Form of Share Option Agreement



 Exhibit 10.40 
  
 Option No.:              
  
 U-STORE-IT TRUST 
 2004 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 
  
 NONQUALIFIED SHARE OPTION AGREEMENT 
  
 U-Store-It Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), grants an option to purchase common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value,
(the “Shares”) of the Company to the Optionee named below. The terms and conditions of the option are set forth in this cover sheet, in the attachment, and in the Company’s 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

  
 Grant Date:
                    , 200     
  
 Name of Optionee:
                                        
                                        
                         
  
 Optionee’s Social Security Number:
            -            -            

  
 Number of Shares Covered by Option:
                     
  
 Option Price per Share:
$            .             
  

Vesting Start Date:                     ,
             
  
 By signing this cover sheet, you agree to all of the terms and conditions described in the attached Agreement and in the Plan, a copy of which is also attached. You acknowledge that you have carefully reviewed
the Plan, and agree that the Plan will control in the event any provision of this Agreement should appear to be inconsistent. 
  

					
	Optionee:	 	  


	 	 	(Signature)
		
	Company:	 	  


	 	 	(Signature)
			
	 	 	Title:	 	  



  
 Attachment 
  
 This is not a share certificate or a negotiable instrument. 







 U-STORE-IT TRUST 
 2004 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 
  
 NONQUALIFIED SHARE OPTION AGREEMENT 
  

			
	Nonqualified Share Option	  	This option is not intended to be an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code and will be interpreted accordingly.
		
	Vesting	  	 This option is only exercisable before it expires and then only with respect to the vested portion of the option. Subject to the preceding sentence,
you may exercise this option, in whole or in part, to purchase a whole number of vested Shares not less than 100 Shares, unless the number of Shares purchased is the total number available for purchase under the option, by following the procedures
set forth in the Plan and below in this Agreement.
  
 Except as otherwise
provided in any employment agreement between you and the Company, your right to purchase Shares under this option vests as to one-third (1/3) of the total number of Shares covered by this option, as shown on the cover sheet, on each of the first
three anniversaries of the Vesting Start Date (each an “Anniversary Date”), provided you then continue in Service. The resulting aggregate number of vested Shares will be rounded to the nearest whole number, and you cannot vest in more
than the number of Shares covered by this option.
  
 The resulting aggregate
number of vested Shares will be rounded to the nearest whole number, and you cannot vest in more than the number of Shares covered by this option.
 No
additional Shares will vest after your Service has terminated for any reason.

		
	Term	  	Your option will expire in any event at the close of business at Company headquarters on the day before the 10th anniversary of the Grant Date, as shown on the cover sheet. Your option will
expire earlier if your Service terminates, as described below.
		
	Regular Termination	  	If your Service terminates for any reason, other than death, Disability, Cause or a voluntary resignation without Good Reason, then your option expires at the close of business at Company
headquarters on the 90th day after your termination date.

  

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	Termination for Cause or Resignation without Good Reason	  	If your Service is terminated for Cause or you voluntarily resign without Good Reason, then you immediately forfeit all rights to your option and the option immediately expires.
		
	Death	  	 If your Service terminates because of your death, then your option shall become fully vested and will expire at the close of business at Company
headquarters on the date twelve (12) months after the date of death. During that twelve month period, your estate or heirs may exercise your option.
  
 In addition, if you die during the 90-day period described in connection with a regular termination (i.e., a termination of your Service not on account of your death,
Disability or Cause), and a vested portion of your option has not yet been exercised, then your option will instead expire on the date twelve (12) months after your termination date. In such a case, during the period following your death up to the
date twelve (12) months after your termination date, your estate or heirs may exercise the vested portion of your option.

		
	Disability	  	If your Service terminates because of your Disability, then your option shall become fully vested and will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on the date twelve (12) months
after your termination date.
		
	Leaves of Absence	  	 For purposes of this option, your Service does not terminate when you go on a bona fide employee leave of absence that was approved by the
Company in writing, if the terms of the leave provide for continued Service crediting, or when continued Service crediting is required by applicable law. However, your Service will be treated as terminating 90 days after you went on employee leave,
unless your right to return to active work is guaranteed by law or by a contract. Your Service terminates in any event when the approved leave ends unless you immediately return to active employee work.
  
 The Company determines, in its sole discretion, which leaves count for this purpose, and
when your Service terminates for all purposes under the Plan.

		
	Notice of Exercise	  	 When you wish to exercise this option, you must notify the Company by filing the proper “Notice of Exercise” form at the address given on
the form. Your notice must specify how many Shares you wish to purchase (in a parcel of at least 100 Shares generally). Your notice must also specify how your Shares should be registered (in your name only or in your and your spouse’s names as
joint tenants with right of survivorship). The notice will be effective when it is received by the Company.
  
 If someone else wants to exercise this option after your death, that person must prove to the Company’s satisfaction that he or she is entitled to do so.


  

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	Form of Payment	  	 When you submit your notice of exercise, you must include payment of the option price for the Shares you are purchasing. Payment may be made in one
(or a combination) of the following forms:
  
 •      Cash, your personal check, a cashier’s check, a money order or another cash equivalent acceptable to the Company.
  
 •      Shares which have already been owned by you for more than
six months and which are surrendered to the Company. The value of the Shares, determined as of the effective date of the option exercise, will be applied to the option price.
  
 •      By delivery (on a form prescribed by the Company) of an
irrevocable direction to a licensed securities broker acceptable to the Company to sell Shares and to deliver all or part of the sale proceeds to the Company in payment of the aggregate option price and any withholding taxes (if approved in advance
by the Compensation Committee of the Board if you are either an executive officer or a director of the Company).

		
	Withholding Taxes	  	You will not be allowed to exercise this option unless you make acceptable arrangements to pay any withholding or other taxes that may be due as a result of the option exercise or sale of Shares
acquired under this option. In the event that the Company determines that any federal, state, local or foreign tax or withholding payment is required relating to the exercise or sale of Shares arising from this grant, the Company shall have the
right to require such payments from you, or withhold such amounts from other payments due to you from the Company or any Affiliate.
		
	Transfer of Option	  	 During your lifetime, only you (or, in the event of your legal incapacity or incompetency, your guardian or legal representative) may exercise the
option. You cannot transfer or assign this option. For instance, you may not sell this option or use it as security for a loan. If you attempt to do any of these things, this option will immediately become invalid. You may, however, dispose of this
option in your will or it may be transferred upon your death by the laws of descent and distribution.
  
 Regardless of any marital property settlement agreement, the Company is not obligated to honor a notice of exercise from your spouse, nor is the Company obligated to recognize your spouse’s interest in your
option in any other way.


  

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	Retention Rights	  	Neither your option nor this Agreement give you the right to be retained by the Company (or any parent, Subsidiaries or Affiliates) in any capacity. The Company (and any parent, Subsidiaries or
Affiliates) reserve the right to terminate your Service at any time and for any reason.
		
	Shareholder Rights	  	You, or your estate or heirs, have no rights as a shareholder of the Company until a certificate for your option’s Shares has been issued (or an appropriate book entry has been made). No
adjustments are made for dividends or other rights if the applicable record date occurs before your share certificate is issued (or an appropriate book entry has been made), except as described in the Plan.
		
	Adjustments	  	In the event of a split, a dividend or a similar change in the Shares, the number of Shares covered by this option and the option price per Share shall be adjusted (and rounded down to the
nearest whole number) if required pursuant to the Plan. Your option shall be subject to the terms of the agreement of merger, liquidation or reorganization in the event the Company is subject to such corporate activity.
		
	Applicable Law	  	This Agreement will be interpreted and enforced under the laws of the State of Maryland, other than any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or
interpretation of this Agreement to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.
		
	The Plan	  	 The text of the Plan is incorporated in this Agreement by reference. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in the Plan, and
have the meaning set forth in the Plan.
  
 This Agreement and the Plan constitute
the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding this option. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations concerning this option are superseded.

		
	Data Privacy	  	In order to administer the Plan, the Company may process personal data about you. Such data includes but is not limited to the information provided in this Agreement and any changes thereto,
other appropriate personal and financial data about you such as home address and business addresses and other contact information, payroll information and any other information that might be deemed appropriate by the Company to facilitate the
administration of the Plan.

  

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	 	  	By accepting this option, you give explicit consent to the Company to process any such personal data. You also give explicit consent to the Company to transfer any such personal data outside the
country in which you work or are employed, including, with respect to non-U.S. resident Optionees, to the United States, to transferees who shall include the Company and other persons who are designated by the Company to administer the
Plan.
		
	Consent to Electronic Delivery	  	The Company may choose to deliver certain statutory materials relating to the Plan in electronic form. By accepting this option grant you agree that the Company may deliver the Plan prospectus
and the Company’s annual report to you in an electronic format. If at any time you would prefer to receive paper copies of these documents, as you are entitled to, the Company would be pleased to provide copies. Please contact
             at              to request paper copies of these documents.

  
 By signing the cover sheet of this
Agreement, you agree to all of the terms and conditions described above and in the Plan. 
  

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