HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4957        FILED ON: 2/28/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4504

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Tackey Chan and Paul R. Feeney

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to clarifying the self-storage law for consumers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

2/28/2024

Paul R. Feeney

Bristol and Norfolk

3/7/2024


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4957        FILED ON: 2/28/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4504

By Representative Chan of Quincy and Senator Feeney, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Tackey Chan and Paul R. Feeney for legislation to clarify self-storage laws.  Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to clarifying the self-storage law for consumers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 105A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the definition, “Abandoned lease space” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-

“Abandoned leased space”, (i) a leased space that the operator finds unlocked and empty or unlocked and containing personal property with a value less than $300, in the operator's opinion, (ii) a leased space, which possession, all rights to and any personal property within has been affirmatively surrendered to the operator by the occupant; or (iii) a leased space containing personal property upon the end of the rental agreement.

SECTION 2. Said section 1 of said chapter 105A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting at the end of the definition of “Rental agreement”, the following new sentence:- A rental agreement may be delivered and accepted electronically.

SECTION 3. Section 2 of chapter 105A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence:- The occupant shall be bound by the rental agreement, even if unsigned, if the occupant uses the leased space more than 30 days after delivery of the written notice of the rental agreement to the occupant.