69-2308. Sale of personal property; when required; notice of sale; requirements; disposition of proceeds.

(1) If the personal property is not released pursuant to section 69-2307, it shall be sold at public sale by competitive bidding, except that if the landlord reasonably believes that the total resale value of the property not released is less than two thousand dollars, he or she may retain such property for his or her own use or dispose of it in any manner he or she chooses. At such time as the decision to sell or to retain is made, any locked trunk, valise, box, or other container shall be opened, if practicable, with as little damage as possible, and its contents evaluated. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the landlord or the tenant from bidding on the property at the public sale. The successful bidder's title shall be subject to ownership rights, liens, and security interests which have priority by law.

(2) Notice of the time and place of the public sale shall be given by advertisement of the sale published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the sale is to be held. If there is no newspaper of general circulation in the county where the sale is to be held, the advertisement shall be posted no fewer than ten days before the sale in not less than six conspicuous places in the neighborhood of the proposed sale. The sale shall be held at the nearest suitable place to the place where the personal property is held or stored. The advertisement shall include a description of the goods, the name of the former tenant, and the time and place of the sale. The sale shall take place no sooner than ten days after the first publication. The last publication shall be no less than five days before the sale is to be held. Notice of sale may be published before the last of the dates specified for taking possession of the property in any notice given pursuant to section 69-2303.

(3) The notice of the sale shall describe the property to be sold in a manner reasonably adequate to permit the owner of the property to identify it. The notice may describe all or a portion of the property, but the limitation of liability provided by section 69-2309 shall not release the landlord from any liability arising from the disposition of property not described in the notice.

(4) After deduction of the reasonable costs of storage, advertising, and sale, any proceeds of the sale not claimed by the former tenant, an owner other than such tenant, or another person having an interest in the proceeds shall, not later than thirty days after the date of sale, be remitted to the State Treasurer for disposition pursuant to the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act. The former tenant, other owner, or other person having interest in the proceeds may claim the proceeds by complying with the act. If the State Treasurer pays the proceeds or any part thereof to a claimant, neither the State Treasurer nor any employee thereof shall be liable to any other claimant as to the amount paid.

Source:Laws 1991, LB 36, § 8; Laws 2010, LB712, § 45; Laws 2016, LB1075, § 2.

Cross References