Starting July 1, 2025, Georgia’s self-storage facility owners will experience a significant change in how they handle delinquent storage unit auctions thanks to a new law, HB 131, going into effect. The law streamlines the advertising requirements for lien sales, offering a much-needed reprieve from previous, more burdensome regulations.

Previously, Georgia law mandated that storage facility owners advertise their intention to place a lien on a unit’s contents due to non-payment, publishing this notice once a week for two consecutive weeks in the legal publication of the relevant county. Under the new law, this requirement is reduced to a single advertisement in the county’s legal publication. Supporters of the bill argue that the previous two-week advertising mandate was costly and time-consuming for storage facility owners, with minimal added benefit. Self storage industry organizations in the Peach State say that the change will significantly reduce the administrative burden on Georgia’s self-storage businesses.

The new law is expected to provide cost savings and increased efficiency for storage facilities across the state. While concerns regarding notification have been raised, proponents argue that the single advertisement, combined with other existing notification methods to renters, provides sufficient notice before an auction takes place. This new legislation aims to strike a balance between protecting the interests of both storage facility owners and their customers.