Except as specified in sections 231.11 and 231.12, no household goods warehouse operator shall have, demand, collect, or receive, a different compensation for any service rendered or for storing any household goods than the rates applicable to that service or storage, as specified in the schedules of rates on file with the commissioner and in effect at the time.

If a household goods warehouse operator has had household goods in store so long that the storage charges accumulated on them are more than the household goods would bring at a forced sale, the department, upon written application and proof thereof, may authorize the household goods warehouse operator to compromise the charges for a sum not less than the amount which the household goods would bring at a forced sale.