Frequently Asked Questions
Costs & Getting Started
How much does document storage cost in Tauranga?
Every business has a different volume of records, so we quote individually rather than publish prices. There are two parts to the cost: a one-off setup fee (the labour to sort, box, label, and enter your records into our system) and an ongoing monthly fee per box. Graeme visits your premises for a free assessment and gives you an indicative price on the spot, with a detailed quote to follow. Most businesses find it works out 30–50% cheaper than renting a self-storage shed.
Is offsite document storage cheaper than a self-storage unit?
Usually, yes — often significantly. A self-storage shed typically costs around $4,000 a year, and someone still has to drive there and dig through boxes whenever a file is needed. With Docu-Store you pay a monthly per-box rate, and when you need a file you just email us the box number — it’s delivered within 24 hours. You also save the staff time spent managing files yourself.
Is there a minimum number of boxes?
No. We take on any volume, from a few boxes to a full office archive.
How do I get started?
Email or call us. Graeme will visit your premises for a free, no-obligation assessment, look at what you have, and give you an indicative price. If you’d like to go ahead, we provide a detailed quote, then do the sorting and packing either at your premises or at our facility — whichever suits your timeline. Choosing second-hand cartons instead of new ones is one way to keep the setup cost down.
Storing Your Records
Can I use my own boxes?
Records need to go into our purpose-built archive cartons — double-walled with a wax layer, designed to stack safely and protect contents long-term. Copy paper boxes and stationery boxes aren’t strong enough and tend to crush. If your records are already in other boxes, we’ll repack them into ours — that’s included in your setup quote. You can also request flat-pack cartons in advance, fill them yourself, and we’ll collect them.
Do you know what's in my boxes?
No — deliberately. We work by box number only. You keep your own record sheet matching box numbers to contents, dates, and file ranges. That means your information stays confidential to you, and there’s nothing in our system that reveals what you’ve stored.
Is there a minimum number of boxes?
No. We take on any volume, from a few boxes to a full office archive.
Is there anything you won't store?
Yes — no food, perishables, ammunition, or knives. Paper records and business archives are what the facility is built for. If you’re unsure about something, just ask.
Can I visit the facility to drop off or look through my boxes?
No — access to the storage area is limited to our authorised, police-checked staff, and all pickups and deliveries are handled by us. It’s part of how we keep every client’s records confidential.
How long can I store records for?
As long or as short as you need. Many clients store records for the full 7-year IRD retention period and then have us destroy them; others store long-term or just need somewhere secure during an office move or business wind-down.
Getting Files Back
How quickly can I get a file back?
Within 24 hours of your request — usually the next business day. We run deliveries twice daily where needed. Compare that with national operators who store Bay of Plenty records in Hamilton or Auckland, where retrieval can take 7–10 days.
How do I request a file?
Email us the box number (email is preferred so there’s a written record, but you can phone too). We pull the box and deliver it to your office. When you’re done, we collect it and return it to storage.
Who in my company can request files?
Only people on your authorised personnel list — a list you give us when you sign up. If a request comes from anyone else, we check with your listed contact before doing anything. You can update the list whenever staff change.
How do I know what I have in storage?
Two ways. You keep your own record sheet of box numbers and contents. And every six months we email you a status report listing every box we hold for you, any movements, and any boxes that have reached their destruction date.
Document Destruction & Shredding
Do you offer document shredding without storage?
Yes — destruction is a standalone service. Many clients use us only for confidential shredding. We drop off a 120L or 240L bin at your premises — locked, if you’d prefer, at no extra charge — and you fill it at your own pace. When it’s full, just call or email, and we swap it for an empty one. Because pickups are on demand, you only pay for a collection when the bin actually needs emptying. We also do bulk pickups charged on a per kilogram basis.
Can I get a lockable bin?
Yes — at no extra charge.
Can you destroy a large amount of records in one go?
Yes — that’s our bulk destruction service. If you’ve got more than fits in a bin — an office of old files, a storage shed or container, or a business closing down — we’ll collect the lot and destroy it securely. Get in touch and we’ll come and quote it
What's the difference between secure destruction and ordinary recycling?
Recycling doesn’t destroy information — your documents can sit readable in a bin or sorting facility. Secure destruction means your documents are shredded by a licensed destruction agent staff, handled in-house with no third parties. For medical, legal, accounting, and any business holding personal information, that requires a paper trail.
How does destruction of stored records work?
Nothing is ever destroyed without your approval. You can note a destruction date on any box (for example, 7 years from lodgement). Our six-monthly report flags boxes that have reached their date and asks if you’d like them destroyed. If you confirm, we move the boxes to a secure holding area, email you that they’re ready, and only proceed after your final written approval — which must come from someone on your authorised list. Then we destroy and confirm when completed.
How long do I need to keep business records in NZ?
IRD requires most business and tax records to be kept for 7 years. Medical, legal, and some industry records have their own retention rules. After the retention period ends, secure destruction is the safe way to dispose of them under the Privacy Act 2020.
Security & Trust
How secure are my records?
Our facility is access-restricted — only authorised Docu-Store staff enter the storage area. Every staff member is police background checked and signs a confidentiality agreement. We work by box number only, so even we don’t know what’s in your boxes. Happy to discuss facility specifics in person at your assessment.
Are your staff background checked?
Yes. Every staff member undergoes a police background check before starting and signs a confidentiality agreement. No third parties or contractors handle your records — collection, storage, retrieval, and destruction are all done by our own people.
Are my records insured?
We hold Public Liability and Carriers Liability insurance covering the handling and transport of your boxes. The contents of your boxes remain insured under your own business insurance — that’s standard across the industry and is set out in our agreement. Worth checking your policy covers offsite records; most business contents policies do.
Do you lock clients into long contracts?
We use straightforward contracts, but without the rolling 12-month renewal traps some national operators use. We’ll walk you through the terms at your free assessment — no surprises.
About Docu-Store
Where are you located and what areas do you service?
We’re at 6A Maleme Street, Greerton, Tauranga, and everything is stored right here in Tauranga — never shipped to Auckland or Hamilton. We service the Central North Island, including Hamilton, Rotorua, Waihi, and Whakatāne — anywhere within about 1–1.5 hours of Tauranga.
Who owns Docu-Store?
We’re a family-owned Tauranga business, operating since 1995. Graeme and Rowena Robb own and run the company, supported by a small team. Graeme personally visits every new client for their free assessment — you’ll always deal with people who know your account, not a call centre.
Do you offer document scanning or digitisation?
No — we specialise in physical document storage, retrieval, and secure destruction. If digitisation is what you’re after, we’re not the right fit, but for secure physical archiving we’re hard to beat locally.
Do you have an online portal to track my records?
No — and it’s a deliberate choice. Everything is handled personally by email or phone, with every box manually checked and signed off by our team. Your six-monthly report gives you a complete picture of what we hold. No logins, no software, no data sitting in a system that doesn’t need to exist.
Still Have a Question?
Email us or call 07 543 1552. We respond within one business day, and there's no such thing as a silly question.
Book a Free Assessment
Graeme visits your premises, looks at what you have, and gives you an indicative price on the spot. No obligation.
Just Need Shredding?
Our destruction service stands alone. We drop off a bin, you fill it, we swap it when you say so — or, for a one-off clear-out too big for a bin, we'll do a bulk pickup.
Request Your Free On-Site Assessment
Book a free, no-obligation on-site assessment. Graeme will look at what you have and give you an indicative price — no pressure.