What to Do With Things Someone Left at Your Home
If people come to your home – be it a friend, roommate, ex-partner, or the occasional guest at a party – someone is bound to leave things at your house at some point. But the fact that he is in your home does not automatically make him yours. Here’s what to do with it under general US law.
First of all, it depends on what kind of subject it is. Obviously, food, drink, or other perishable items are fair game that can be eaten or thrown away, provided the dumper didn’t specifically ask you if they could come and pick them up. For example, consider leftover booze from a party as an investment in future parties at your home. If you want to be polite, you can send a text message asking if they want their leftover spinach sauce, but they’ll probably say no. Most states require a certain amount of money to protect property.
However, if it’s not eating or drinking, things get a little more complicated. “Lost property” is a valuable item that has been accidentally left behind or lost , and you are legally required to try to get it back. It could be anything from someone who left a beautiful piece of jewelry or a clock in the bathroom, or an iPad that fell over a sofa cushion. A simple text message or email reminding a graduate that he is at your home is usually all he needs to come back for his lost property.
But while it’s easy to tell a friend that they left a coat in your closet, how about that TV that your ex hasn’t come to pick up in over a month? Or how about that set of golf clubs your old neighbor left in your garage? You must now determine whether the item in question is lost property or “abandoned property”, that is, an item for which the owner clearly does not intend to return and has given up all property rights. If it’s officially abandoned – which requires due diligence to determine – you can do whatever you want with it. But each state may differ slightly based on legal precedents, so it is best to be patient and careful. Just in case, follow this procedure and document each step as best you can:
- Write or email the alumnus and let them know the deadline to pick up their belongings . Let’s say they have 60 days. This may sound like a lot, but it gives you an advantage if you need to settle cases in court. Save a screenshot of the delivered text.
- If they don’t answer, call them. If they don’t answer, please leave a message. Save a screenshot of the interaction to your recent calls list.
- If they do not collect their belongings or reply to you within 30 days, write them in writing and send it to their current address by certified mail . Remind them that they have 30 days to collect their belongings by letter. They will have to confirm that they received it because it is a certified mail.
If they have not come to collect their belongings after 60 days and have not contacted you for a good reason, you may consider the property abandoned. In this case, you can dispose of it at your own discretion. If they do decide they want to sue you for throwing their shit, you should now have a lot of evidence in your favor, and it probably won’t go far.
This story was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with new information on 02/21/2020.