Comments on: Can i get rid of my ex lodgers belongings – its been a year since they moved out?!?

By: Caicos Turkey

Caicos Turkey — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:04 +0000

Send a letter by recorded delivery care of his parents’ address listing the items. Tell them that they have been in your premises for a year and that unless you receive a response within, say fourteen days, you will presume that they have been abandoned. Remind them that rent is owing and that you feel that you are entitled to sell these items in order to recover it rather than bring a legal action against him for recovery of rent. If there is no response, then you have done everything possible in order to trace him and even if he were to turn up later on and bring a claim against you, you would be able to counterclaim for the rent. It sounds like a win-win situation for you.

By: patch

patch — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:04 +0000

Techinically speaking they belong to you now and since your lodger owes you money, you are in a position to do what you want with them. I would contact them once more, if you still get the same response, which it sounds as though you will, then if you don’t want any of the items, then you can sell them or rather than throw them away, give them to a charity.

There is nothing they can do about this unless you have a written agreement of some sort, saying you are looking after them.

By: Jan O

Jan O — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:04 +0000

One year is way past the time limit. You must make an attempt to contact the actual owner, not the parents, though that was a good attempt. Write a CERTIFIED (they have to sign for it proving they received it) letter and keep a copy with a date of the lodger’s future pick-up date. 30 days would be sufficient to receive and respond to said letter. 30 days is also sufficient time to pick up the items if they want them. If you hear nothing, the stuff is yours to deal with any way you want. I had this situation once. As long as you document everything in writing, this covers your butt in court because this person has abandoned said property and you have no obligation to "store" it any longer.

By: ros

ros — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:04 +0000

Been there! I contacted a solicitor who told me to write to ex lodger’s next of kin (Parents), telling them that she (it was a female in my case) owed me 2 months rent as in so much money, insist that i had contacted them before and should they ignore this letter (Sent registered post) I would have no alternative but to sell her belongings in a bid to recover what was mine(Unpaid rent) I also stated in my letter that i had contacted my solicitor (Named him) And was acting on his advice, and were they to have any questions, to address them to him within the next 4 weeks after which i would sell her stuff to try recoup what she owed me. They contacted me immediately, refused to pay anything towards back rent then contacted me again and sent me £10 telling me they were coming to pick up her stuff and they would pay more later on. Solicitor told me to say no! And inisist that none of her property would be returned until they had paid in full. in my case she had also damaged and wrecked a few things in my home. I hoped they would buy it because what she owed me far outweighed what she’d left behind. Eventually i had to settle for 1/2 the money as otherwise i would have had to take it to the small claims court and pay for it!

By: gromitski

gromitski — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

I would say that as its been a year that you are perfectly within your rights to bin the stuff – BUT I would recommend that for legalities sake you should now start warning both him and his parents of a date when you intend to bin/sell the stuff.

Set a date in a month’s time (30 days is enough notice for anyone in my book) and then contact the ex lodger and his parents BY PHONE AND BY LETTER. You need to legally cover yourself by being able to say that you warned them in person (ie on the phone) and officially (ie by letter).

Then when 10 days are left, contact them again.

Then the day before, contact them one last time.

Then sell the lot on ebay

Good luck!!

By: mannit m

mannit m — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

they are in your house, so their your property

By: cjlintexas

cjlintexas — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

send a certified letter to his last address (or parents) and give them 7 days to remove the items. Tell them they will be disposed of if they have not been picked up by that time. Put in there that it has been a year, and detail what was left. Keep a copy of the letter and the return reciept – you should be fine

By: jems4691

jems4691 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

i dont see the problem for getting rid of them, he obvously doesnt mind that he’s left them or else he would have been back to collect them, surely?

By: mini the prophet of fubar

mini the prophet of fubar — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

if they’ve been gone a year sell them, if they turn up just say you threw them away and still demand your rent

By: LEE D

LEE D — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:24:03 +0000

just get rid mate
if he ever does come back to collect just say i thought u took everything
if he puts a claim in against u your word against his just say when did u leave my house???
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