Nevada Senate Bill 150 (SB150), a bill that revises the self-storage lien law in the state, was approved by Gov. Brian Sandoval On June 13 and will go into effect Oct. 1. Championed by the Nevada Self Storage Association (NVSSA) and national Self Storage Association (SSA), SB 150 creates the following positive changes for self-storage operators:
- If the delinquent tenant has an e-mail address on record at the self-storage facility, then the first lien notification must be delivered via e-mail as well as a form of verified mail. This will be less expensive than the previously required Certified Mail.
- If a delinquent tenant signs the Declaration in Opposition, it is the responsibility of the tenant, not the facility operator, to file suit within 21 days. The operator must wait 30 days to proceed with the lien.
- Operators are protected in situations involving abandoned property, including sensitive property such as pharmaceuticals and private records.
- If the self-storage rental agreement contains a limitation of value, stored property shall be deemed not to exceed that value.
- If rent on a motor-vehicle storage space goes unpaid for more than 60 days, the operator may have the motor vehicle towed from the property.
With the support and efforts of our membership, the SSA and our lobbyist, we were able to greatly improve the self-storage lien-law process for all operators in Nevada," said NVSSA President Travis Morrow. "While we had to make some compromises along the way, and werent able to pass all of the changes wed hoped to, we are still very pleased with what we were able to achieve and the benefits it brings to the entire self-storage industry throughout the state.
Detailed bill information can be found at www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Reports/history.cfm?ID=363.
Other states with newly approved or soon-to-be approved self-storage lien laws include Colorado, Illinois and Tennessee.