How often do you think personal documents and photos are returned?

As I was cleaning out a unit last week, I opened a small lock box that contained the delinquent tenant's marriage license, birth certificate, social security card, children's birth certificate and other important documents. As I was going through some of the boxes, there were a of couple baby albums, countless family photos and even a set of baby footprints and ultrasound images. As a father, I know how priceless some of these things can be and I make every effort to see that they get back into the owners hands.

Even though I do my part, I realize that not all buyers make the effort to return these items, especially if they're in a hurry. If the buyer doesn't sort through the merchandise until they get to their home or business, it's even less likely that the items will be returned because the buyer doesn't want to make an extra trip back to the facility. Even some facility managers make no effort at all to contact the delinquent tenant about these items, they just end up in the trash. I have even had managers tell me that they wouldn't accept the photos or personal documents because they didn't want to deal with them. Also, some tenants are unreachable for one reason or another. And the one's that are reachable may assume that the facility's phone calls are a collection attempt.

How often do you think personal documents and photos are actually returned to the owner?

Do you take the time to separate personal photos & document all of the time?

Do you ever attempt to contact the owner directly to give them back their personal items?

I have pretty much given up on trying to separate the documents. As we all know every auctioneer says in the beginning of the auction to return all personal documents to the facility. I have learned that auctioneers just say that to protect themselves. I want to say almost 98% of the facilities will not take them back. I have tried over and over to give them back but nobody wants them.

I have returned lots of boxes of photos and documents. I've only had one storage facility refuse to take stuff. They said the owners don't want it back and I think it was probably true since the unit was owned by the brother of the person who owned the actual photos and documents and some of it was bulky. Many facilities do look surprised when I walk in with a box of stuff so I am guessing most buyers of units don't bother to return stuff. I do my best to return stuff that is not easily replaceable like baby books and wedding albums, photos in general. Papers that were stored in an organized manner and appeared to be important to the people get returned but haphazard stacks and bags of paper that were obviously just tossed in a unit get discarded. Pretty much I return it if I find it before leaving the facility. If I find it later and the facility is not close to home it better look pretty important to make a trip back or it gets discarded or sometimes just set aside until the next time I go back to that location.

I have pretty much given up on trying to separate the documents. As we all know every auctioneer says in the beginning of the auction to return all personal documents to the facility. I have learned that auctioneers just say that to protect themselves. I want to say almost 98% of the facilities will not take them back. I have tried over and over to give them back but nobody wants them.

I've about gotten to that point too. I still try to give back personals but I get the feeling many managers don't bother to try to contact the tenants.

 Had one manager tell me after dropping off the personals that the former tenant had till the end of the day to pick up the contents or it was going in the dumpster. That pissed me off cause it takes a lot of time to sort out personals and we know in this biz time is money!

Had another manager tell me recently that "porn" is not considered personals to drop off. I was like "what the hell are you doing going through the personals boxes I dropped off!"

We wven have a some facilities that say do NOT under any circumstances bring personal items back!

I like to think I'm doing the right thing by returning the personal items but more and more I think I'm wasting my time.

ill always return personal stuff i know what a headache it can be to get some of those docuemnts when you dont have much to show as proof to get them. i also know it can cost huge sums of money and headache applying to diff agenceis for licenses, birth certificates, car titles, etc. i figure its less stuff for me to trash as well.

There I one facility that not only wants the personal items, they have a list of things to leave.
They even allow you to leave it in the unit.   

I tried to say mattresses seem pretty personal.....I lost that argument. 

There I one facility that not only wants the personal items, they have a list of things to leave.
They even allow you to leave it in the unit.   

I tried to say mattresses seem pretty personal.....I lost that argument.

curious what other things they say are ok besides photos and legal docs? i wish i coulg leave more junk with facility

All the standard: birth/marriage/death certs. Tax info. Ect....

Also pictures (take out of album if you want it).  Cards (body, Xmas....). 
Don't have to but trophy's, awards,  things like wedding glasses etched with name.

Pretty liberal and fair on what's considered "personal"......it you think it may be sentimental, personal.
Sentimental but spendy and you can sell....suddenly not so personal.   

I think sex toys are pretty dang personal, they don't.

  on this unit last unit we will return items, mainly because of karma...

Dont get me wrong I still try to do the right thing. Only problem is I know a lot of these facility managers very well from dealing with them over and over. They all tell me that whenever we leave the personals behind they end up in the trash anyway.

Well, here the facility has no duty to contact owner over personal items.  Save, yes.  But not contact.
And who losses their locker thn wants to, or thinks of, going in and asking for personals?

All the standard: birth/marriage/death certs. Tax info. Ect....

Also pictures (take out of album if you want it).  Cards (body, Xmas....). 
Don't have to but trophy's, awards,  things like wedding glasses etched with name.

Pretty liberal and fair on what's considered "personal"......it you think it may be sentimental, personal.
Sentimental but spendy and you can sell....suddenly not so personal.   

I think sex toys are pretty dang personal, they don't.

man i wish i could leave plaques and trophies. this one unit i bought was a great unit but one hassle was these people were involved in some type of pyramid scheme mlm travel program or marekting program. i literally had a half dozen LARGE walmart totes packed to the brim with palques, awards, trophies, etc. the stuf weighted a ton and took up a ton of space. could have saved myself a whole load just leaving that stuf.