Wrongful storage content auctions are illegal

TV shows based on the auctions of self-storage locker contents and the bidding wars surrounding them have become very popular lately.

But did you know that in reality, some of these types of auctions may be illegal?

When a person fails to pay for the use of a self-storage locker, a company may respond by simply refusing to let a person gain access to the locker, or by auctioning off the contents.

However, when those contents are auctioned off without that person's knowledge, it is considered conversion, which means that the auction happened without consent - and that is against the law.

Due to complaints by many consumers, lawmakers in California instituted the California Self Storage Facility Act to protect the rights of renters. The act states that certain conditions must be met before a company can legally auction off someone else's belongings. Those conditions include sending two separate notice letters to a renter before any action can be taken against them.

People who feel they have had their self-storage container contents auctioned off illegally may want to see what the law is in their state and then contact a qualified attorney to discuss filing a possible conversion complaint or lawsuit.