GthestrangerRe: OK....Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:17pm209.255.130.1611.As with any business they attempt to collect on moneys they are owed. If the renter wants to make an arrangement, it is up to the renter to do so. The terms of the contract, including what occurs in default situation are avaialble before the renter signs the lease. There are no surprises. If the RENTER wants to make sure communications lines remain open, then the RENTER needs to make sure the contact information they gave the storage unit includes good phone numbers for themselves AND for next of kin (if death is a concern).
>>>>I figured that, my concern is mostly with the families of those who rent units either known to them or unknown to them. Gramps could rent a unit and place valuable family stuff in it and either forget to pay or pass on and the family loses and it seems that would be OK with the storage industry because it is those juicy units that make the auction system work, but I’d say that has its degree of being unethical.
2. Why don't they just keep the stuff? Because they are businessmen. They are in the business of RENTING STORAGE UNITS for money. They are NOT in the used goods retail business. If they had wanted to be in the used goods retail business, they would have opened that type business. What the business wants to do is empty the unit so that they can RENT it to someone who WILL pay their rent. The auction is what the BUSINESS feels is the best way to return the unit to a rentable status and recoup as much money as posible. Certainly YOU may think that they could make more money at it another way, but the proffessionals who are actually in the business, who actually have done the math disagree with you.
>>>>Yeah well, it wouldn’t be the first business that would do well revisiting their business model. I knew a guy in the eighties who touted storage unit businesses as excellent business opportunities with good return for little work. It seems that is the gist of their model but I’m wondering if ethics suffer because of it. I suspect the industry has regulations that we don’t know about. They have mentioned that in some states you can’t keep the guns or cars found in them. Since the units always seem untouched, I’d guess they can’t go through them and have to auction them. The one show talked about one of the buyer buying a locker of some famous person and supposedly found close to a million dollars worth of stuff in it. If true, one story like that would give storage unit owners pause to reconsider their business model if they could.
3. Some owners DO show up to bid in the real world. But a lot of them are probably pissed off and don't think that they SHOULD have to pay for what they see as their own stuff. Remember that what you are talking about is a TELEVISION SHOW. They only SHOW the units where there is interesting or expensive stuff. The vast majority of units out there probably DO NOT contain items of significant value. The producers of the television show aren't going to bother to make an episode of storage units that contained nothing but boxes of clothing.
>>>>I don’t know why they would be pissed except maybe at themselves. They might get their stuff back for less than it would have been to pay off the rent. I get that the shows thrive on the treasure hunting and drama angle but they do actually show buyers getting stuck with worthless units on occasion. I’m wondering what the overall effect on the storage business industry those shows have. I know I’d be less likely to use them since I seen those shows.
4. There are TWO lock points on a storage unit door. I have rented storage units before. You put your PERSONAL lock on ONE of the locking points on the door. The other locking point is ONLY used when you get behind on rent. SO, what you see on television is this. The storage company has removed THEIR OWN LOCK with their own key. What they are cutting is the RENTER's lock, which the storage company does NOT have a key for. I got forgetful once and forgot to stop by and pay my rent. In the middle of the month, I went to get my quad out, and there was a SECOND lock on the door. I went to the office, paid my rent up, and the staff came out and removed their lock.
>>>>Good information, thanks for that.
G
- Re: OK.... — Gthestranger, Thu Jul 12 3:17pm
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