Self-Storage Talk Featured Thread: Death of a Tenant

It can be confusing and upsetting when you discover one of your self-storage tenants has died. Often, friends or family members will attempt to access the deceased’s unit, even if they don’t have authorization. Or perhaps no one will contact you, leaving behind the tenant’s goods and unpaid rent. How do you handle issues of access, nonpayment or abandonment in this case? Where do you turn for advice?

A pair of recent threads on Self-Storage Talk, the industry’s largest online community, tackles this topic from different angles. In one instance, a friend had access to the unit, which upset the family. In the other, the family attempted to empty the unit without paying rent. What are the facility operators’ legal obligations to customers in safeguarding their belongings after death? See how others have responded and add your own advice.