Auction Unit Question

Self_Storage_Life

I have a unit up for auction.  Sale ends in a few days.  Tenant moved stuff in in June and has never made any contact or payment since.  All of the sudden yesterday a lady calls says that she is the ex-girlfriend and that is her kids s@!# in the unit.  Says that ex-boyfriend died September 23rd (then says September 21st when I questioned her about it again).  I told her I have no record of him diving.  As a matter of fact someone signed the tenants name on the certified letter.  (note I didn't think to compare signatures yesterday when she called, will check that in the morning)  I have done an obituary search and can not find anything about him dying and he does live local.  She wants to bring $500 and know if I'll work with her.  I told her I could not do that since the unit was not in her name and I have no proof that he died.  I told her I needed a death certificate and who was in charge of his estate in order to stop the sale.  Am I correct in doing this?

themage

Something you should check with your state and local laws, but basically, yes. 
We require a death certificate and proof of executor-ship if a tenant passed away without designating someone in their lease.

We use a "Full Access" field on our lease, and the tenant can designate someone who we will work with if the tenant is unavailable. The tenant can change the Full Access at any time.

Orkocean

Unless her name is on the lease as an alternate or some wording to the effect that lets you discuss the account with her you do not even discuss any details of the account with her. Always check with your local state statutes/laws but typically nothing stops a sale unless it's paid off or something was done wrong forbidding the legal sale from taking place. The only thing I would of told her is "I can't discuss the specifics of someones account but in regards to an auction, yes we are having one on such and such date/time". If she wants the stuff she can buy it at auction.

i43storage

I have had tenants die, and I always get the court records stating the person coming in to take over the unit is indeed the executor.  So, even if the guy did die, whoever comes in needs to provide legal proof of ownership of the estate.

MrFugate

We ask that the next of kin or ex of the estate needs to bring you proof If death. Once you are told that a customer has passed you should overlock the unit & hold it until proof is given at that time we will work with a customer on the balance so that they can keep their items. ( Rent & Fees will still be added).


This is another reason why I tell people not to store things for someone else, let them get their own unit..