Covay

Hi,
I would really appreciate advice and shared experience regarding my issue in Dubai.

I placed the full content (including some of my wife's jewellery and digital gadgets etc) of a one bedroom flat for long-term storage via a removals company that is associated with a storage company in Dubai early 2010. I left the UAE with a new job in Asia. Within 2-months my UK employer cut the contract abruptly and I eventually returned to the UK to look for another job.

In short I was left financially stranded/compromised and contacted the storage company to left them know I would not be able to meet their persistent demand for storage payments until I had a new job and expected it would be back in the GCC region and will contact them then.

It took two years! I now have a job offer and contacted the storage company today to arrange payment and shipping only to be told they have sold all my goods!

Any advice on my legal standing or guidance on possible recovery of at least some of the goods will be appreciated. I realise it's been two years but I did request a long-term storage although did not expect it to be two years+!

Millsyisland

I don't want to sound harsh but if you were not paying them to store your goods, why should they keep them on your say that you will pay them later when you do get a job?

I doubt if you have any legal standing if you'd not been paying them for storage, particularly with the UAE legal system..

Ronnie Biggs

Agreed. It's taking the piss to expect any business to function like that. Best chalk this one up to experience and move on. If you haven't needed that stuff for two years I'd call it a clearout anyway....

TGFKASE

mentalist

Is the OP being serious when he expects the storage company to pay up? Personally, I'm surprised they don't sting him for the extra storage costs and selling expenses incurred. He should have moved them somewhere else or sold them himself.

Covay

Guys, thank you for your responses. I had originally hoped for constructive advice - were there to be a glimmer of hope in what I of course realise is probably a lost cause.

A sequence of employment related misfortunes and ill-placed trust led to this loss, not a moronic act to lose precious personal effects.

Placing a post here in the hope of positive advice albeit a faint hope was a last ditch attempt. Anyway, thanks to responders that included a constructive element in their replies.

Meow

You've received honest responses. The company you used is a business, so they have their own overheads and liabilities and cannot work for nothing if you don't pay them. I presume you signed some sort of contract with them. Suggest you check the wording as you probably agreed to exactly what has happened.

britexpat76

I love storage wars. Didn't realise they did it in the UAE too. I can see me and the Mrs being the new Brandi and Jarrod.

auzdafluff

I agree with the others too. In fact, what I will add is that I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is a condition in the original storage agreement that you signed that enables them to sell the contents if you fail to keep up the payments on the unit.

dragonladyoz

Having goods at home in long term storage, I know that the contract I signed there says that in the event that the account falls into arrears by more than a certain amount that they can and will obtain their money by selling the contents of the locker....... and despite the difficulties you have had - 2 years is a long time...... I think by even hoping there was some sort of recourse you were really grasping at very slippery straws.....

Meow

Which is why I referred to the contract the OP signed...

auzdafluff

Shhh you.

The Dean

It sounds like the stuff I bought from what I was told was a clear-out sale in Al Quoz last year. I paid AED 30,000 for the lot - send me 35,000 and I'll forward them on to you............

mentalist

Stop fibbing Deano, it was only Dhs25,000 so just be grateful for the Dhs30,000 preferably in gold bars.

Myusernamewastaken

How much was the unpaid storage up until they sold the goods? How much did they get for the goods? You should at least be able to recoupe any surplus money.