Related Party Transactions

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

8. Related party transactions

The Operating Partnership manages industrial, office and retail facilities for PS. These facilities, all located in the United States, operate under the “Public Storage” or “PS Business Parks” names. The PS Business Parks name and logo is owned by PS and licensed to the Company under a non-exclusive, royalty-free license agreement. The license can be terminated by either party for any reason with six months written notice.

Under the property management contract with PS, the Operating Partnership is compensated based on a percentage of the gross revenues of the facilities managed. Under the supervision of the property owners, the Operating Partnership coordinates rental policies, rent collections, marketing activities, the purchase of equipment and supplies, maintenance activities, and the selection and engagement of vendors, suppliers and independent contractors. In addition, the Operating Partnership assists and advises the property owners in establishing policies for the hire, discharge and supervision of employees for the operation of these facilities, including property managers and leasing, billing and maintenance personnel.

The property management contract with PS is for a seven-year term with the agreement automatically extending for an additional one-year period upon each one-year anniversary of its commencement (unless cancelled by either party). Either party can give notice of its intent to cancel the agreement upon expiration of its current term. Management fee revenues under this contract were $166,000 and $158,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

PS also provides property management services for the self-storage component of two assets owned by the Company. These self-storage facilities, located in Palm Beach County, Florida, operate under the “Public Storage” name.

Under the property management contract, PS is compensated based on a percentage of the gross revenues of the facilities managed. Under the supervision of the Company, PS coordinates rental policies, rent collections, marketing activities, the purchase of equipment and supplies, maintenance activities, and the selection and engagement of vendors, suppliers and independent contractors. In addition, PS is responsible in establishing the policies for the hire, discharge and supervision of employees for the operation of these facilities, including on-site managers, assistant managers and associate managers.

Either the Company or PS can cancel the property management contract upon 60 days’ notice. Management fee expenses under the contract were $16,000 and $14,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.  

Pursuant to a cost sharing and administrative services agreement, the Company shares costs with PS for certain administrative services and rental of corporate office space, which are allocated to PS in accordance with a methodology intended to fairly allocate those costs. These costs totaled $108,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

The Company had net amounts due to PS of $514,000 and $181,000 at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively, for these contracts, as well as for certain operating expenses paid by the Company on behalf of PS.