Shipping container storage unit

[wheredoigetajoburgently]

Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some advice on a storage situation I’ve found myself in.
I’ve had two 20-foot shipping containers at a local storage yard for some time. I’m currently in the middle of a house move and, to reduce costs, I started consolidating everything into one container so that I could give the other up. Over the last few days, we’ve moved most of our belongings into the left-hand container, including clothes, soft furnishings, books, shoes and furniture. To add to the situation, last month’s rent is still outstanding because I’ve been unwell and the move has been delayed- I messaged him about this last week and he seems fine about as I gave a date to pay.
friday , my partner went to the site to collect something and discovered that the container we’ve been moving everything into now has water inside. There is visible moisture across the ceiling and clear signs of water ingress running down the sides and on the floor. I have photo evidence.
The other container is now almost empty as we were preparing to give it up, so most of my things are in the one that is now wet. The ideal thing would now be to move everything back into the dry container, but that is a huge amount to move, especially as I have only just been discharged from hospital and my partner has very bad knee and ankle arthritis.
I did explain all of this to the landlord Avis text on Saturday morning and asked for some understanding, He replied yesterday to say he was at a family function and would call me tomorrow which is today.
I’d really like some advice on although I know but I want other people’s opinion and perspective pls.
– What is the landlord actually responsible for in a situation like this?
– Is it reasonable to expect to be moved into a dry container urgently?
– Given the container is not fit for purpose, is it reasonable to ask for a reduction or write-off of the outstanding rent?
– What else should I be doing right now to protect my belongings and myself?
-it will be a nightmare to move all those things back to the dry container as I have just been discharged from hospital and recuperating and partner is got bad knees//ankle arthritis hence we have been moving these things for months now taking it very slow to accommodate our health issues .
Any thoughts or similar experiences would be really appreciated. Thank you.

Thanks for your post
Thank you. All of our communication is on my phone and is via text/WhatsApp. He said on Saturday that he would contact me on Sunday but I didn’t hear from him at all, even though it was raining heavily all day which made it more worrying. I’m just seeing today if my partner is well enough to help move what we can back into the dry container, but with my recent hospital discharge and his knee and ankle arthritis, this is really difficult for us. I honestly feel this shouldn’t be our responsibility when the container has clearly failed. I will just wait and see if he will contact me.

but then payment is due for both containers on the 10th- can’t even think of what to do now - to go ahead and pay or hold off paying for now until the issues are resolved?
mind you, I owe for both containers last month and promised to pay it by 11th of December and then I found the water damage last Friday 🤦🏾‍♀️

If you aren't up to date on your rent payments for the containers then I can't imagine that the landlord will be particularly helpful with solving your problem unfortunately. Do you have insurance that covers your stuff while it is in storage?

You have rent outstanding so surely no longer a customer? Pay the rent and move your belongings to the dry container

At least put a tarpaulin over the damp container first, or ask the landlord to, then you have time to move everything into the dry container. See what they say when you speak to them.

You don't need to thank the first poster, it is an ai chat bot. Although it has posted some useful bits so...

Did you take out the landlords insurance or buy a separate storage insurance policy? Are either of you in a work union or does your employer have employee assistance legal support? My union has been very helpful in the last on giving initial advice for personal legal issues like this.

@Rosesarere I understand your point, but the reason the situation has become complicated is that one of the containers I’m currently paying for is no longer weatherproof and has active water ingress. That makes it unfit for its intended purpose. I’m not refusing to pay; I’m trying to resolve the fact that a service I’m paying for has failed and my belongings are now at risk, while also managing serious health and mobility issues at home.

What are you storing?
How much is it truly, if you sold it today, actually worth?
How much would it cost to replace?
How much has it cost to store and how long has it taken to get around to emptying one container?

Shipping containers are for shipping they are not for long term storage particularly in a damp, cold climate like the UK.

I maybe miss understood your post. My understanding was that you haven’t paid last months rent if that was the case and your belongings were damaged I don’t think the landlord would be liable for anything

@Rosesarere Thanks for your message. Just to clarify, I’ve had these units for over a year and I’m paying for a dry, secure space, not a wet and damaged one. The issue isn’t about a missed payment. The landlord and I have already discussed that and agreed on a payment date.

The container was leaking, and the landlord still has a responsibility to keep the unit weatherproof. Are you saying it’s acceptable for it to be leaking simply because a month’s payment was missed? That doesn’t change the fact that the damage came from the condition of the unit, not from anything I’ve done.

It’s disappointing to see this kind of attitude — it’s exactly why so many situations turn into unnecessary problems.

Also, could you point me to any law that says a landlord is free from responsibility for repairs because a long-term tenant missed one month’s payment? We’ve already discussed and agreed on that payment, but even if we hadn’t, I’m not aware of any legislation that removes a landlord’s basic duty to keep the unit in proper working order simply because rent is late.

@Anonworriedthey are household bits most usual deco I’m still sorting through while moving home - it’s just taken longer than expected. The exact value to me is priceless. I understand your statement about the container and UK weather conditions. But from the pictures, one can see there is clearly a leak

Maybe this is the push you need to speed up. Hiring a man with a van for a day to shift things home or let them go would be cost effective.
I'm Swedish Death Cleaning and it's really helped me philosophically deal with how I view the 'stuff' I have been made responsible for.

I guess it depends on your contract. If you have missed a payment then you may no longer have a contract with the landlord so your contents are no longer his responsibility. Some people will always look for a way of getting out of something that is going to cost them money if they can, unfortunately.