As a landlord of a self-storage facility, you don’t expect to accommodate live-in renters. Live-in storage unit tenants are people who move into their storage units and attempt to live there permanently.
It’s very unfortunate to find a renter in this situation. Usually, these individuals are facing extreme financial distress and may not know where else to find housing. It’s important that you humanize this person and understand the hardship they’re going through, but to also remember that you are a business owner. Allowing a tenant to live in one of your storage units is a liability and can pose risks to their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of others.
In this article, we describe how you should respond to a live-in storage unit tenant and what to do to prevent them.
Is it Legal to Live in a Storage Unit?
Living in a storage unit is not legal.
Self-storage facilities are zoned for commercial use only, so self-storage units do not meet residential health codes. They don’t have any smoke alarms, proper ventilation, or running water. These are necessities that humans need and must be provided by law when residing somewhere. The potential for a tenant to be seriously harmed by suffering through extreme heat or cold without any climate control is high in some areas, and the potential that someone could be locked in their storage unit poses a fire hazard.
If a tenant is caught residing in their storage unit, even while paying rent on time, they could face civil charges.
Preventative Measures
It’s important that you try and prevent this issue from arising in the first place by establishing firm, “no loitering” storage unit rules and regulations. Make sure that this no loitering policy is stated in your lease agreements, and talk it through with your new renters to ensure they know that they will face charges if they do so.
Tenants should also verify their home or mailing address before beginning their lease. That way, you can be sure they have accommodation and will not need to find alternative housing.
It can be helpful to also increase security at the facility to enforce these rules and also to make your storage units uninhabitable so no one is tempted to live there. You could shut off water and electricity at night, lock the gates after hours, and let your tenants know that periodic security checks will be conducted.
How to Evict a Live-in Tenant
If you do catch someone living in a storage unit, here are a few tips to help you navigate this situation.
First, make sure that the tenant actually is living in the storage unit. If you have proof that they are, such as security camera footage, make sure you keep it safe in case you need it when filing for eviction.
When you approach the tenant and ask them to leave, it’s important to remain firm and notify them that their lease is terminated, and they should start finding another place to live. If you would like to help them out, offer to connect them with local housing or charity resources. Do not, in any circumstance, give out personal information. It may be tempting to help someone in need, but it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Make sure that you consult your state’s laws on evicting a tenant from their self-storage unit. You will most likely need to send notices and file a lawsuit with a specific court.
If you need to forcibly remove the tenant, you can call the sheriff to do so.
Evicting someone is always difficult but evicting someone from a self-storage unit poses special considerations since letting them continue to live there is at a detriment to their health and well-being. It can be helpful to remember that evicting a tenant in this situation is what’s best for them and for your other tenants. Don’t be afraid to reach out to local homeless shelters, foodbanks, or ministries if you have questions about how to offer additional support to these tenants.
