Public Storage is running a predatory bait-and-switch scheme that every consumer in Orange County needs to hear about. Their business model is built on the cynical assumption that once your life is locked behind their doors, you are a captive paycheck they can bleed dry at will. My experience at their Aliso Viejo location was nothing short of financial harassment. In February 2025, I secured a $105/month rate for a 10x7.5 unit. Within a mere 12 months, this company attempted to gouge me with a 96% rent increase, skyrocketing my monthly cost to $206. When I demanded accountability, the Regional Manager, Liz Ann, dropped the mask of "customer service" and delivered a cold ultimatum: "either pay up or move." She cited high occupancy as a justification for exploitation, banking on the fact that moving is a massive inconvenience. Do not fall for their low introductory rates! They attract you with a fair price, only to aggressively "assess" you once your items are stored. It is a shifty, transparently exploitative practice designed to trap the unwary. I refused to be a victim. I moved less than five miles away to an Extra Storage in Irvine, where I secured a larger 10x8 unit for just $96/month--and unlike the unresponsive management at Public Storage, they were willing to negotiate a fair, prepaid twelve-month lease. There are plenty of storage companies in OC that operate with integrity and transparency. Public Storage is not one of them. Avoid this company at all costs! read more

Moved in and they upped the rent 25% after 2 months. Total bait and switch - Don't trust these people. Be sure to ask anywhere you rent storage space if they raise rents immediately after move-in if you don't do a yearly contract. 25% increase - Bad biz model - not that much money but will move because of principal and likely another price increase within a couple more months Scammers Don't use this facility read more

I paid to have a unit near an entrance . But the door is always locked and I have to walk around the other side. I called about it and the property manager said I'm not having this conversation and hung up on me. I was polite and that was uncalled for. Upon leaving, I'm at someone else who rented the unit I had before me who is now across the way and they said they requested something closer to the door and all they did was move them across the hallway lol 4 feet. They've also requested for the door that's always locked to be opened or at least be able to be propped open because that part is broken and they've been trying for a year and a half and they still won't fix it here. He also said that they jack up the price after three or four months significantly like everyone else is saying on this site. Beware. read more

Worst Place to store your stuff ever!!! Customer service is awful and bull sh*t prices!!!

When my mom passed away, we needed a clean, well-managed, convenient spot to store some of her things. Public Storage in Aliso Viejo was a perfect choice. Her things were safely stored for almost five years; and when it was time to move out, the staff were friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend Public Storage in Aliso Viejo. read more

I have had a 5x10 sized unit and in the span of less than a year and a half, the price has gone up from $143 (for 5 months) to $199 and now to $229. I called to ask if I can have my rate frozen at $199 because it was absurd and basically highway robbery to raise it that much in such a short amount of time. Nope sorry - it's $229 now. On the same token though, they are currently advertising online for the same space size for $147/month. So beware - Your price will go up within 6 months and then again every 6-8 months after that. Their only suggestion was that I could move my entire unit to another unit on property to get the $147/month rate...because that makes perfect logical sense and not a complete waste of their customer's time and money. Eff you very much, I'll take my business elsewhere. That said, if you don't want to be legally robbed - don't rent space from them. read more

This place quoted us a price for an outside unit, then promptly raised the price after only 3 months without notice. Also, the "outside" unit is actually inside. The attendant stated they consider the "breezeway" outside, but this is no way outside or even a breezeway. The unit is actually inside a warehouse with no easy access. I asked to speak with someone; the attendant stated she would have her territory manager call me. She did not. These people are liars. Steer clear. read more

This facility failed to deliver the space I rented as promised; no office hours clearly stated anywhere on the office doors or windows. no returned calls to resolve accessing the unit I prepaid for. Here's what went down: I did a walk-in to inquire about storage, the clerk told me better to go online, discounts. Okay, did that, rented a 10 x 10 climate controlled upstairs unit (no discount available). used the app to access property, great feature. Facility interior is clean, climate controlled as promised. That's as far as any guarantee went. Found the unit, saw a red plate with a little plastic zip tie on what appeared to be the place to put the lock. Not sure what to do, so I went to the office again, clerk was there, they said, "yeah just pop the little plastic tab and pull the door up." Went back up, did as l was told but what I didn't realize was that the red zip tie and plate was not a normal part of the process, and the door lock was not a slide lock, there should have been a keyed cylinder lock in place; it was not there. The red plate meant "see the manager." I tried calling the office number, no answer. Left message. No returned call by 10, so I called the local number again. no answer, tried again later, no answer. Tried the virtual assistant/live chat options online--"agent unavailable" this was during regular chat hours. I went by the office on my way home (5.30) but office was closed again. NO OFFICE HOURS ON THE DOORS/windows of office. How the f are you supposed to know when the office is open??? I called the customer service line posted on the door; it was not a working number. Took pics of the missing lock, red plate, plastic zip tie on door as I found it with unit number in clear view. I decided to contact my credit card company to dispute the charge due to failure on Public Storage's part to deliver the space as promised. Meanwhile my moving date marches forward. two thumbs down. read more

Terrible business model. Lie to get you in then DOUBLE THE PRICE in less than a year!! You have no recourse other than to move which is very inconvenient. They only say "is the market" whatever that means. Aka it's one party California... so pay our leave. I'm out. read more

They are a ripoff. They increase rent significantly more than $100 at the end of the year. We tried to change units and they would not allow us unless we opened a new one even thought it had only been one day since they charged us. They do not have a way to close out your storage unit. Just leave it open and they know you don't want to be there anymore. Customer service is horrible. read more

Ayla was extremely helpful and made sure I got the best pricing with my online reservation. Thanks Ayla!

Be careful with Public Storage! I'm not sure if they've changed corporate management but I got hit with two hefty price increases in the last year- I understand a modest increase each year but just this year they hit me with $51 increase for their smallest unit. That's a 36% increase in cost in one year! Overtime they increased my costs by 270%. It sounds to me like a supply & demand issue- when the facility is full they can charge whatever they want! Read the contract very carefully - Public Storage does not prorate the fee if you vacate the storage locker early in the month- there is no refund. My recommendation, if you can support a smaller privately owned storage facility I think you could negotiate a much better deal and they may actually value your business!! read more

The associate Lee was very helpful and took time to make sure we had our questions answered. Lee also gave us great suggestions to what we may want to purchase to store our household items. We really appreciated his assistance. We look forward to storing our items and knowing they are secure. read more

everything you could need and more! staff is always friendly and helpful. facilities are clean. Dollies and flat carts in good condition and abundantly available. rates go up when inflation is out of control... but the service is great and you get what you pay for. i highly recommend public storage read more

I came in today after renting a 10x10 space yesterday. I had realized after packing all day that there was no way all of my stuff was going to fit in the 10x10. I called, reserved a bigger unit and thought, "oh great this is going to be a pain to switch"... But to my surprise, Ashley & Marissa helped out so much and they were both so kind and made the switch easy, thank you ladies! I did lose some money but that was expected and they still refunded me the money I had paid for the next month in advance. I would recommend Public Storage to anyone who needed a storage unit. So far all of the employees at this location have been super nice! Miguel, who helped me yesterday, was also awesome! Super kind and patient, especially since my daughter was on a sugar rush running all around (sorry about that Miguel! ). So all-in-all THANK YOU Miguel, Ashley & Marissa! You guys rock! read more

Ladies at the front desk are helpful. Facilities are clean and accessible. However, be sure to measure your space before signing contract. We are paying for a 10x10 even though actual measurements are 9x10. Expect increases. They are random, and not based on current market rates. I received a notice for an increase nine months before my contract expired. At times elevators don't work. Signage for navigation is lacking. No garbage or dumpster. read more

They randomly change your storage fees without notification. Definitely don't recommend!

As Storage Units go, it's fine, but in 1 year they've increased my fees by 79%. Don't use Public Storage if you're on a budget. They rip off their customers. They have the leverage in being able to start low and within 4 months increase the rate once you've moved in, and in 12-months increase again for a total of 79%. read more

Both elevators down again. One has been down for at least a month. No access to upper levels. No one on site to provide access. Paying a lot per month NOT to have access to my stuff. read more

public storage has always provided me affordable spaces over the years. In the aliso creek office Cindy is your gal!! She's friendly and kind! She helped me set up my new upgraded space. It was quick and easy and she was very knowledgeable and helpful! read more

A year can't go by with an annual $40-$50 increase. Filthy facility including a weird smell inside the one and only working elevator. Very ghetto. read more

I asked if the rent would increase and he said, "yes, that's how it is for all Public Storage" Which makes it sound like that is the case for all storage companies. That's not cool. I asked if the rent would increase and at first he said, "I don't know". Lol. And then I asked if it increased about how much is it and he said, "15 to 20%". But rent doesn't increase if you lock in a 12 month term. ok, that's not unreasonable. read more

Do not use Public Storage. Your rate will be raised every chance they get, without reason. read more

BE CAREFUL at this location, they are snakes and very unethical! They will advertise very aggressive rates online, then hide additional monthly fees on the actual contract by pro-rating, adding "one time" discounts for the first month, etc., so you think you're getting a good rate, but really you are not. For example, we wanted a 10X10 unit which advertises for $156 per month. When we signed the agreement it appears you are getting this rate. However, when they charged our account, it was over $220 per month! Almost a $100/month increase over the advertised rates!!! I called Jon to ask why, and he gave me some lame excuse about "market demand" and that "he has no control on the rates". I asked if we could adjust our rate to what was advertised on the website (and the rate I thought we were getting), but he said no there was nothing he could do (which is a load of BS). I asked if I could cancel my contract and sign another one, but Jon told me I would have to completely move out, vacate the premises with all of my stuff, then move back in and pay all of the setup fees over again. What a crook! This place blows, charges way too much, and is unwilling to work with it's local customer base in Aliso Viejo. Instead of doing the right thing, they nickle and dime customers - which must give them a short term gain, but a long term loss. p.s., don't buy any packing material here, it is WAAAAY overpriced. For example, a roll of bubble wrap here is over $15, when you can get the exact same thing at Lowes for $4. read more

Olga and Julie were both very helpful showing us units and working with price. Big shoutout to them for being so nice and hard working

My parents have used public storage for almost 2 years and paid $400 a month. They were finally moving their stuff out and moving out of state. so they got their stuff out of storage on a Saturday on October 17th. They had already paid $400 for the entire month. My parents got in a car accident in their moving truck and had no choice but to put their stuff back in storage the following day. Public storage would not let them reuse their space. Instead they were told they had to start a new contract and pay $400 again. They stated they have no exceptions to their contract. I called on behalf of my parents to corporate and also spoke to The district manager. They wouldn't budge and provide them with any discount. Public storage is strictly business and does not care about their customers. Public storage benefited from my parents misfortune and wouldn't provide any compassion to their situation. I'm extremely dissatisfied how public storage treated my parents after my parents have been an extremely loyal customer. Please be aware there are NO Exceptions to their policy. It could be your worst circumstance and they will not budge. read more

We needed a place to store my daughter's belongings during her summer break from college. She made the reservation online and it was super easy. When we arrived for our appointment, the manager was very nice, explained everything, and was very helpful. The whole process was very quick and easy to set up the unit. The building was very clean and her unit was the perfect size. It was also kept nice and cool inside, so we did not have to worry about her belongings. I like the extra security with the personal code and only being able to get to the floor that your unit is on. Moving out was also a smooth process. We loaded our stuff and went to the office to close out the unit. Again, they were very helpful and made it super easy. We will definitely be back next summer! read more

I came here once to get a storage unit. Olga signed me up. I paid, tested the keys and the entry code in less than half an hour. She is very fast and courteous. Don't forget to ask for the $1 special for the first month. read more

We only had to pay $25 for the first month! Jude was very friendly and offered us free boxes with any purchase. This is definitely the best storage place we could find. read more

I went into this location to get a quote on a unit. John was very helpful and provided information on all the different sizes and options available. Seems like a very secure and a clean facility but the pricing also seems a little higher than most units around read more

I Give this Storage 5 stars this place is Great and Very Clean... Friendly Staff.;) I fully recommend!!! read more

Incredibly helpful & easy to move in. Checking out during Covid was made much easier with Olga walking the grounds keeping it clean & safe, then asking if I needed to check out, didn't need to go in the office, she took care of everything & even followed up with me the next day to make sure my account balance was zero! Would certainly recommend read more

I recently purchased a home in the Aliso Viejo area and have been checking around for a storage facility that is nearby that will make it an easy transition for me. I called and spoke with Jon and he was very helpful and informative and answered all my questions. He invited me down to look at what was available and when I stopped in I received the same excellent service. This facility is very clean and appears to be well operated and I felt very comfortable with my decision in storing my belongings here. read more

Would never recommend! On line bill pay doesn't work right by design. Olga is rude and threatened me over a late bill. My bill is 37 days past due, and they cut the lock, (which I was forced to buy from them when I moved in). Now in addition to late charges and "lien charges", I have to spend another $70 on their "special" lock, which retails for $8.95). She is threatening me with lien sale. I have had trouble paying bill on line and had to drive down to Aliso Viejo to pay in person, because they won't let you pay over phone! A RACKET!! read more

I've been a tenant for couple of years. The staff is always kind and helpful. Olga specially has helped me with few storage units with utmost courtesy and professionalism. She is caring and efficient. Thank you. read more

well im currently stuck in the elevator for now 20 minutes they said they dont know how long we will be stuck here cause an elevator guy have to come, ive moved all day and now this? thanks pulic storage for being an asshole! update hour 30 min read more

Place sucks. Manager leaves without checking on us and the codes for the elevators don't work. Storage unit sitting open on the second floor and can't get to it to close it. Customer service is joke and say there is no one to send out. Oh, but you can't be here past 9:00. So is someone coming then? It's 2016 people get a working system and get computer access from the phone. read more

One word: Chad. I recently visited this Aliso Viejo Public Storage location seeking a small storage unit on the first floor. Chad informed me that none were available, but he could put me on a waiting list. To my surprise, very shortly after my visit, he called and informed me a storage unit opened up with my exact specifications! He was so polite and I really appreciate his excellent customer service. read more

I have had a unit at the public storage in Aliso Viejo for approximately 10 years. Even before this storage unit facility was a Public Storage. I keep old business records in my unit. My first unit flooded a few years back. No one from the facility bothered to call me. About 10 units were flooded, one being mine. Not until I went to my unit did I realize that it had been flooded and by this time the storage boxes acted a sponges and soaked up the water, needless to say I had boxes upon boxes of moldy files and a 15 hour clean up on my hands. Despite this fact and due to the fact that I am extremely busy, I simply moved to a new unit at the same facility. They have my credit card on file and charge my rent each month. I was late one month because my credit card was compromised and I did not get my new info submitted in time. I paid my 20.00 late fee due to the fact that it was certainly not Public Storages fault that my credit card was compromised. The month before last I received a call from someone at Public Storage who told that my credit card was declined. I explained to this person that it is impossible that my card was denied. I asked what the reason for denial was and this person said that they did not know. I told him that this was definitely an error and explained that I was leaving to go out of town that day to see my father who was ill and did not have time to deal with this. I assured him that my card was good and asked that he run it again. He denied this request despite the fact that I have been a 10 year renter and obviously not someone who is trying to get out of paying my bill. I went out of town and instead of him running my card as requested, he kept calling and calling me while I was in Oklahoma with my ill father. He would not take the time to run my credit card again, but has not problem calling me over and over. They not only called me they called my daughter who is listed as a contact. I tried to go on line and take care of this however there was not a great internet connection in the rural part of Oklahoma where my father lives. The website kept saying I already had a password; however when I tried to submit a request to have my password reset, this function was not working on the Public Storage website. When I returned I paid that months rent + the late fee (which would not have been due if they would have just ran my credit card as requested) plus the next months rent which was coming up. I then get a letter stating that I am being charged a 55.00 foreclosure fee. I have since paid another months rent however they keep calling both me and my daughter over and over. I started to say that this is border line harassment, however it is not border line... it is just harassment. It is unfortunate how a 10 year customer is treated. Obviously they did not pay 55.00 to anyone to begin "foreclose" on me after 25ish days... however they keep calling me. Because of my busy schedule, I have not had the time to get a new storage facility and move my boxes however this is going to have to be my next step. One would think that after 10 years that they would simply have re-ran my credit card as per my request when they called me the first time! Pretty BAD! read more

Robert was great! Super helpful and made everything run smoothly ! The actual paperwork part went by pretty fast so that was nice seeing as I was in a hurry to get my stuff in :) the facility is clean and my stuff feels secure there read more