Storage Auctions

The Other Side of the Fence => Storage Facilities => Topic started by: Southern Yankee on September 04, 2011, 05:41:55 PM

Title: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: Southern Yankee on September 04, 2011, 05:41:55 PM
 I live in Memphis, TN. Do all facilities have to have an auction? National chains and independents? Or can they do as they please with unpaid lockers?
Title: Re: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: BigBizzz on September 04, 2011, 05:54:13 PM
My experience yes. They all auction abondon units.
Title: Re: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: terrorbow on September 04, 2011, 06:14:34 PM
In michigan where im from know of a couple places that just have storage garage sales on the units. The the rest have auctions or just give the contents to there friends or keep for themselves.
Title: Re: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: BigBizzz on September 04, 2011, 06:26:09 PM
Really? Give contents to friends?? I know all the big ones like u haul, public storage an stuff all do auctions.
Title: Re: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: acman on September 04, 2011, 10:34:03 PM
In michigan where im from know of a couple places that just have storage garage sales on the units. The the rest have auctions or just give the contents to there friends or keep for themselves.

I thought by law for benefit of both property managers and storage renters that they have to by law try and recoup losses to pay off what the owners has racked up in fees.

Having said that I know a place by my house that only has 2 or 3 auctions a year do to really working with owners to not lose their stuff. And having said that, the prop managers are real aholes and I have no clue how they are still in business.
Title: Re: Do all facilities have auctions?
Post by: KGA on September 04, 2011, 11:13:25 PM
Most larger operations hold auctions as the laws require (and allow).

But it really is up to the manager / district manager / owner. A lot of the properties will do anything necessary to avoid an auction (accepting small payments, etc).

In addition, storage businesses in small towns rarely have them - everyone knows everyone and they work something out. Not to mention the fact that in smaller towns, the rental prices are drastically lower.

There are a lot of other factors too of course - facilities in nicer neighborhoods will seldom have them, etc etc.

I've also heard stories from quite a few clients that hated the live auction process so much, they would go at least 6 months before doing anything about the unpaid rent.

Legally, yes, they all have them. Whether they execute the lien process may be another story, depending on the owner. In bigger cities, you can count on auctions happening.