Self storage in London costs around £160 to £230 or more a month for 40 sq ft, roughly the furniture from a one bedroom flat, and £400 to £600 or more for 150 sq ft, about the contents of a three bedroom house. Those are the London self storage prices Which? published in May 2026, and they sit well above what the same spaces cost elsewhere in the UK.
The weekly rate is only part of what you’ll pay. This guide covers what moves the price, what happens when an introductory offer ends and the costs that sit on top, then compares traditional self storage with a collection and delivery service like ours.
London Self Storage Prices by Size
| Size | Roughly what fits | London, per month | Outside London, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 sq ft | Furniture from a one bedroom flat | £160 to £230+ | £100 to £130 |
| 150 sq ft | Contents of a three bedroom house | £400 to £600+ | £200 to £350 |
Source: Which? guide to getting the most out of self storage, drawing on the Self Storage Association UK’s 2025 industry report.
Why the Table Only Has Two Sizes
No big operator publishes a London price list by size. Prices are set store by store and given through a quote, and Shurgard’s London page lists a “from” price for each store without saying which size it applies to. A London table covering every size is usually built from UK averages, so the real figure for your size, area and dates comes from a quote.
Weekly Prices, Four-Weekly Bills
Most big operators quote a weekly price and bill every four weeks. Big Yellow, for example, charges four weekly and in advance. That’s 13 bills a year rather than 12, so any “monthly” figure is an approximation. Compare the weekly rate.
Double the Space Doesn’t Mean Double the Price
On the Which? London ranges, 40 sq ft works out at about £4 to £5.75 per sq ft a month, while 150 sq ft comes to about £2.67 to £4. If you’re on the edge between two sizes, price the bigger one before squeezing everything into the smaller.
What Pushes Storage Prices Up or Down
Location. Prices climb towards central London. Shurgard’s lowest advertised weekly price runs from £7.15 at Chadwell Heath to £40.62 in Knightsbridge. It doesn’t say which size each price covers, so read it as a sign of how much location matters rather than a like-for-like comparison.
How long you commit for. Longer commitments usually earn a lower weekly rate. Safestore advertises that you can save up to 55% every week with a 12 month quote.
Access hours. Standard opening hours are usually included, but Which? notes that extended-hours access is generally chargeable.
VAT. Storage has been standard rated for VAT since 1 October 2012, but prices aren’t all presented the same way.
What Big Yellow and Safestore Charge in London
Neither publishes a London price list. Both give an exact figure through a quote for your store, size and dates.
Big Yellow. Its price page lists weekly prices by size, but they include its 50% opening offer and aren’t London specific. At store level, Kings Cross lists a 9 sq ft locker from £7.80 a week, again with the discount applied. According to its pricing FAQs, the discount covers your first invoice only, which is 4, 8 or 12 weeks paid in advance.
Safestore. Its London page publishes no unit prices. You choose a store, size and contract length, and the quote tool shows the price and any offer. You may come across a Safestore table of weekly and monthly prices by size, but those figures are labelled as SSA UK national averages, “not representative of a specific storage location or provider”. They aren’t what a London Safestore will quote you.
Shurgard and Access Self Storage work the same way, with store “from” prices and a quote tool.
Introductory Offers and What Happens When They End
Most big London operators lead with an offer, usually 50% off the first few weeks or £1 for the first month, then move you onto the standard rate. That later rate decides what storage really costs you.
Here’s why. If an offer halves the weekly rate for eight weeks, those eight weeks cost the same as four at full price. That saves four weeks’ rent, or about 7.7% of a year, whatever the rate. On the Which? one bed range of roughly £37 to £53 a week, you’d save about £148 to £212 over the year, and your weekly bill would double from week nine.
We run introductory offers too. Whoever you book with, us included, ask what you’ll pay once the offer ends.
Questions to Ask Any Provider
Store and Insure warns that an enticing rate for the first few months can be followed by a price rise. Before you book, ask:
- What will my weekly rate be once the offer ends?
- Can the rate rise while I’m storing, how often, and with how much notice?
- How am I billed, and is it in advance?
- How much notice do I need to give when I want to leave?
- What’s included: VAT, insurance, a lock, access hours?
The Costs on Top of the Weekly Rate
Insurance is usually the biggest ongoing extra. On a small space it can come close to doubling the weekly bill, so price the whole package from the start.
- Insurance: Which? says it isn’t a legal requirement, but a provider can refuse your business without it. Access charges from £5.77 a week for £4,000 of cover and Big Yellow from £6.25 a week. Check whether your home contents policy already covers belongings kept away from home.
- Locks and fees: Shurgard charges £14.90 for a lock if yours doesn’t fit, plus a one-off £20 admin fee. Deposit policies vary, so ask.
- Packing materials: Which? found boxes bought on site are generally far more expensive than those bought elsewhere, so buy ahead.
Getting Your Belongings There and Back
Most price guides leave this out. With traditional self storage, you move everything in yourself and move it all out again at the end.
- Van hire: Nationwide Hire lists a Ford Luton for one day at £296.01 plus VAT at full price, less with discounts. Moving in and out means two hires.
- Congestion Charge: £18 a day if you drive in the zone during charging hours.
- ULEZ: £12.50 a day for vans up to 3.5 tonnes that don’t meet the standards. Check the hire van before you book.
- Fuel and parking: fuel for both trips, plus parking at each end. Some councils now charge by emissions, and Westminster sets on-street parking prices by vehicle CO2.
- Your time: loading, driving, unloading and returning the van, twice.
A storage quote usually covers storage only. Big Yellow says its quote doesn’t include removals, and where a traditional operator offers collection, it’s an extra.
Traditional Self Storage vs Collection and Delivery
Traditional self storage is a space you rent, load and visit yourself. Collection and delivery comes to your door, stores your belongings and brings them back when you ask. Comparing the two on weekly rate alone misses most of the cost.
Collection and delivery services price in different ways. Some charge per box each month, others by the space your belongings take. Whichever you look at, ask whether VAT, return delivery and insurance are included. Our original comparison chart is on the JamStorage storage page, and this is the fuller version.
| Traditional self storage | JamStorage collection and delivery | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage price | £160 to £230+ a month for 40 sq ft in London | Based on the space your belongings take. Get an instant quote |
| Van hire in and out | You arrange it, for each trip | Our team comes to your door to collect everything and deliver it back when you need it |
| Fuel, parking, Congestion Charge, ULEZ | You pay | Nothing for you to arrange. Our team comes in a small van, so parking is rarely complicated |
| Loading and carrying | You, or friends | Loading service included |
| Packing materials | Often far more expensive on site | Available from our Box Shop and delivery to your home |
| Insurance | Often required, from about £6 a week for £4,000 of cover | Available, covering collection, storage and return |
| Lock | Bring or buy one | Nothing to lock. Belongings go into sealed Jam Pods |
| Offers | A discounted start, then the standard rate | Introductory offers from time to time. Ask what the rate is afterwards |
| Getting things back | Visit during opening hours. Extended hours are generally chargeable | We bring back what you ask for, with a few days’ notice |
| Needing a car | Yes, or a hired van | No |
| Security | CCTV is common, and you hold the key | Sealed Jam Pods under CCTV |
| Best suited to | People who want to visit often and are happy to drive | People who’d rather not hire a van or lift anything, storing things they won’t need at short notice |
What Comes Back and When
You don’t have to take everything back at once when using our service. Ask for that armchair, that mattress or a particular box, and we’ll bring it round. Boxes come back whole, so it pays to label well and keep each box to one theme. Redelivery takes a few days, which suits a spare bed or the camping gear you need a couple of times a year.
Adding Up Your Own Total
On the traditional side, add the weekly rate after any offer, insurance, a lock and any fee, van hire in and out, fuel, any Congestion Charge or ULEZ, parking and your time. Then get an instant quote from us and put the two side by side.
If you’re storing between homes, our page on house move storage covers how collection fits around the move, and our guide to moving house in London with storage weighs storage against paying for a bigger place.
How Much Space Do You Need?
Paying for space you don’t use is one of the easiest ways to overspend, so work out your size before comparing prices. Our guide to what size storage you need has typical sizes for each home, and the storage space calculator works out a figure for your own belongings.
Getting a Price for Your Own Move
Ranges are a guide, but only a quote reflects your belongings, your area and how long you need. Our instant quote takes a couple of minutes, or call us on 0208 166 1665.
We’re a Which? Trusted Trader. Whether you’re moving, renovating or making room, there’s no van to hire, nothing to lift and no car needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is a Storage Unit per Month in London?
Around £160 to £230 or more a month for 40 sq ft and £400 to £600 or more for 150 sq ft, according to Which?. Central London sits at the top of the range.
How Much Does Storage Cost per Week?
In London, a 40 sq ft space works out at roughly £37 to £53 a week on the Which? range. Most operators quote weekly, so it’s the easiest figure to compare.
How Much Is Storage for a One Bedroom Flat in London?
Which? sizes the furniture from a one bedroom flat at about 40 sq ft, at around £160 to £230 or more a month in London. Add your boxes and the space goes up, so our one bed flat guide is worth a look before you compare prices.
Why Is Storage More Expensive in London?
Industry figures reported by Which? put London at nearly £45 per sq ft against a UK average of £29.13, with the West Midlands and Wales just over £20. These are industry averages, not a rate you’d be quoted.
What Is the Lowest Price for Self Storage in London?
The lowest headline prices are usually introductory offers or small lockers. A low price for the first few weeks tells you little about the year, so compare the rate after the offer, plus insurance and any fees.
Do Storage Prices Go Up After the Introductory Offer?
Yes. The weekly bill can double when a 50% offer ends, and rates can rise again during your stay. Ask how often it can change and how much notice you’ll get.
How Much Does Storage Cost for Two Weeks?
Some traditional operators take short stays, though offers may not apply. Big Yellow’s opening offer, for example, needs a minimum stay of 14 days. JamStorage is designed for customers who need storage for at least a few weeks. If you’re only looking for a very short-term option, our service may not be the right fit, but we’re always happy to have a conversation, so give us a call.
How Much Does Long-Term Storage Cost?
Usually less per week than a short stay, because operators reward a longer contract. Rates can still rise, so check what you’re paying every six months or so. Our guide on whether self storage is worth it looks at the bigger picture.
Is Storage Insurance Extra?
Usually, yes, and many traditional providers won’t take you without it. Your home contents policy may already cover belongings kept elsewhere. With JamStorage, insurance is available covering collection, storage and return.
