Emergency liquidation - auction houses?

[John T Barker]

I'm in a tight spot as my shop space landlord is suddenly going nuts on me and saying I must be out immediately. He thinks he can do whatever he wants and can bully me. We have no lease but I know I have rights as well...I don't want to give everything away. All that being said can anyone recommend auction businesses in southeastern Pa? I know I won't get even the low prices I have been trying to get up to now but I must move. I don't want to waste money in court over crap like this.

Thanks all.

[Richard Coers]

Nothing done in an emergency works out well. Why don't you get a couple PODS and pay some storage until you get this sorted out. Unless you are a lawyer, I wouldn't agree to you have any rights if you have no contract or lease. Courts don't like zero paperwork, and they hate verbal agreements even more. Hiring a lawyer for help will cost you at least $350/hour.

[Patty Hann]

Ditto on the PODS.
You will be forever kicking yourself if you just dump your equipment for pennies on the dollar. "Act in haste, repent in leisure."

[Gary Petersen]

I was going to suggest a storage unit for the same reason. No sense in acting in haste, even if you do end up selling your stuff. I have no suggestions on local auction houses, though. Good luck.

[James Tibbetts]

I very much agree with a storage solution of some kind. There is no cure for regret.
That being said, I would recommend Redding Auction Services in Gettysburg.

[John T Barker]

Nothing done in an emergency works out well. Why don't you get a couple PODS and pay some storage until you get this sorted out. Unless you are a lawyer, I wouldn't agree to you have any rights if you have no contract or lease. Courts don't like zero paperwork, and they hate verbal agreements even more. Hiring a lawyer for help will cost you at least $350/hour.

What's a POD?

[Matt Day]

Mobile storage container. They move it for you. Lots of other options too.
Depending on the amount of stuff you have. I might consider a real tractor trailer container.

[Frederick Skelly]

I agree - try to store stuff if you can. PODs are a good idea.

I Googled “POD Storage, southeast Pa” and a number of companies popped up.

Best of luck,
Fred

[Patty Hann]

What's a POD?

POD.jpg

[Zachary Hoyt]

An auction at short notice or poorly advertised is always a bad deal for the seller from what I have seen. Even if you end up selling I think the cost of storage would be more than recouped, unless you have only very low-value tools.

[Bill Dufour]

Some here have bought a cargo container and then filled it at the shop. get it moved to the new shop location and wait until the shop is built to unload the contents. Same idea as a POD(Trademark Name). But with a POD there is a monthly rental cost and monthly storage fees. Pods are designed to be moved and local companies can do it. Good luck finding someone to load and unload a container for you.
Bill D

[John T Barker]

The landlord is doing everything he can to be uncooperative with what I might do to get things out in a way that is good for me. After telling him I had posted on craigslist, FB marketplace, here and gave him a list for a woodworker friend of his he tells me he doesn't want people coming to his property. He wants it out in one shot, this after I was alerting him to each visitor, per his request. At one point in a bad conversation he said he would padlock my shop??? He also said he was renting to me for storage even though he's stopped in my shop and asked what I was working on (months ago.) Something is causing this man to change his tune from pleasant, cooperative, to abusive and harassing. My biggest problem is that I can't move a table saw, drill press and benches myself even if I wanted to put it in storage.

[Brian Runau]

The landlord is doing everything he can to be uncooperative with what I might do to get things out in a way that is good for me. After telling him I had posted on craigslist, FB marketplace, here and gave him a list for a woodworker friend of his he tells me he doesn't want people coming to his property. He wants it out in one shot, this after I was alerting him to each visitor, per his request. At one point in a bad conversation he said he would padlock my shop??? He also said he was renting to me for storage even though he's stopped in my shop and asked what I was working on (months ago.) Something is causing this man to change his tune from pleasant, cooperative, to abusive and harassing. My biggest problem is that I can't move a table saw, drill press and benches myself even if I wanted to put it in storage.

John, I mean no disrespect, but it fells like you are looking for reasons to not do something instead of looking for ways to do it.

Seems you are at this person's mercy, for whatever reason, and the best solution would be to get out from under him as soon as you can. Rent pods, storage space, pay someone to move the stuff or hire someone to help you move it. Brian

https://www.thumbtack.com/

[Zachary Hoyt]

It sounds like maybe the landlord just wants you to walk away and leave all the stuff for him. You may need some legal or other help to keep that from happening, if it's worth the trouble to you. I'm sorry that you're caught in this situation. It sounds very stressful.

[Pat Germain]

The landlord is doing everything he can to be uncooperative with what I might do to get things out in a way that is good for me. After telling him I had posted on craigslist, FB marketplace, here and gave him a list for a woodworker friend of his he tells me he doesn't want people coming to his property. He wants it out in one shot, this after I was alerting him to each visitor, per his request. At one point in a bad conversation he said he would padlock my shop??? He also said he was renting to me for storage even though he's stopped in my shop and asked what I was working on (months ago.) Something is causing this man to change his tune from pleasant, cooperative, to abusive and harassing. My biggest problem is that I can't move a table saw, drill press and benches myself even if I wanted to put it in storage.

Call a local moving company. They can easily move all your stuff, to include woodworking machines, to a local storage unit. Problem solved. Whatever the cost of the movers will be negligible compared to the amount of money you would lose trying to sell everything.

You are correct that you have rights. Even if you don't have a lease, the landlord must give you notice before kicking you out. Whatever problems the landlord has are his problems. Don't make them your problems.

Best of luck.