. ft storage solutions offered. They also have 20% off student storage which is great news for student budgets. It’s certainly a cheap storage option for students in London.
If you are interested in using Vanguard, you can view their storage units online using their tours for extra peace of mind.
Do note that pick up and return is not included in their fees. Be sure to bear this in mind as you will have to arrange transport by yourself. It may not be the most convenient option if you do not have access to a vehicle. But that said, there are many ‘man and a van’ services in London that you could use to transport your possessions, in a relatively cost-effective way.
Pros of Vanguard Self Storage
- 7 different facilities across London
- Online and in-person facility tours available
- Sizes range from 10 sq ft to 1000 sq ft
- 40 sq ft (average size) costs £33 per week, including VAT
- 20% off student storage
- Man and van hire service for additional assistance
- Well advertised security systems
- Live chat option on the website for easy communication
- Offer storage for businesses
- CCTV
- Assistance at Store
- Packaging Available
- Pallet Trucks
Cons of Vanguard Self Storage
- Prices are not readily displayed
- You have to subscribe to get a basic quote
Selfstore London
Selfstore London is based in the capital. It’s super central, which means that if you’re a student in London, you can easily access your belongings once you return from the holidays. All of the units at Selfstore London are individual, and accessed by the customer only. You can also benefit from 24 hour access.
As a student, you might not need such a large storage space, however the convenience of a self storage unit available in a central London location is unrivalled. You can also receive 50% off for your first three months, which is a very attractive offer, especially if you’ll be abroad or living away from London for a long period of time over the summer.
Pros of Selfstore London
- 24 hour access
- 50% off for the first 3 months
- Live chat option on website
- 35 sq ft (average) £23 per week (including 50% discount)
- Free call back service
- 1 week minimum
- CCTV
- Packaging Available
- Insurance Available
Cons of Selfstore London
- Prices not readily available
- You must subscribe to get a quote
- Only one storage facility
London Storage Vaults
London Storage Vaults might not be the best option for most students. If you’re looking for cheap storage in London for students, this might not be for you. It’s pretty expensive and upmarket, with ACTUAL bank-style vaults available. However if you have something of high value to store, this option could be great for you.
The vaults themselves are made from concrete, with a pin code access and video entry into the building (movie style!). The building is also climate controlled, so you can store art or wine there without having to worry.
Pros of London Storage Vaults
- 24 Hour concierge
- Van Hire
- Climate Controlled building
- CCTV
- Assistance at Store
- Free Pick-up from anywhere in London
- Packaging Available
- Insurance Available
- Pallet Trucks
- 50% off for the first 3 months
- Actual (movie style) vaults available
- Prices are clearly shown on the website
Cons of London Storage Vaults
- Expensive at £35 per week (that’s including the discount during the first 3 months)
- The vaults are marketed as a cost-effective way to free up space, however, the expense is considerably higher than other storage solutions.
Self Storage Concierge
Self Storage Concierge is again a more expensive choice, however they do offer a free move-in service which could be very helpful when you are moving to a new accommodation after the summer holidays. This is especially useful if you need to carry your belongings up several flights of stairs. Their 35 sq. ft storage option is £175 per month, working out at £39 per week. With a location in Marylebone, this storage provider could be a great option simply due to their central location.
Pros of Self Storage Concierge
- 24 Hour
- CCTV
- Some prices readily available on the website, but not all
Cons of Self Storage Concierge
- 35 sq ft £175 per month (£39 per week)
- Despite the more basic website, this provider is the most expensive of all the options discussed in this article
- Only one location
Metro Storage
Metro Storage is also London-based, and has a history of over 20 years in business. They could be a great option if you need a central London facility, with two locations in Islington and Bayswater.
Metro Storage offer lots of additional extras in the service that they provide. You can do a virtual tour of the storage solutions online, and even visit for a walk-through. If you’re looking for a family run, carbon-negative business to store your belongings with, you might want to consider Metro. They make the storage process easy with van hire, packaging and flexible payment options available.
The cost for a 35 sq.ft storage is £29.63 per week for the first four weeks, rising to £58.75 per week thereafter. It’s more expensive than other solutions, but the location and the add-ons might sway you.
Pros of Metro Storage
- Online booking available
- Free instant call back service
- Flexible payment options
- 50% off in the first 8 weeks
- Free insurance
- Carbon negative and family-run business
- Van Hire
- CCTV
- Assistance at Store
- Packaging Available
- Insurance Available
- Pallet Trucks
- Wifi
- Lots of offers/options for discounts
Cons of Metro Storage
- Prices not readily available
- You must subscribe to get a quote
- Only 2 facilities in London
CitySpace
CitySpace offers student storage solutions in the heart of London in Knightsbridge and in Bloomsbury. Their stores range from the size of a locker, to the size of a garage, and so they are able to accommodate most storage requirements.
24 hour access is available at both locations, and have flexible storage time periods, as well as flexible sizing.
CitySpace offer 50% off for up to 8 weeks, and including the discount this amounts to £25.26 per week for a 35 sq.ft space. This is fairly competitive compared to other central London storage locations.
Pros of CitySpace
- 5 star reviews
- 50% off for the first 2 months
- £25.26 per week (with the 50% off)
- 24 Hour
- CCTV
- Packaging Available
- Insurance Available
Cons of CitySpace
- Only 2 facilities in London
Which cheap storage for students in London is right for you?
If you can split the cost of storage with a couple of friends, I’d opt for easyStorage– their prices are cheap, and they also cover pick up, packing and delivery within that price. That’s a very attractive offer if you’re a student without a car.
If you’re looking for cheap storage for students in London, and you’re storing your possessions by yourself, you might want to opt for a smaller, 10 sq. ft space with another provider, because you won’t need as much space if you don’t have any furniture to store. Here I’d opt for Vanguard Self Storage or Safestore– however the logistics could be trickier with these options.
And if you need to store something of high value? Head to London Storage Vaults for their luxury, premium storage solution, with high end security systems.
If worst comes to worst, you can also check with your university to see if they have any cost-effective storage solutions that you might be able to take advantage of- it never hurts to ask!
Whichever option you chose for your cheap student storage in London, make sure that it’s the right one for you, and that you are able to get the time frame and insurance that you need with your chosen provider.