Is electricity in a storage unit metered or an extra charge?

It depends on the facility. Some include power in the rent, some add a flat monthly fee, and some put a meter on the unit and bill you for what you use.

Most facilities don’t say. Of the 517 facilities on this site that confirm power, only 52 say how it’s billed on their website:

• Included in the rent: 27
• A flat fee: 12
• Metered: 13

One facility can use more than one method. Smith Valley Storage in Indiana says electricity “is included” on smaller units, while larger units “will have their own meter” and the tenant pays. The same page also lists flat monthly electric fees, so ask even when a site seems to explain it.

Other operators keep it vague. Low Cost Storage says power may be available “for an additional charge depending on location, unit size, and facility rules.” SpareFoot, a storage marketplace, says some facilities include a base amount of power with overages billed separately.

Before you sign, ask:

• Is power included, a flat fee, or metered?
• If metered, who reads the meter, how often, and at what rate?
• Can the fee or rate change during my rental, and with how much notice?

Then check the lease. It should name the unit as one with power and state how power is billed. If the facility charges by use, ask for the meter reading on move-in day so your first bill starts from the right number.