Joe DownsCEO & Co-Founder, Belrose Storage Group. Founder, Storage Moguls.

How to prep a unit for auction without getting sued

3 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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Never open boxes or enter the unit yourself. Photograph from the doorway only, and keep auction listings generic unless you can identify something specific from the entrance, like a visible TV. This protects you from lawsuits over mishandled or misrepresented items.

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Because when preparing the unit, no one should ever open boxes or go through the tenant's personal property. The photo rule is simple: take photos from the threshold only. Never step inside that unit. You're trying to capture the volume of goods, not the details of what's inside. When you write the description for the sale, keep it general. Use phrases like household goods or miscellaneous items. Never list specific items you can't confirm 100%, like Samsung 55-inch TV. Unless it's right there and you can, I wouldn't confirm it.