What can I do to get my personal belonings, like family photos from the storage unit that was auctioned off?

Question

Is it different from state to state? It was in Oregon and I tried to find out the info from the manager, and he said he didn't have the info of who got the unit and I never received any notices. I paid my bill and then I get back a handwritten letter from him saying that it was auctioned off for late payment.

Answer 1

Barbara,
As a former manager of a storage rental unit I can tell you that legally after 90 days have passed and no rental payment have been made the rental unit contents can be legally auctioned for public sale. I don't know what the circumstances were, but you might be able to ask the company that auctioned the contents to forward a request to the buyer. The greater possibility is though the buyer disposed of the contents via ebay and tossed the non saleable items.

Answer 2

Unfortunately it seems that you have got into difficulties paying for your storage unit. A storage company would normally only reach the stage of an auction as a last resort but if you try to speak to the company in question you may still be able to get them to hold off. Your storage company just want you to start paying off your outstanding bill and usually some kind of payment arrangement can be made which will satisfy them enough to stop the auction. The only thing is that once you make the agreement with them you have to stick to it, because you must understand that they have been providing you with a service and they have a business to run. - So talk to them as quickly as possible, be as upfront and honest about your situation as possible and then stick to whatever payment arrangement is made. If you have absolutely no money and can't pay them anything then I'm afraid that you are going to lose your stuff.

Answer 3

If no one bought the photos at the auction, keep a watch on the trash dumpster at the storage place see if they pitch them, but legally your pretty much S.O.L.

It's a hard lesson to learn, but you have to pay your bills or suffer the results.

Answer 4

If the storage company is cooperative, they might be able to help you contact the individual who bought your posessions. Most times you would be out of luck because any time I buy a storage lot, I keep what I want and trash everything else the same day that I get it. If you want your stuff back you better act fast.

Answer 5

If your storage unit was auctioned, you're out of luck. That stuff is gone now. You should have paid your bill.

Answer 6

umm.. kinda hard. you would have to find out who won the auction on your storage. Then contact them. And hope they didnt throw it all away and sell the rest. good luck. My dad used to buy storage units people didnt pay the rent for. HA i guess it is a lesson of responsibility. good luck to ya again

Answer 7

nothing. you missed your probationary time between missing payments, being notified of eviction, or not being in a place where you can be contacted.

If for some reason you feel, and can prove, that this was done against your will, or without your notification you can file a law suit against the storage company for the estimated value of the contents, but you cannot get your items back.

Answer 8

If you didn't pay your bill and your stuff was sold it auction it isn't yours any more. You'll have to try to buy it back from the purchaser.

Answer 9

Hi, well if you know who it was auctioned off to maybe you could ask them to mail it to you.

Answer 10

talk to the company that auctioned it and see what they did with the stuff.