Storage facility sold or lost your belongings — suing in California small claims court
Request the complete notice file in writing — every letter, the mailing proof, and the published advertisement. The statute is procedurally exacting and these cases are usually won on a missed step rather than on the value of the goods.
General information about California procedure. We are not a law firm and cannot advise on your case.
Your deadline to file
3 years — Conversion of personal property (Code Civ. Proc. § 338(c)).
The rule that decides most of these cases
A California self-storage facility must follow the lien and notice procedure in the Self-Service Storage Facility Act before selling a tenant's goods, including written notice and published advertisement. A sale that skipped those steps is vulnerable. (Bus. & Prof. Code § 21700 et seq.)
What this kind of case is worth
Storage unit dispute claims in California small claims court typically run from $500 to $12,500. An individual may claim anything under $12,500; an entity is capped at $6,250.
| Amount you are claiming | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| up to $1,500 | $30 |
| over $1,500 up to $5,000 | $50 |
| over $5,000 up to $12,500 | $75 |
| More than 12 small claims filed in the past 12 months | $100 |
How to start
Before you file, you have to have asked the defendant to pay — the SC-100 asks you to confirm it. A written demand with a deadline does three useful things at once: it satisfies that requirement, it creates a dated record the judge can see, and quite often it ends the dispute without a filing fee.
If the letter does not work, file SC-100 with the small claims division of the Superior Court in the right county — generally where the defendant lives or does business, or where the deal was made or performed.
What to bring to the hearing
A small claims judge has minutes, not hours. Walk in with these, each one labelled, plus a copy for the judge and a copy for the other side.
- The rental agreement
- Your payment history
- Every notice they sent, and proof of what they did not send
- An inventory of what was in the unit, with photographs or receipts if you have them
- The auction or sale records
- Correspondence about the lien
What they will argue back
Expect one of these. Knowing which is coming is most of the preparation.
- They claim notice was properly given
- They rely on a value-limitation clause in the agreement
- They dispute what was in the unit and what it was worth
Serving the papers
Filing is not the hard part. Service of process is where self-represented cases most often come apart. The defendant has to be formally notified, you cannot do it yourself, and you must file proof that it happened on form SC-104 before the hearing. Use the sheriff, a registered process server, or any adult who is not a party to the case.
The hearing
You cannot bring a lawyer to argue for you at a California small claims hearing. Neither can the other side. That is the whole point of the forum: the rules are simplified so two people can explain a disagreement to a judge without needing representation. You may get advice from an attorney before and after, and lawyers are permitted on appeal — but on the day, it is you.
Common questions
Can a storage facility just sell my things?
Only after following the Self-Service Storage Facility Act: a preliminary lien notice, a notice of lien sale with specific content and timing, and publication of the sale. If any required step was skipped or sent to the wrong address, the sale was unlawful and you have a claim for the value of the goods.
Start with a demand letter
Most California small claims cases settle before anyone sees a courtroom. The letter is free to write, and you can have us print and certified-mail it for $29.
No account needed to start. We are not a law firm and cannot give legal advice.