Are there laws about contact between purchasers of auctioned storage rental contents and the previous owners?

When people rent out a storage space and then do not pay, the contents are very often auctioned off. Is there any reason legally that the auction purchaser of these contents cannot contact the former owner or a relative of the former owner? The reason for contact would be to find out if the person or any of the family of this person might like to have personal family effects (photos, documents) found in the boxes in the storage building.

Would the person who bought the contents at auction be unreasonable in asking for a fee for their trouble in returning family effects?

Thanks!

There are no laws that I know of that prevent you from contacting the prior owners.

I’m sure many of them would be overjoyed to get family photos back. However you need to realize that you will not want them to know your name/address, ect. Meet them only in a very public place to make the exchange.

Make sure you also have the document that shows you purchased the storage unit items. That way if they call the cops on you, you have proof with you, that you are not an idenity theif, or trying to blackmail them, or any other nasty thing people might state.

Remember, they are probably not pleased they didn’t have the money to pay for the storage unit.

Also be aware the items might have gone up for auction because the owner died (happened to me, with my Dad), or got divorced.

In the case of a divorce, the return of personal items is a bit dicey. One spouse may want the pictures so they can torment the other spouse by destroying them.

Also be aware in these economic times, people may have lost their person items, because they had zero money to pay, and instead needed to put food on the table and pay the rent.

I would simply GIVE those folks their pictures back.

When my Dad died, a very large storage locker filled with thousands, and thousands of dollars worth of very fine books was lost to me forever. I would have been overjoyed to get the cards and letters I exchanged with my Dad over the years back. They ment zero to whom-ever purchased the storage unit at auction.

I personally believe you are doing the right thing. Just be cautious about how you do it, and look out for your own personal saftey.

~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Storage Auction on Nightline

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