A woman is warning other renters after her landlord cleared out her storage unit without notice, throwing away irreplaceable photos and mementos.
"All my family photos," Sheronne McKinney said. "My mom. My grandmother who's gone. A lot of my family members that are gone. My kids' baby books."
Her children's sports trophies, and her school keepsakes from her Cincinnati high school were also lost in the cleanout.
"My high school diploma was in there, and I went through a lot to get that diploma," she said.
The only photos that survived were ones McKinney had kept inside her apartment, including a single baby photo of herself and a picture with her three children.
In addition to photos, McKinney stored larger items; a cornhole set and brand-new set of luggage, which she was saving for a special occasion.
"I'm going on my first cruise for my birthday next year," she said.
WATCH as a woman describes how she was devastated when her storage unit was cleared out:
Be selective about what you store
Whether you're renting a self-storage unit, or utilizing storage available at an apartment building, the advice is the same: don't store valuables or family heirlooms that can't be replaced.
Sergio Altomare, co-founder and CEO of the real estate investment firm Hearthfire Holdings, said renters should also be mindful of where items are kept.
"If you're storing it in a residential apartment building basement that is subject to really high humidity, potential water in the basement, you got to take all those things into consideration," he said.
In addition to photographs, use caution storing items like paintings, musical instruments, and furniture.
Protecting your belongings
Altomare warns against informal arrangements when it comes to storage agreements, even with a landlord or property manager you trust.
"If it's a handshake deal, 'Hey, you can use this stuff there,' then you're transferring the accountability and responsibility to yourself," he said. "You have to have something in writing because when anything is disputed, that's what you fall back on."
When you sign a lease, check for an addendum or set of rules around storage that includes what you can store, how long you're permitted to use the storage unit, and when the property manager has the right to move your belongings.
Additional steps to protect items in storage:
- Check your renter's insurance policy -- coverage may apply to items of monetary value stored outside your unit
- Take an inventory of everything you store and notify your insurer
- Take photos of items you put into storage
- Never store irreplaceable family photos or mementos
As for McKinney's belongings, a building manager told us the incident appears to have been an honest mistake, in which a cleaning crew believed the belongings had been left behind by a vacated tenant.
After we reached out to the management company, the company offered to take $500 off next month's rent, but McKinney says that doesn't recoup what she lost.
For her, the loss is permanent.
"It's not even the material stuff," McKinney said. "It's the family stuff. All the memories caught on pictures. All of that is gone."
Be mindful of what you keep in storage, so your valuables are safe, and you don't waste your money.
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