(a)  The owner of a self-service storage facility and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns shall have a lien on all personal property located at a self-service storage facility for rent, labor, insurance, or other valid charges, present or future, in relation to the personal property stored, and for expenses necessary for the preservation of the personal property or reasonably incurred in its sale pursuant to law. The lien attaches as of the date the personal property is stored in the self-service storage facility, and the rental agreement shall contain a conspicuous statement notifying the occupant of the existence of the lien.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-3

  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Occupant: means a person, or his or her sublessee, successor, or assign, who is entitled to the use of the storage space at a self-service storage facility under a rental agreement, to the exclusion of others. See Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-2
  • Owner: means the proprietor, operator, lessor, or sublessor of a self-service storage facility, his or her agent, or any other person authorized by him or her to manage the facility or to receive rent from an occupant under a rental agreement. See Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-2
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Personal property: means movable property not affixed to land and includes, but is not limited to, goods, wares, merchandise, motor vehicles, watercraft, motorcycles, trailers, recreational vehicles (RVs), furniture, and household items. See Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-2
  • Rental agreement: means any written agreement or lease that establishes or modifies the terms, conditions, rules, or any other provisions concerning the use and occupancy of a self-service storage facility. See Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-2
  • Self-service storage facility: means any real property designed and used for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage space to occupants who are to have access to the space for the purpose of storing and removing personal property. See Rhode Island General Laws 34-42-2

(b)  The owner loses its lien on any personal property that it voluntarily delivers or that it unjustifiably refuses to deliver.

History of Section.
P.L. 1985, ch. 401, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 102, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 107, § 1.