QUESTION
What can I do about my ex girlfriend's belongings in a storage unit?
Asked on Feb 12th, 2014 on Landlord and Tenant Law - Idaho
More details to this question:
My ex girlfriend (who lived with me) and I broke up well over 6 months ago, she tried a number of times to get out on her own, but month after month she could not do it (laid off, etc). She met another man in another state with whom she moved in with, but she left all her stuff in my house for me to move to storage. I paid for all the moving expenses, opened up the unit in my name. Now I'm having trouble getting her to sign for the storage unit. I'm afraid I'm going to keep paying the $200/month. What are my options here? I want to stop paying, as I spent enough on this person. But she keeps asking me for this and that out of the unit, and I'm ready to say, sign it over to you, I'll give you the keys and we are done. Surely I have no obligation to keep paying for the unit? What are my options? If I just stop paying, the unit is in my name, so it could hurt my credit? Although I paid in cash partly because I didn't want to give my credit card info to the storage place. I fear I may keep paying for the storage unit for some time to come, otherwise I wouldn't worry.
3 ANSWERS
Business Law Attorney serving Bingham Farms, MI
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James T. Weiner, P.C.
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Tell her that you consider that she has abandoned her stuff by not coming and picking it up. if she does not come and get it all .. sell it or abandon it. Talk to the owner/manager of the storage place and see if they will auction it off for unpaid fees if you stop paying.
Answered on Feb 18th, 2014 at 2:37 PM
Litigation Attorney serving Bakersfield, CA
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Dessy & Dessy
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Legal technicalities aside, the simplest approach might be to ship everything to the x-girl friend. Legally, you could send her a 30 day notice of terms of the storage rental, stating that "Commencing 35 days after the date/mailing of the notice, there would be a monthly rent charge of $200.00, and that the failure to pay the rent could result in the contents of the storage unit being sold at a public auction, with proceeds being used to pay past due rent, and the balance being forwarded to the owner." It is not quite as simple as stated, but that is a shorthand summary of the actual procedure.
Answered on Feb 18th, 2014 at 2:36 PM
Commercial Contracts Attorney serving Boise, ID
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Peters Law, PLLC
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I would send her a letter with the keys telling her that you have paid one (more) month's rent and after March 31, 2014 the obligation to pay rent on the place is hers and if she doesn't do it, she may lose her possessions when the contents are sold.
Answered on Feb 18th, 2014 at 2:36 PM