Ok guys, just wondering about your collection methods. Don't get me wrong this is a daily effort on my part. However what do you do when you can no longer find your tenant. No numbers work, mail is being returned or they just never call you back. I mean of course we all know that usually ends in lien, but are any of using using any resources out of the norm. to find ghost tenants?
Thanks for any and all of your input.

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Lovin it.

Don't waste any more time and effort, get the lien out. The quicker you lien and get the unit available the better off you are. You've done everything you can. Might be that they don't want to be found and all you're doing is spending time and money on them. Likely you'll open the unit and find trash, they win.

Sell it. Move on.

Call me crazy but try googling the customer, you may be surprised what you find. Secondly, contact a local Private Investigative service in your area, find out what they charge for this service. We have used companies like this in the past and have had some positive results. For example, if the customer owes you $300-$400, I have been able to hire the PI company for under $100.00, once they found them then I could establish contact with them. Lastly, if you have the time, drive to the last known address and just knock on the door, you may get a lead from the person living there.

These are out of the box ideas but as you well know, once they go to lien status your chances of recovering your money goes way down, simple steps that are out of the norm may help you in this effort.

Good luck

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Mel Holsinger, President
Professional Self Storage Management, LLC
3434 E. Kleindale Ste. E
Tucson, AZ 85716
O: 520.320.9135
F: 520.320.9435
www.proselfstorage.com

Maybe I'm just a harda$$, but why try to find people that have blown you off? The power company doesn't hire a PI to find me when I don't pay my bill, they turn off my power. My mortgage company won't drive to my house and knock on my door if I miss a few payments, they'll foreclose. The storage place won't spend money on a PI or come trying to find me at home if I don't pay my bill....oh wait.....

If somebody owes me $300-$400 I wouldn't spend $100 on a PI, then an hour of my time(priceless) and a gallon of gas driving to their last address. Storage space is a commodity, the quicker that space is working for you the better. Chasing deadbeats is a money-losing activity beyond the typical notices and phone calls. I know it is easy to become friendly with our customers since so many want to tell us their life story, but they severed the friendship first by not honoring their agreement with you.

That's all I need to know , "do I hear $20 as on opening bid.....?"

Well not to metion the legal issue you may have. We are very cautious on what we all do for liens as in mailings & phone calls. So what are your states laws on how you can collect a debit. Each state is different. I would start there before going to there door or hiring a PI.
I agree with Storman just let it go to auction and get it re rented. Send it to collections and if you have a good collection agant you will see some of the money.... eventually
Just my 2 cents worth

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Proud Karate Mom

Just to put a personal point on lien collections. If you are an employee of the storage company, and not an owner, a portion of your bonus and/or pay structure may include receivables. If the delinquent tenant owes you a large amount or a small amount, a portion of the may be your personal money. Once i fiqured this out a ong time ago, I lost any concern about selling the deadbeat, er, delinquent tenant.(Sorry, that just slipped out).

Do what your state statutes say you must do, and get on with renting and collecting the forgetful tenant.

Have a nice weekend,

Astro (or Bob if you wish)

Thanks to all of you . I loved reading your opinions and some very useful advice as well. It is the managers like you that make it all happen and make this forum so worth while.
Thanks

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Lovin it.

I know I am coming in a little late on this one (vacation) but I am with Storman -- the friendship ended when they missed a payment!

For about the first year doing this I was worried about hurting their feelings by trying to auction their (read deadbeat!) stuff. I have gotten over that - I do what is required (and then a little more just to be sure) and sell the junk!

I had one this last auction - she came in during the auction and had a lot of tears so the wife made a deal with her. The deal was pay half now and the other half tomorrow -- guess what - tomorrow came and no money!! I waited a week and still no money. I sent out a 10 day notice to pay up and vacate - heard nothing so now I will get rid of the CRAP for them!

sorry - got carried away --

anyway - just my .02

Autodoc- I see that you're in CA too. We will not accept any partial payments whatsoever once the preliminary lien notice has been sent out up until the items have been sold at auction. My understanding is that by you accepting 1/2 payment prior to the auction, you effectively canceled the lien.

I would start over with the preliminary lien again, I'm not too sure a 10 day notice to vacate is sufficient to then dispose of her stuff if she doesn't respond. Unless maybe you "sold" the stuff to her at the auction, which I suppose you could have done.

Starting over is a huge hassle and delays selling everything for at least 6 weeks, which is why we won't accept partial payments and start over. Both of our lien letters state this very clearly, pay it all in cash, credit or cashier's check or it goes bye bye.

I am normally very cautious about Lien sales and following everything, but this gal has pushed one too many buttons.

I am with you about the not taking partial payments, but wife will crumble to the tears every once in a while, even after I had told this gal no deals this time (she is a repeat offender). We issued the 10 day notice back in April and it expired at the end of April - we are still sitting on the unit as I do not "need" the space right now. I figure I will give her another month to show up again before I get aggressive. I have attempted to contact her - all phone numbers are disconnected, but the letters were not returned so I must assume they were received at all three address I sent them to.

We will just see what the future brings.