How do I handle customer RVs in winter storage when I sell my dealership?

Customer RVs in your care are not part of your inventory, so keep them clearly apart in the sale. Start a storage register. For each unit, write the owner’s name and contact details, the identification number, where it is parked, when it came in, the agreed terms and what has been paid. Take dated photos of the exterior and, where agreed, the interior, so condition is on record.

Check your storage paperwork. Are the agreements signed, and do they say who is responsible for damage, how pickup works and what happens if fees are unpaid? If some customers have only a handshake arrangement, put it in writing now. Buyers will ask about this, and unclear terms can spoil a sale.

Tell customers early and kindly. Explain who will care for their unit, who they will deal with and how they can collect it. Introduce the buyer in person where you can. Ask your insurance broker how coverage for customer property changes at closing, since gaps are easy to create. Agree with the buyer in writing who handles any pending winterizing work and who answers a claim for damage that happened before the sale. Your lawyer can draft the transfer of the storage agreements.

Key takeaways

• Keep a register of each stored unit with owner, location, terms and photos.
• Put every informal arrangement in writing before buyers ask.
• Tell customers early, and confirm insurance coverage for their units at closing.