Storage contract dispute with owner of a private Garage

[Wizadoros]

I needed to store some items temporarily and I decided to opt for a privately owned garage that was local to me. It’s easily accessible 24hrs a day seperate to leaseholders apartment. The size of the garage space is 6m x 3.5m (20’ x 12’) equates to 44sq ft. Currently, only 10sq m occupied.

 

I took up 3/4 of the space having been restricted to the area left because the owner had your their own personal belongings still in the garage which was not previously agreed. 

 

The concession was made and I never challenged the fact that there was no prior discussion nor agreement about this. Furthermore, I was lead to believe that I had the only set of keys yet there is obviously another set as the contents of the owners belongings has changed from time to time. The security implications are unknown to me and frankly I have I found the space dirty initially which I cleaned up and recently again dust and debris had accumulated in the interim. No effort has been made on the owners part to clean it up.

 

I have informed the owner of the fact that I wasn’t prepared to pay the £100/mth (reduced from £120/mth after 12 months) anymore and they have refused to come to any agreement stating a reduction has already been given. The initial fee was way above what it should have been valued at therefore I don’t concede that this is a true discount when in fact there was overpayment for a year.

 

In view of the average cost for this type of storage is around £24, and taking into consideration that this isn’t purpose built self storage, it’s location in a residential block that states in the lease that no commercial use should be of the garage, no insurance cover in place, it’s small size and that it’s by no previous agreement shared I offered to pay the equivalent of 10sq m at £5/Sq m. This was refused.  I have not paid any further rent since 21/4/22. I am sure it hasn’t been registered with the local council either.

 

The owner went to my parents house and I asked him to refrain from doing this as it causes them distress. With my father only recently being diagnosed with terminal cancer and my mother struggling with asthma any contact will be regarded as harassment. He also asked a debt collector to obtain funds from me and I responded by informing him that such action is unlawful. I haven’t had any correspondence from him other than a recent call whereby I had informed him I am in no position to pay him what he’s asked for. He’s insisting on payment and until it’s settled he won’t allow access. 

 

Can you please advise on how should I proceed? 

 

 

[Nicky Boy]

Looks like this is a continuation of this thread...?

How about explaining your own medical condition and arranging to remove your belongings from the garage?

[Wizadoros]

It’s my father who wrote the recent post as he’s got terminal liver cancer and I suggested our best option would be to ask CAG for advice. He posted it before I could write a post-script so apologies for confusion. I’m the elder son and he is just trying to make sure I don’t have things like court cases to deal with posthumously.

[theberengersniper]

On the basis that you were prepared to pay £100 initially, albeit without the knowledge that the space would be shared I realise, why don't you work out how much space his belongings consume, and offer to reduce your contribution by that volume, multiplied by your £5/Sq m? He can't very well charge you for a storage volume that you can't possibly use because of his own belongings being there.

 

Whatever you do though, you do need to tread carefully. There's nothing stopping him raising a claim against you for the money, assuming your agreement can be evidenced, and until he receives payment, he is entitled to withhold your access.

[Ethel Street]

If originally you thought the whole space was going to be available to you and you would be paying £100 a month for it that works out at £4.76 per square metre (whole garage is 6m x 3.5 m = 21 sq m). Whether or not that was a good deal or the normal rate for storage is irrelevant, it's the deal you agreed at the time, too late to renegotiate it retrospectively.

 

You say the owner has taken up 1/4 of the space leaving 3/4 of it available to you. So you have 3/4 of the 21 sq m available for you to use, that's 15.75 sq m. So it's reasonable you pay £4.76 x 15.75  = £75.  So offer him £75 a month, that's the same per square metre rate you agreed reduced pro rata for the reduced space available to you.

 

It's not really relevant that you aren't using all the space that's available in the garage because your deal was never priced at how much of the garage was actually being used by you but by how much was available for you to use, whether you used it or not.

[Manxman in exile]

On 14/03/2023 at 13:10, Wizadoros said:

I needed to store some items temporarily and I decided to opt for a privately owned garage that was local to me. It’s easily accessible 24hrs a day seperate to leaseholders apartment. The size of the garage space is 6m x 3.5m (20’ x 12’) equates to 44sq ft. Currently, only 10sq m occupied.

 

I took up 3/4 of the space having been restricted to the area left because the owner had your their own personal belongings still in the garage which was not previously agreed. ..

 

 

I know @Ethel Street has already done their own calculations, but I suggest you double-check your figures and make sure you understand the numbers yourself.   

 

20ft by 12ft doesn't equate to 44sq ft.  It's 240sq ft.  That's almost six times bigger that you think it is...

 

If you are going to try to arrive at some sort of apportioned rent you need to ensure you're working from the correct relative areas.  (And don't mix imperial and metric)

Edited March 16, 2023 by Manxman in exile