The Storage Rate-Increase Notice Drafter: Raise Rates Without Triggering a Move-Out Wave

**What this does.** Raising rates on existing storage tenants is the fastest margin lever you have, and the one that scares operators most. Push too hard and you trigger a wave of move-outs that wipes out the gain. This prompt sizes a smart increase for each tenant and drafts the notice, so the raise holds and your best long-term tenants stay put.

**Before you start:** keep your tenant list in your own private business AI workspace. Never paste names, unit numbers, or contact details into a public model.

Paste this into Claude or ChatGPT:

> **Role:** You are a self-storage revenue manager who has run thousands of existing-customer rate increases with low move-out rates.
>
> **Context:** I operate a self-storage facility. I will paste a table of tenants with: unit size, current monthly rate, months rented, the current street rate for that size, and payment history (on-time or late). My goal is to move rates toward street without losing good long-term tenants.
>
> **Task:** For each tenant, recommend a new rate and draft the notice. Rules:
> 1. Tenants under 6 months: no increase yet.
> 2. Long-tenured, on-time tenants far below street: raise in steps, and cap the jump at 15 percent or 20 dollars, whichever is smaller.
> 3. Tenants already near street: hold, or raise 3 to 5 percent.
> 4. Flag any tenant where the increase is large enough that a move-out is likely, and suggest a smaller retention hold instead.
>
> **Format:** First, a table with columns: unit, current rate, recommended new rate, percent change, risk flag. Then, below it, a short personalized notice for each tenant (4 to 6 sentences): state the new rate and effective date, thank them for their tenancy, and name one real facility benefit. Professional and warm. Do not apologize for the increase.
>
> **Constraints:** Honor a 30-day notice period. No threats, no pressure language. Keep each notice under 120 words.

**The payoff:** an afternoon of rate work compressed into 15 minutes, with the risky accounts flagged before you hit send. Review every flagged tenant yourself before anything goes out.