What happens if you leave your stuff in a storage unit? Abandoned storage units are more common than you think and can result in your stuff being confiscated. A storage facility has the ability to declare the unit abandoned after many payments are missed. The number of missed payments will vary by storage facility. Typically, you will not be able to access a storage unit after 30 days of missed payments. Paying all missed payments in full will let you reunite with your belongings.
Where do your belongings go?
While signing a contract to rent a storage unit, it will state how many payments you can consistently miss until your unit belongs to the facility. When a storage rental owner has not paid their bills multiple times, the storage facility now has the power to go into the unit. The belongings will be confiscated and will belong to the rental company. Most storage facilities will hold auctions for the belongings, or donate the items.
Renter’s Payments
Renters will be notified many times, through phone calls, mail, email and every other available form of contact when the bills are missed. However, when a renter does not reply or pay, the storage facility has the right to declare the unit as abandoned. Depending on the storage company, the renter may still have to make payments and the renter’s deposit will not be returned. If a storage facility holds an auction for the unit that raises enough money to cover the debt, it will usually end the payments for the unit. However, if enough money isn’t made, the renter will owe money.
Storage Rental Auctions
Auctions for abandoned units are very common. After the storage rental is declared as abandoned, the auction will be advertised to the public. Anyone can attend the auction and bid on items. The storage unit owner is allowed to come to the auction to bid on their belongings that were confiscated. During the auction, bidders can see the items but usually are not allowed inside the unit. An auction is very helpful to the storage facility because it raises the lost money from missed payments and clears out the unit.
Luckily, payments for units at Noah’s Ark can easily be completed on our website, avoiding the trouble of an abandoned unit. If you’re looking for a quality storage unit or more information contact us.
