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My Ex- Put My Property into Storage, Then Didn't Pay the Storage Fees

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  • 10-26-2015, 01:01 AM
    DDz96
    My Ex- Put My Property into Storage, Then Didn't Pay the Storage Fees
    My question involves personal property located in the State of: Florida

    Over a year ago, I move from Florida back to New Jersey. At the time I was living with my boyfriend in his mothers house. To say the least, the relationship did not work and I left the state and went back home. At the time the break up seemed amicable and we remained friends and continued to do business with each other. When I left FL, he drove me to NJ with a truck full of my belongings. I was supposed to rent a uHaul and pay for his flight back. However, that changed before we left and he insisted on driving his vehicle and I agreed to retrieve my items at a much later date. At this point I was just happy to be back in NJ and him going back to FL and NOT being under the same roof. I moved in with my mother temporarily until I was to move out west with family. I am in a financial bind and am still looking for work, I don't have much since I lost my job.

    Being he was to travel a few times to NJ he agreed to bring the items to NJ on his trip north and I would reimburse him the money for fuel. This never happened. I then attempted to try to make arrangements to pick up my belongs when I could. He then mandated who was allowed to come with me to pick up my things and when. Always seemed to be when I was working (I freelance). I was also not even allowed to have a family member come with me. This is when things went sour, it was like he was holding my belonging hostage and the harassment and cyberbulling started. He has been blocked on FB and on my phone, however he is NOT blocked on my business email as he still does business with the company I do freelance work for. This has been going on for a year.

    I have finally been able to make arrangements to pick up my belongs in three weeks, as I will be in FL working and have transportation to bring my things home.

    Email I received tonight from him is stating that he has removed my belongs from his mother's home and has already put them in a storage unit. He is claiming he put it there and has not been paying the bill and is going to go to auction. He is claiming he has an Atty and that this is all legal.

    Is this legal? Can he do this? Am I about to loose my belongs that are still in FL?
  • 10-26-2015, 01:19 AM
    Dogmatique
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    Ask him the name and contact information of his attorney. That's your first step.
  • 10-26-2015, 03:21 AM
    DDz96
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    I have. And the only answer I get is that he will contact me.

    He has visions of granduer that we might have gotten back together, but once I moved out west, that is when the harassment & cyberbullying started. He posts slanderous and defamatory comments on FB against the me personally and my start-up business.

    He has made up so many things as a "scare" tactic, that it is difficult to differentiate was is truth and what is a lie.

    Personally, I feel him hiring an Atty is a farse. He has his own issues with hiding as a deadbeat father and not paying child support to 2 children he has from previous marriages. However, I am tending to believe he may have put my belongings in storage.

    I have made attempts to schedule time to go to FL to retrieve my belongs, and which he bucked the entire way. These attempt of recovery span at least a year. Can he legally take me personal possessions that were stored in a persons garage (his mother & father are the owners of the house) and put it in storage? He claims to not have even been living in the house at the time of removing my items.
  • 10-26-2015, 06:42 AM
    HRinDEVON
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    He can claim anything he wants .....including holding your stuff hostage as a way to induce getting back together ....how much it costs either of you in legal battles is another story ....In general there was a bailment created when he agreed to store your stuff...and he owes it a duty of care ...if He fails to return it to you when you ask/show up , my lay guess is you are stuck to file a replevin action or FL equivalent . Is your stuff worth the fuss?

    - - - Updated - - -

    There is a bit of a parallel path if one takes view that you were somebodies tenant and this was personal property left in premises ...FL is pretty clear about the steps your Ll is required to take . I suggest you paper the LL well that personal property is not abandonned and you want to get it picked up...
  • 10-26-2015, 07:36 AM
    Catmad
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    How many of your attempts/actions to recover your property can you document?
  • 10-26-2015, 08:05 AM
    Mr. Knowitall
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    Quote:

    Quoting DDz96
    View Post
    I have finally been able to make arrangements to pick up my belongs in three weeks, as I will be in FL working and have transportation to bring my things home.

    Then it's time to act.
    Quote:

    Quoting DDz96
    Email I received tonight from him is stating that he has removed my belongs from his mother's home and has already put them in a storage unit. He is claiming he put it there and has not been paying the bill and is going to go to auction. He is claiming he has an Atty and that this is all legal.

    What did he say when you asked him to identify the location of the storage unit? What did the storage company say when you contacted them about the unpaid balance and recovering your property?
  • 10-26-2015, 08:56 AM
    adjusterjack
    Re: My Property Has Been Put into Storage and Possible Auction
    Quote:

    Quoting DDz96
    View Post
    Can he legally take me personal possessions that were stored in a persons garage (his mother & father are the owners of the house) and put it in storage? He claims to not have even been living in the house at the time of removing my items.

    So what?

    All your discussion here about "legality" and "blame" is worthless to you if you lose your property and then get faced with the prospect of traveling to his location and suing him.

    I have the same questions as Mr K:

    "What did he say when you asked him to identify the location of the storage unit? What did the storage company say when you contacted them about the unpaid balance and recovering your property?"

    What you need to do now is contact the storage facility and arrange to pay the bill and arrange to retrieve your belongings.

    Once you've done that you can figure out what you spent and whether you want to sue him or not.

    Snooze on this and your property is gone and, guess what, you'll only be entitled to the used value of your property (yard sale prices) in a lawsuit if you're entitled to anything at all and you might never see a nickel from him even if you win.
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