To the average person, temporarily renting a unit to store personal possessions is no big deal. However, when you are an active duty servicemember who has been deployed or moved and must store almost everything you own while you are away, there is a lot to worry about. What if you forget to make a payment? What if you are away longer than you expected? Will you lose your possessions? The good news is, you have protections that the average citizen does not have.
Your Active Duty Servicemember Rights Regarding Stored Property
Simply stated, while you are on active duty, a storage company cannot simply sell your possessions if you fail to make a payment or break the contract in another way. Instead, they must first get a court order. How does this help? Well, first, it buys you some time. Instead of being notified that your stuff has been sold, you will get a notice that a case has been filed against you. You then have time to take action. What should you do? Start with the following:
- Call me. As a Marine and military consumer attorney, I am committed to protecting the rights of our men and women in uniform. I will communicate with the judge and get the proceedings against you stopped.
- Ask for more time. If you are behind on your rent or are unable to pay what you owe, we will work with the judge to adjust the amount you owe or the deadline for making the payment.
If the judge decides that your deployment or active duty status is not the reason you have broken the contract, he could grant the storage company permission to sell your belongings. Don’t let it come to that. Contact me before it’s too late!
Understand Your Rights As An Active Duty Servicemember
These protections are granted under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which grants many other protections as well. But if you don’t know your rights, you won’t know when you are being taken advantage of. If you are on active duty and are struggling with any consumer matter—breaking a new car lease, a landlord dispute, a civil lawsuit—please feel free to contact me online or call me directly at 855.982.2400 for help. You deserve better treatment while you are serving our country and I’m here to make sure you get it.
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