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

The $120,000 problem and why your lease language controls

10 May 2026 · 1 min

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Self-storage operators face major liability when high-value titled vehicles like a $120,000 boat go unpaid. Standard leases lack critical clauses for vehicle identification, condition documentation, abandonment procedures, and damage indemnification. You need an attorney who knows boat and RV storage, not generic lease templates.

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When there's a dispute about damage, about an abandoned vehicle, about a tenant who stopped paying but left a $120,000 boat at your facility, the specific language in your lease determines how that situation gets resolved. Self-storage lease doesn't address the vehicle identification, moving condition documentation, the abandonment process for titled vehicles, or indemnification for damage during access. The attorney who drafted your self-storage lease may not know what they don't know about boat and RV leases and managing a facility. I highly recommend working with an attorney who's drafted leases specifically for boat and RV storage or marina storage.