Lease help

[dsm4life]

In July of 2009 some friends and I "leased" a garage from a guy without signing any type of lease or any document at all. The garage owner stated that he would print a lease for us to sign but never did. We mostly did automotive work for the garage owner to pay for rent and only payed rent three times in the five months we rented the garage. My friends and I hadnt been to the garage in around a month and the next time we went the garage owner had changed the locks and barred the windows so we could not get into the garage. When we contacted the owner he said we could not get into the garage to retrieve our items until we payed him $1,800 in overdue rent. We have tried reasoning with him and have even threatened to take him to court, but he still refuses to allow us access to the garage to get our things. We have over $2,000 worth of tools and parts in the garage that we need to get but he wont allow us access to retrieve them unless we pay him the supposed $1,800 in rent. The rate that was agreed upon was $300/ month which doesnt add up to anywhere near $1,800. He told us that in the state of Tennessee when you hand someone money for rent you are automatically entering into a contract and gives him legal rights.

By law are we allowed to enter the garage and retrieve our belongins even if he refuses?

By law is he allowed to move, sell, or take possesion of our belongings?

Any help will be greatly appreciated

[jinosbrovens]

Actually regarding this matter i will suggest you to get or hire a legal agent or lawyer who can study thoroughly your matter and then he will get it to the upper level for more clarification and decisions.Well the main thing is that you need get certain confidential proofs from now.Dont worry take suggestion from others and then only you move to certain decision.