How do these abandoned storage locker auctions work?
Discussion
Ignoring the ones in the US of, I was wondering how these work in law in the UK? If I recall correctly as an individual and you incur unpaid storage costs after giving certain notices and warnings you can sell the items to recover your costs BUT I believe any excess must be returned to the original owner. I'm assuming there is something in the terms and conditions that allows them to sell the contents in certain circumstances.
On some auction shows you see someone buying a container for a few hundred quid and when they get into it there's a classic car in the back worth £30,000 or more. Why don't they have to offer the value over the debt back to the owner? How can it be morally and legally right that the owner loses an expensive car for the sake of a few hundred? It's often said on here that you cannot just apply for the logbook on a car you've found abandoned somewhere. It doesn't seem very different.
Should I be running for cover?
On some auction shows you see someone buying a container for a few hundred quid and when they get into it there's a classic car in the back worth £30,000 or more. Why don't they have to offer the value over the debt back to the owner? How can it be morally and legally right that the owner loses an expensive car for the sake of a few hundred? It's often said on here that you cannot just apply for the logbook on a car you've found abandoned somewhere. It doesn't seem very different.
Should I be running for cover?
elanfan said:
Q
I haven't seen any episodes where they auction an expensive sports car, but yes they are all paid actors or people wanting to advertise their 'antique business'.AndrewEH1 said:
The shows are pretty much completely made up, especially the UK version.
I'm sure they giveaway expensive Sportscars for a few hundred quid or are you trying to say the bidders are all actors?dudleybloke said:
There's a good scam in the states where someone will rent a locker and fill it full of boxes of flat screens etc.
They let it go into arrears then when it goes to auction people bid high because they think they're buying 200 TV's but the boxes are all empty.
With the storage company being the scammers/winners?They let it go into arrears then when it goes to auction people bid high because they think they're buying 200 TV's but the boxes are all empty.
Worth a read:
UK http://www.space-station.co.uk/storage-auctions
and:
USA https://www.storageexpress.com/auctions
UK http://www.space-station.co.uk/storage-auctions
and:
USA https://www.storageexpress.com/auctions
elanfan said:
......On some auction shows you see someone buying a container for a few hundred quid and when they get into it there's a classic car in the back worth £30,000 or more. Why don't they have to offer the value over the debt back to the owner? How can it be morally and legally right that the owner loses an expensive car for the sake of a few hundred? It's often said on here that you cannot just apply for the logbook on a car you've found abandoned somewhere. It doesn't seem very different.
Should I be running for cover?
I store a classic car at one of these types of storage facilities and asked about their right to just auction off the contents of My lock up if I default on the monthly payment in this "Storage Wars" type of way.Should I be running for cover?
I was informed that they simply cannot give away the contents in the way these show it as they would be guilty of theft of property.
In the event of a default of payment, they give you a period of time to sort it out, and during that time they will place their own locks on the unit and block your access to the site in order to prevent you simply emptying the unit without paying what you owe (the site has coded entrances so they simply cancel your code).
If you still haven't paid what you owe after this designated time period then they will apply to the courts for the right to sell your property to recoup their losses.
Rather than just being able to give away your property for pennies though, the courts insist that the property is sold through the most profitable method possible, and that after the storage facilities loses have been recouped, the remainder of the money must be given to you - the defaulter.
Should they decide to ignore selling the property through the most profitable method, sell the property off cheaply and then later get found out, then they would be liable to make up any difference in lost profits which would then be awarded to you.
So basically, no! - They can't just sell your £30K car for £500 to get the money they're owed and say tough s
t to you, as these shows would have you think!The issue is does the storage company have title in the contents of the locker. In the UK I don't think they would have title, so couldn't pass good title to the winner of the auction, but what do the the terms of the hire contract say?
I've assumed that in the states the storage company does get legal title, they then sell the contents and collect the auction price, that all they get in settlement of their debt. If the winner can then sell on at a profit then so be it he has no contractual relationship with the hirer of the unit so I can't see a route for the winner to have legal obligation to pay any 'profit' back to the hirer.
I do agree that they staged shows.
I've assumed that in the states the storage company does get legal title, they then sell the contents and collect the auction price, that all they get in settlement of their debt. If the winner can then sell on at a profit then so be it he has no contractual relationship with the hirer of the unit so I can't see a route for the winner to have legal obligation to pay any 'profit' back to the hirer.
I do agree that they staged shows.
stuartmmcfc said:
This thread has really dissapointed me.
I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
The fact that we in the trade call them 'scripted reality' - with the emphasis firmly on the first word and only very lightly on the second - should let you know all you need to about the real-life nature of The Only Way Is The Chelsea Housewives Of Essex Shore.I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
longblackcoat said:
stuartmmcfc said:
This thread has really dissapointed me.
I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
The fact that we in the trade call them 'scripted reality' - with the emphasis firmly on the first word and only very lightly on the second - should let you know all you need to about the real-life nature of The Only Way Is The Chelsea Housewives Of Essex Shore.I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
t'. 
Vizsla said:
longblackcoat said:
stuartmmcfc said:
This thread has really dissapointed me.
I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
The fact that we in the trade call them 'scripted reality' - with the emphasis firmly on the first word and only very lightly on the second - should let you know all you need to about the real-life nature of The Only Way Is The Chelsea Housewives Of Essex Shore.I thought it was all genuine.
Next you'll be telling me things like TOWIE arent real documentarys.
t'. t and get paid for it, you lot consume it.Remind me, who are the idiots in this scenario?
Seriously, if the public would only care enough to watch something other than Z-list muppets we'd be only happy to produce something better. Sadly, it ain't the case for the majority.
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