An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Self-service Storage in the State
Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §1372, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 10 MRSA §1372, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 3. 10 MRSA §1372, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 62, is amended to read:
Sec. 4. 10 MRSA §1372, sub-§9 is enacted to read:
Sec. 5. 10 MRSA §1374, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 62, is amended to read:
Sec. 6. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 525, §3, is further amended to read:
Sec. 7. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§1-C is enacted to read:
Sec. 8. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 62, is amended to read:
(1) A statement that the contents of the occupant's leased space are subject to the operator's lien . The sale must take place at least 15 days after the provision of notice under subsection 2;
(2) A statement of the operator's claim, indicating the charges due on the date of the notice, the amount of any additional charges which shall that become due before the date of sale and the date those additional charges shall become due;
(3) A demand for payment of the charges due within a specified time, not less than 14 days after the date of the notice;
(4) A statement that unless the claim is paid within the time stated, the contents of the occupant's space will be sold, specifying the time and place; and
(5) The name, street address and telephone number of the operator, or the operator's designated agent, whom the occupant may contact to respond to the notice ; and .
Sec. 9. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§5, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 62, is amended to read:
Sec. 10. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 62, is amended to read:
Sec. 11. 10 MRSA §1375, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
Sec. 12. 10 MRSA §1378 is enacted to read:
§ 1378. Abandonment
In the case of an abandoned leased space, the operator has the right to immediately take possession of the leased space and dispose of any personal property in the leased space by any means at the operator's discretion without any duty of accounting or any liability to any party.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the Maine Self-service Storage Act. It:
1. Defines abandoned leased space, electronic mail and verified mail;
2. Adds all-terrain vehicles, off-road vehicles and recreational vehicles to the definition of "personal property";
3. Sets the date that a lien attaches to the property within a leased storage space as the date the occupant leases the space;
4. Clarifies what happens to property with a value of $750 or more and less than $750, and if the property is a motor vehicle, it clarifies that the operator of the leased space may have the motor vehicle towed with no liability to any party;
5. Clarifies how a notice must be sent;
6. Repeals the requirement that a notice of sale must be published;
7. Indicates that an operator of a self-storage facility must hold a balance from proceeds of a sale for 90 days from the date of the sale and that if the balance is not claimed after 90 days, the balance becomes the property of the operator;
8. In the case of a rental agreement, sets a maximum amount for a claim by an occupant to be the value that was set as the maximum value of the stored property in the rental agreement; and
9. Gives the operator the right to immediately take possession of the leased space and dispose of the property if the occupant abandons the leased space.