70-6-420. Default in payment of storage space rental fees -- notice -- sale of contents. (1) A person who rents storage space to another may sell at public auction the contents of the storage space if the owner of the contents is more than 30 days in default in paying rental fees on the space.
     (2) At the expiration of the period of default provided for in subsection (1), the person renting the storage space shall send written notice by certified mail to the last-known address of the owner of the contents stating that the owner has 30 days from the date of the certified letter to pay the past due rental fees and to claim the contents of the storage space or the contents will be sold at public auction. The notice must contain the date, time, and place of the auction if the past-due rental fees are not paid. If the certified notice is returned undelivered, notice must be given as provided in Rule 4 of the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure.
     (3) Prior to an auction provided for in subsection (1), notice of the date, time, place, terms, and description of the property must be published in a newspaper in the county in which the property to be sold is located. The notice must be published once a week for 2 weeks prior to the day of the sale. If there is no newspaper published in the county in which the property to be sold is located, then the notice may be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
     (4) (a) Proceeds of the auction must first be applied to the costs of the sale, then to the unpaid storage rental fees, and the excess, if any, must be paid to the owner. If the owner or the person entitled to the proceeds cannot be located, the proceeds escheat to the state as provided in Title 72, chapter 14.
     (b) All sales under this section vest title to the property sold in the purchaser of the property.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 472, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2091, Ch. 56, L. 2009.