Apartment Complex Emptied my Garage!! (Houston, Holliday: renters, insurance, attorney)

[SsnTktHldr]

So I go to leave Monday for a holiday trip to Houston, open my detatched garage to unload some stuff from the trunk, AND MY GARAGE IS EMPTY! All my personal affects and memories from the past 20 years and thousands of dollars in additional valuables all thrown away. The apartments claim a mixup in double renting my garage out and ask me to get them a list of what was in it. They're saying the previous management company put in the work order and they just executed it, trying to pass blame.

I'm not soliciting anything but opinions on what to do next, and I would prefer only responses from people with insight on this type of situation. Feel free to post or DM me.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[firstclassflyer]

Call the police and get it on a report first thing. That sux. You have renter's insurance, no? Check into coverage of your personal effects within a detached garage..it might not fly though. You most likely filled out a list of your personal effects for your insurance company along the way, they would have a copy.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by firstclassflyer

Call the police and get it on a report first thing. That sux. You have renter's insurance, no? Check into coverage of your personal effects within a detached garage..it might not fly though. You most likely filled out a list of your personal effects for your insurance company along the way, they would have a copy.

I agree to call the police to get it recorded...then a good attorney.

FCF....since the management admitted fault, do you think renters insurance would need to be used? Even if he didn't have insurance, they certainly do. I'm not sure exactly how renters insurance works with an odd situation like this. I can't imagine the lump in the managers throat when he figured out what happened! I would have loved to see his face!

SSntkthlder....I'm glad they at least fessed up to it....even if they are passing the blame, they seem to be accepting responsibility of some kind...right? This really is a bummer...especially if you had items of sentimental value that can't be replaced. Complete incompetence. I hope you get a fair settlement of some kind.

[skeet09]

The renter's insurance would cover the items in the detached garage if this coverage is found in the policy documents that it is covered. The apartment complex's insurance would only insure the garage structure. That's the word from my apartment complex regarding it and I asked them about it since I saw this question posted on here and said it is quite frequently the case.
Ditto on the police report and consultation with attorney on options.

[firstclassflyer]

Originally Posted by wCat

I agree to call the police to get it recorded...then a good attorney.

FCF....since the management admitted fault, do you think renters insurance would need to be used? Even if he didn't have insurance, they certainly do. I'm not sure exactly how renters insurance works with an odd situation like this. I can't imagine the lump in the managers throat when he figured out what happened! I would have loved to see his face!

SSntkthlder....I'm glad they at least fessed up to it....even if they are passing the blame, they seem to be accepting responsibility of some kind...right? This really is a bummer...especially if you had items of sentimental value that can't be replaced. Complete incompetence. I hope you get a fair settlement of some kind.

Well, if you look closely, new management company admits to moving the things with a work order from the old management company. Interesting to see whether they can produce the work order from the old management company. New management company should have no problem providing it, if they aren't hiding anything.
The OP needs to go after the folks that actually removed his things. Let their insurance cover it....if they "all of a sudden won't admit to it" , then OP uses his own insurance and let's his insurance company deal with the new management company's insurance.
New management's insurance company then goes after old management company etc...

[SsnTktHldr]

I do have renter's insurance, which will cover replacement value of items that can be replaced (minus my deductable), but I feel like I shouldn't need to go that route with them being at fault and what about irreplacable pictures, letters, etc... I had Bexar county sheriffs come by but they told me no crimial act had occured so there was no report to file. I guess it's off to a lawyer's office on monday. Holliday week and all, couldn't get ahold of anyone.

They did show me the work order but wouldn't release a copy. It has the order going in under the old company, and executed under the new. The only reason I'm not too worried about it disappearing is it is the only proof they have that it wasn't their work order to start with.

[firstclassflyer]

Originally Posted by SsnTktHldr

I do have renter's insurance, which will cover replacement value of items that can be replaced (minus my deductable), but I feel like I shouldn't need to go that route with them being at fault and what about irreplacable pictures, letters, etc... I had Bexar county sheriffs come by but they told me no crimial act had occured so there was no report to file. I guess it's off to a lawyer's office on monday. Holliday week and all, couldn't get ahold of anyone.

They did show me the work order but wouldn't release a copy. It has the order going in under the old company, and executed under the new. The only reason I'm not too worried about it disappearing is it is the only proof they have that it wasn't their work order to start with.

What do they mean "no criminal act"...the stuff is gone. You did not authorize it's taking. It's stolen as far as you're concerned. You really needed to insist on a report...that's key.
Yeah, you need an attorney.

[rd2007]

why am I not surprised BCSD said that? I would be even less surprised if it was SAPD.. there was definitely a criminal act because all of YOUR property is now gone. The only thing that differentiates this from a more "normal" theft is the people had a work order and they did not do it for personal gain. All of YOUR stuff is gone, though.. I would call them out again and keep calling until they fill out the report. You could even offer to type it up for them or have one typed up in advance so they can simply copy it. It needs documenting before the story gets old.
I would also contact your insurance so they can at least offer their clout when dealing with the management company and/or their insurance. It's much better to have the pros fighting for you.

[ged_782]

If your renter's insurance company is like my homeowner's insurance, they won't take any action on a claim for theft of property until a police report has been filed.

[Newk]

Wow that is crazy. Good luck with everything.