Storage Unit Issue: Dead rat, rodent poop, chewed/knocked over boxes

[Karla0009]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I have my furniture and boxes in a large storage unit - where it has been for five years. At $250 a month - I have paid almost $15k. I did not purchase insurance for my unit - initially, I did not think that my things would be in storage this long.

I went to the unit the other day and was horrified to find a dead rat, a bunch of rodent poop, chewed boxes and boxes knocked over. I have white couches and a mattress/box springs that I can't quite get to -- not sure if there is any damage - but I KNOW from the large amounts of rat poop that they have likely been on/in my couch and mattress. Rats carry diseases and I no longer want to put the mattress and couches in my new house. (Which will be ready within the year.)

I am getting ready to talk to the owners of the facility next weekend. I did not purchase insurance - I'm not sure that I will legally have much of a case. That being said - I paid the fee every month expecting my things to be kept safe. I think that they were negligent in not letting me know that they had a rat infestation problem. And I am upset that I will now need to purchase a new bed, couch and loveseat. And I have no idea if anything in boxes has been damaged...but boxes marked "fragile" are tipped over.

At a minimum, I would like to recoup the amount that it would take me to replace the bed, couch/loveseat. Ideally, I would like my money (or some of it) refunded - as they failed to provide a safe place for my items. I am not a confrontational person - but I am horrified about the condition of my things - and I hope to negotiate some sort of restitution. I imagine that they will be reluctant to pay me anything.

Thanks for any advice - I need some guidance before I talk to the owner of the unit.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I have my furniture and boxes in a large storage unit - where it has been for five years. At $250 a month - I have paid almost $15k. I did not purchase insurance for my unit - initially, I did not think that my things would be in storage this long.

I went to the unit the other day and was horrified to find a dead rat, a bunch of rodent poop, chewed boxes and boxes knocked over. I have white couches and a mattress/box springs that I can't quite get to -- not sure if there is any damage - but I KNOW from the large amounts of rat poop that they have likely been on/in my couch and mattress. Rats carry diseases and I no longer want to put the mattress and couches in my new house. (Which will be ready within the year.)

I am getting ready to talk to the owners of the facility next weekend. I did not purchase insurance - I'm not sure that I will legally have much of a case. That being said - I paid the fee every month expecting my things to be kept safe. I think that they were negligent in not letting me know that they had a rat infestation problem. And I am upset that I will now need to purchase a new bed, couch and loveseat. And I have no idea if anything in boxes has been damaged...but boxes marked "fragile" are tipped over.

At a minimum, I would like to recoup the amount that it would take me to replace the bed, couch/loveseat. Ideally, I would like my money (or some of it) refunded - as they failed to provide a safe place for my items. I am not a confrontational person - but I am horrified about the condition of my things - and I hope to negotiate some sort of restitution. I imagine that they will be reluctant to pay me anything.

Thanks for any advice - I need some guidance before I talk to the owner of the unit.

What does your contract with the storage unit company say about damage to the contents of the units?

 

[Eekamouse]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I have my furniture and boxes in a large storage unit - where it has been for five years. At $250 a month - I have paid almost $15k. I did not purchase insurance for my unit - initially, I did not think that my things would be in storage this long.

I went to the unit the other day and was horrified to find a dead rat, a bunch of rodent poop, chewed boxes and boxes knocked over. I have white couches and a mattress/box springs that I can't quite get to -- not sure if there is any damage - but I KNOW from the large amounts of rat poop that they have likely been on/in my couch and mattress. Rats carry diseases and I no longer want to put the mattress and couches in my new house. (Which will be ready within the year.)

I am getting ready to talk to the owners of the facility next weekend. I did not purchase insurance - I'm not sure that I will legally have much of a case. That being said - I paid the fee every month expecting my things to be kept safe. I think that they were negligent in not letting me know that they had a rat infestation problem. And I am upset that I will now need to purchase a new bed, couch and loveseat. And I have no idea if anything in boxes has been damaged...but boxes marked "fragile" are tipped over.

At a minimum, I would like to recoup the amount that it would take me to replace the bed, couch/loveseat. Ideally, I would like my money (or some of it) refunded - as they failed to provide a safe place for my items. I am not a confrontational person - but I am horrified about the condition of my things - and I hope to negotiate some sort of restitution. I imagine that they will be reluctant to pay me anything.

Thanks for any advice - I need some guidance before I talk to the owner of the unit.

Good luck finding any self storage facility without a rodent problem. It kind of goes hand in hand. Hence, getting insurance. People are idiots. They store things in storage units but don't take into consideration that while they might not be so stupid as to store any foodstuffs in their units, the people renting units by them stupidly do so. Food in units attract rodents. You may not have had any food stored in yours but your belongings make for a comfy place for rodents to nest in while they mack up the food in other units. You should have been putting rat poison packets in your unit all along. It might have stopped or slowed down the immigration of little critters into your unit. Can I just point out something to you? The money you wasted on paying to store your things could have been used to buy all new stuff. Self storage is really only good for short periods of time. Five years? A rodent invasion was inevitable.

 

[xylene]

You should have been putting rat poison packets in your unit all along. It might have stopped or slowed down the immigration of little critters into your unit.

Reality check - poison bait stations ATTRACT rats and mice. That's how they work.

Your 'advice' to the op is they should have done something that would have attracted vermin?

And if the storage facility was at all doing their due diligence, they would have had a PCO taking care of the facility. Suggesting op needs to bait their own unit might even be at odds with the with PCO's efforts.

Unless their was some clause in the op's storage agreement that they needed tot rap or bait their units there is absolutely no relief for the storage provider for any possible liability because the OP failed to do so...


I would suggest the op ask the storage operator about what they did for pest control.

However, OP, there is no way you are owed for full replacement value of things that were at least 5 years old

Stop being hysterical about disease. You aren't owed full replacement for that either.

You should try getting the items fumigated and/or cleaned.

 

[adjusterjack]

I have my furniture and boxes in a large storage unit - where it has been for five years. At $250 a month - I have paid almost $15k. I did not purchase insurance for my unit
.

I don't know of any insurance you could have bought that would have covered damage from rodents.

Homeowners and renters insurance exclude damage from rodents, insects, and vermin and a suspect that any insurance you can buy from the storage company would also have similar exclusions.

 

[Eekamouse]

Reality check - poison bait stations ATTRACT rats and mice. That's how they work.

Your 'advice' to the op is they should have done something that would have attracted vermin?

And if the storage facility was at all doing their due diligence, they would have had a PCO taking care of the facility. Suggesting op needs to bait their own unit might even be at odds with the with PCO's efforts.

Unless their was some clause in the op's storage agreement that they needed tot rap or bait their units there is absolutely no relief for the storage provider for any possible liability because the OP failed to do so...


I would suggest the op ask the storage operator about what they did for pest control.

However, OP, there is no way you are owed for full replacement value of things that were at least 5 years old

Stop being hysterical about disease. You aren't owed full replacement for that either.

You should try getting the items fumigated and/or cleaned.

Pardon me, I forgot to write "and rodent traps". She should have put traps in and checked them regularly. Poison packets should have been placed once evidence of rodents were discovered. Depending on what kind of facility it was, a metal and steel construction or one of the older wood and stucco jobberdos, the rodents only have a few ways into the unit. The facility could have a regular pest control service but that still won't eliminate rodents totally. The facility does what it can but you have to be proactive in protecting your belongings.

If you have to put your belongings in a self storage unit, you should make sure you don't store any food (canned food is okay though), you should put your smaller things in heavy duty plastic bins with tight lids. Furniture should be placed on a pallet with heavy duty plastic on the bottom and then you should wrapped it completely with many layers of stretch wrap to combat rodents.

There's no way to totally protect your belongings but you can make it harder for the little monsters. The storage facility won't be responsible for any damage incurred because you can be sure there is a clause in your contract that covers that.
People who find themselves in need of a storage unit due to being evicted or what have you, rent one and put their entire apartment, food and all, into the unit they rent with no thought to what they are doing. I've seen it a million times.