Dealing with abandoned vehicles in self-service storage facilities can be a challenge. If you’re an owner of a Self-Service Storage Facility (SSSF) in Connecticut, understanding the legal procedures to sell these vehicles is crucial. Connecticut General Statutes sections 42-159 through 42-168, amended by PA 09-187 sections 45 and 46, outline the specific steps you must take to legally sell a motor vehicle left behind by a defaulting renter. This guide will walk you through each stage of the process, ensuring you comply with all DMV requirements and can legally proceed with a public sale.
Initial Business Filing with the DMV
Before you can initiate the process of selling any abandoned vehicle, you must file your business information with the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This is a one-time requirement, but it’s an essential first step.
To complete this filing, you will need to:
- Fill out the Self-Service Storage Facility Filing of Business Information form (Form H-123). Make sure to include your sales and use tax permit number on this form.
- Attach a sample copy of your rental agreement.
- Mail the original form to the address specified on the form.
Once the DMV receives your filing, they will review it and notify you of either approval or denial through mail or email. Providing your email address on Form H-123 can expedite the response. It’s important to remember that any changes to the information you initially provided must be submitted to the DMV in writing within 10 days of the change.
Obtaining Vehicle Information from the DMV
After your initial business filing is approved, the next step is to gather information about the abandoned vehicle. Contact the DMV Dealers & Repairers Unit at 860-263-5056 to request the name and address of any lienholder and the owner of the motor vehicle. The DMV will only provide this sensitive information by mail to your approved business address.
To obtain this information, you will need to provide:
- Your approved SSSF business information.
- The make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the abandoned vehicle.
Important Note: If the DMV does not have a record of the vehicle based on the VIN you provide, you will not be able to file a notice of intent to transfer, and therefore cannot proceed with a legal sale through this process.
Once you receive the lienholder and owner information from the DMV, you have 10 days to send certified letters to both parties. These letters must contain specific details as mandated by section 42-160 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended by PA 09-187 section 46. Critically, these letters must clearly state your facility’s intention to sell the vehicle at a public sale due to unpaid storage fees.
Filing Notice of Intent to Transfer with the DMV
After at least 60 days have passed since the occupant’s default on their storage rental agreement, you are required to file a Notice of Intent to Transfer with the DMV. For each vehicle you intend to sell, you must complete a separate form.
The requirements for this step are:
- Complete the Self-Service Storage Facility Notice of Intent to Transfer form (Form H-124). This form is specific to each vehicle being sold.
- Attach all required documentation as outlined on Form H-124.
- Mail the original Form H-124 along with a check or money order for $10, payable to “DMV”. This fee is required for each vehicle transfer notice.
Send the completed form and payment to:
DMV Dealers & Repairers Unit
60 State Street, Room 322
Wethersfield, CT 06161
Sale of the Vehicle at Public Auction
Upon approval of your Notice of Intent to Transfer by the DMV, and after fulfilling the notification requirements, you can proceed with the public sale of the vehicle. There are key requirements for advertising the sale:
- Newspaper Advertisement: The sale must be advertised at least twice in a newspaper that is circulated in the town where your storage facility is located.
- Timing: The public sale can be held no sooner than 10 days after the publication of the newspaper notice.
- Certified Notice: You must send a notice of the date, time, and place of the sale by certified mail to the vehicle owner (if they are different from the storage unit occupant) and to any lienholder you identified earlier.
Transferring the Vehicle to the Purchaser
Once the vehicle is successfully sold at the public sale, you, as the SSSF owner, are responsible for providing the necessary documentation to the purchaser to legally transfer ownership.
You must provide the purchaser with the following documents:
- Completed Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Transfer by Self-Service Storage Facility (Form H-125).
- Completed Bill of Sale. You can find a standard Bill of Sale form on the DMV website.
- Proof of publication, which includes copies of both newspaper notices advertising the sale.
- Proof that you sent the required notice of sale to the vehicle owner and lienholder (certified mail receipts).
It is then the vehicle purchaser’s responsibility to obtain a VIN verification at a DMV location and fulfill all other requirements to register the vehicle in Connecticut, which may include emissions testing. By following these steps carefully, SSSF owners in Connecticut can legally and efficiently manage and sell abandoned vehicles left in their storage facilities.
