Law Office of Dale Washington
Wrongful Lien Sales
Dale E. Washington, Esq.
Self-Storage: An Uneven Playing Field:
Self-Storage is an “imbalanced relationship” where tenants face “take it or leave it” at the inception and “Pay up, or lose it” (facing eviction by auction lien sale) when they fall behind. The California Self-service Storage Facilities Act (The Self-Storage Act) grants self-storage tenants legal rights superior to the contract forced on them by Landlords. When self-storage landlords do not comply with the Self-Storage Act – lien sale auctions are ‘wrongful lien sales’ and the tenant has legal redress. State self-storage laws may be viewed at www.storagelaws.com where you may browse the self-storage industry’s efforts in lobbying, raising rent, avoiding taxes, forcing out tenants, and especially not taking responsibility for wrongful lien sales. This site is different – we are dedicated to self-storage tenants' rights with a focus on wrongful lien sales
Law Office of Dale Washington:
Dale Washington is a plaintiff lawyer in California with 20 years of experience in consumer-based insurance, banking, and real estate litigation; Dale finds self-storage tenants a disadvantaged group in need of vigorous representation; “Wrongful auction, bad lien sale, whatever the label – disproportionately harms people dealing with other problems. The Self Storage Industry markets to “the 3 D’s” (Death, Disease & Divorce) – has experienced unprecedented growth while the rest of us struggled with the mortgage meltdown.” Dale has concentrated his practice on representing self-storage tenants and improper self-storage practices including illegal fees, gate code invalidation, and wrongful lien sales.
What’s Happening Self Storage Class Actions?
There hasn’t been any tenant-based attention to the self-storage relationship and there are various areas we find in need of push-back. We are working with other offices to seek a refund of mischarged late fees and other compensation. Washington is proud to say, “(some) companies have modified their behavior in response to our activism.”
About Dale Washington
California State University, Long Beach. B.S., Business Administration;
The University of Loyola at Los Angeles, J.D.;
Admitted to California and U.S. District Courts 1993.
Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles; State Bar of California; Policy Holders of America (non-profit, volunteer general counsel)
Experience in Litigation: Insurance, Real Estate, and Self Storage Litigation, niche work in self-storage & wrongful lien sales; Also handles related writs and appeals.
Hobbies: Travel and Work
Notable Cases
Exceed Your Expectations
Ong v. Fire Ins.
2015
Ong v. Fire Ins. Exchange reversed a denial of coverage in favor of the homeowner insured (2nd District, 2015);
20th Century Ins. Co. v. Sup. Ct. (Ahles) 90 CA4th 1247
2001
20th Century Ins. Co. v. Sup. Ct. (Ahles) 90 CA4th 1247 (2001) (‘family’ of bad faith cases and appellate work)
We all watch those auction reality shows – thanks for showing the other side! Amazing the storage companies can try to get away with it – I hope the customers get justice.
Ralph Sifford
