Self-storage industry presses panel to clarify abandonment and electronic contract rules

The Self Storage Association urged the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure to advance House Bill 340 and Senate Bill 236, which the association says would clarify when operators may begin abandonment procedures and confirm that rental agreements may be signed electronically.

Joe Doherty, senior vice president and chief legal and legislative officer for the Self Storage Association, told the committee the bills would address gaps in current law that leave operators without a clear process when a renter fails to remove property at the end of a contract. “The current law doesn't address circumstances where the tenant has just not removed it at the end of a rental agreement,” Doherty said.

Doherty said the measures also would clarify that rental agreements can be delivered and signed electronically and update rules for units where a renter used space for more than 30 days but did not sign a new contract after an ownership change. He described the bill as aligning statute with industry practice and said it would not remove existing consumer protections.

The witness pointed the panel to Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 105A, the Commonwealth's self-storage statute, and said the proposed changes leave intact notice requirements and the applicability of Chapter 93A consumer-protection claims. “Massachusetts law has many consumer protections built into the self storage statute, which is Massachusetts General Law chapter 105A. This legislation doesn't change any of those notice requirements,” Doherty said.

The committee did not take a vote on the measures during this hearing; testimony was heard from the industry representative and the committee invited questions before moving to other items.

Ending: The committee accepted the written testimony for the record and will consider the bills in a future session.