Daily Remote Monitoring Checklist for a Self Storage Facility

How to use this checklist

The checklist below is meant to be run once a day by whoever monitors the facility remotely. That may be a remote manager, an owner, or an outsourced team.

Run it at the same time each day. Morning works well, because overnight problems show up before most tenants arrive. For portfolios, run the full list per facility, not once for all sites.

Record a result for every line, even when nothing is wrong. "Checked, no issues" is useful evidence later. Use whatever log you already have: a ticket system, a shared spreadsheet, or notes in your management software.

The checklist works best when two things are true. First, the person running it has access to every system on the list. Second, they know who to call when something is wrong. Settle both before the first day.

Keep the list short enough to finish. A list that is too long gets skipped, and skipped lines give false comfort. If a section regularly takes too long, look at alerts or reports that could shorten it.

Adapt the list to your systems. Remove lines that do not apply, and add lines for equipment unique to your site.

The daily remote monitoring checklist

1. Systems online

• Management software loads and shows today's data.
• Gate controller and keypads report online.
• Every camera shows a live image and is recording.
• Smart locks or sensors report online, with no low-battery warnings.
• Internet connection and any backup connection are working.
• Phone line, text and chat channels are receiving messages.

2. Gate and access logs

• Review access events since the last check.
• Look for entries outside access hours, and denied attempts.
• Check for repeated codes in a short time, which can mean code sharing.
• Confirm delinquent tenants are locked out as your policy requires.
• Look for a gate left open, or a gate that cycled unusually often.

3. Cameras

• View each camera live. Note anything blocked, dirty, moved or dark.
• Scan overnight recordings around the gate, office and dumpsters.
• Check for open unit doors, vehicles left overnight or dumped items.
• Confirm lighting worked overnight in hallways and drive aisles.

4. Rentals and move-outs

• Review new online rentals. Confirm each has a signed lease, payment and gate access.
• Check reservations due to move in today.
• List move-outs needing an on-site inspection.
• Confirm unit status in the software matches recent activity.

5. Payments and delinquency

• Review failed autopay and card payments. Start your follow-up process.
• Check that scheduled reminders and notices were sent.
• Confirm any delinquency notice deadlines due today are met.
• Check that overlocks or lockouts match the delinquency list.

6. Tenant messages and calls

• Read voicemails, texts, chats and emails since the last check.
• Reply to or assign every open message.
• Review calls handled by an answering service or automated system.
• Note recurring questions that may point to a system or signage problem.

7. Site conditions and alerts

• Review door, motion, water, temperature and power alerts.
• Check weather forecasts for storms, freezing or extreme heat.
• Note anything that needs a site visit, and add it to the visit list.

8. Close out

• Log the result of each section with time and initials.
• Escalate open issues using the rules below.
• Hand over open items to the next person or the site visitor.

What each check is for

Systems online comes first because every other check depends on it. A camera that stopped recording last week will not help you today.

Gate logs show who entered and when. They are the main way to spot unauthorized access when nobody is on site.

Cameras show what logs cannot: open doors, dumped items and damage. See the camera placement guide for coverage advice.

Rentals and move-outs catch integration gaps. A rental without a gate code means a tenant stuck at the gate.

Payments and delinquency keep revenue and notices on schedule. Lien notice deadlines are set by state law, so missing one can matter. This is not legal advice.

Messages show what tenants are experiencing. Unanswered messages are a common complaint at remotely managed sites.

Site conditions prepare you for weather and equipment problems before they become emergencies.

Recording and escalating what you find

Sort every issue into one of three levels. Write the rule down so everyone applies it the same way.

Each log entry should include the date, time, facility, issue, level, owner and status. Review open items weekly and close them with a note.

Example log entry

The entry below is an example only, showing the fields to record.

• Date and time: Tuesday, 8:10 a.m.
• Facility: Site 2.
• Issue: Camera 4 (rear drive aisle) shows no image since 2:30 a.m.
• Level: Same day.
• Owner: On-call manager.
• Action: Power-cycled remotely, no change. Vendor ticket opened. Added to today's site visit.
• Status: Open.

Weekly and monthly additions

Some checks do not need to happen every day. Add them to the daily list on a fixed day so they are not forgotten.

Weekly

• Review all open log items and close or reassign them.
• Compare the occupancy report with recent move-ins and move-outs.
• Test a gate code from a test tenant account, if your system allows it.
• Check that the backup internet connection actually carries traffic.
• Review recurring tenant questions and update website or gate signage.

Monthly

• Confirm camera recordings can be retrieved for a past date.
• Test emergency alerts reach every on-call contact.
• Review user accounts in the gate, camera and management systems. Remove people who have left.
• Check the emergency contact sheet is current.
• Review the site-visit log against the planned visit schedule.

Running the checklist across several facilities

For multi-site operators, consistency matters more than speed. Each site should be checked with the same list, in the same order.

• Keep one checklist template, with site-specific lines added per facility.
• Assign each facility to a named person each day.
• Use the same escalation levels at every site.
• Review a summary of open issues by site each week.

If remote staff cover several sites, the time the checklist takes affects staffing. Use your own timings as inputs to the staffing cost calculator. The staffing models comparison explains how remote and hybrid teams share this work.

If your site has a kiosk, add it to the daily checks; running kiosks at an unmanned self storage facility includes an upkeep schedule.

Frequently asked questions