How Do I Get My Property Back After Someone Gave It to a Florida Storage Facility Without My Consent?
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Reviewed & verified by A. Jason Velez, Esq.*
Managing Attorney, 1LAW · Last reviewed January 1, 2026
Legal Inquiry
Consumer Legal Issue
A moving-pod storage facility took my personal property from a private residence without my knowledge or consent. A third party later identified as a woman removed my property from the residence I was staying at and gave my items to this storage facility, again without my knowledge or consent.
Attorney Answer
Someone removing your belongings from where you were staying and handing them to a storage company, all without your knowledge or permission, points toward both a property claim against that person and a way to get your things back from the facility now holding them. In Florida, this generally fits the tort of conversion, wrongfully taking or exercising control over someone else's personal property in a way that's inconsistent with the true owner's rights.
Florida also has a civil theft statute, Florida Statutes Section 772.11, which allows a property owner to sue for three times their actual damages plus attorney's fees when property was taken in a way that meets Florida's criminal theft standards. Before filing that kind of claim, Florida law generally requires you to send a written demand for payment first, giving the other person a chance to pay before you go to court.
To get your actual belongings back, rather than just money, Florida's replevin process, found in Chapter 78 of the Florida Statutes, lets an owner ask a court to order specific property returned. This can move faster than a full lawsuit for damages, since it's aimed at getting your things back rather than proving a dollar amount.
What you can do
1. Contact the storage facility in writing right away, assert your ownership clearly, and ask what it will take to get your items released. 2. Find out exactly who authorized the pickup and what, if anything, they told the storage facility about their right to do so. 3. File a police report describing what happened, since this may also be a criminal matter. 4. Send a written demand letter to the person who took your property, which is generally required before pursuing a civil theft claim. 5. Ask an attorney about filing a replevin action if the storage facility won't release your items voluntarily.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. A Florida civil litigation attorney can help you move quickly to recover your property and assess whether a civil theft claim adds meaningful value to your case.
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Courts & Legal Aid in Florida
- File or look up a case through the Florida State Courts, which serves the state.
- Get free civil legal help from FloridaLawHelp.
- Use the LSC — Find Legal Aid to find a local legal-aid office by ZIP code.
- Use the LawHelp.org to browse free legal information and self-help resources.
- Use the ABA Lawyer Referral Directory to get matched with a local attorney through your state bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is replevin, and can it help me get my belongings back quickly?
Replevin is a Florida legal process that lets a property owner ask a court to order specific belongings returned, rather than just suing for money. It can be a faster path to getting your actual items back than a standard lawsuit for damages.
Can I sue for extra damages if someone took my property without permission in Florida?
Florida's civil theft law can allow you to recover three times your actual damages plus attorney's fees if the taking meets the legal standard for theft. A written demand letter is generally required before filing that type of claim, so that's usually the first formal step.
What if the storage facility refuses to release my property back to me?
If a written request doesn't work, an attorney can help you pursue a replevin action asking a court to order the facility to return your items. The facility itself may have limited liability if it reasonably believed the person who dropped off the property had the authority to do so, which is part of why documenting who authorized it matters.
