Can I cut the lock??

[Lovemyfamily]

Jurisdiction

Wisconsin

I am not sure if this would fall in this category or not.

My now ex-boyfriend moved out a month ago. He took some of his belongings with him. The rest of his stuff (two old vehicles, tools/tool boxes, 4-wheeler, misc junk) is still in my garage and storage building. I have changed the locks to the house and garage. I want to move his stuff into the storage building but he has is chained and locked. I have asked him for a key, so I could move his stuff out there but he refuses to give me one. The property, house and everything is in my name he still has his personal belongings at my place because he has no place to store them. Can I cut the lock, and not get into trouble with the law? I would put a new one on there and give him a key and keep a key myself.

 

[army judge]

I am not sure if this would fall in this category or not.

My now ex-boyfriend moved out a month ago. He took some of his belongings with him. The rest of his stuff (two old vehicles, tools/tool boxes, 4-wheeler, misc junk) is still in my garage and storage building. I have changed the locks to the house and garage. I want to move his stuff into the storage building but he has is chained and locked. I have asked him for a key, so I could move his stuff out there but he refuses to give me one. The property, house and everything is in my name he still has his personal belongings at my place because he has no place to store them. Can I cut the lock, and not get into trouble with the law? I would put a new one on there and give him a key and keep a key myself.

If the Tenant Didn't Sign a Rental Agreement
If the tenant didn't sign a rental agreement covering abandoned property, you must follow the rules set out in an older Wisconsin law. (See Wisconsin Statutes § 704.05(5)(bf).) Under that law, you may take any of the following actions:

Place the property in storage and notify the tenant. You may store the abandoned property on or off the premises -- for example, in a storage unit on your property or at a commercial storage facility. You are allowed charge the tenant for reasonable storage costs, but you must give notice to the tenant within ten days of the day the charges begin.

Deliver the notice personally or by regular mail addressed to the tenant's last known address, and be sure the notice specifies the daily storage fee. (This provision does not apply to medical items, which you must promptly return to the tenant upon request.)

Notify the tenant and dispose of the property after 30 days. You may give the tenant notice that you intend to sell or otherwise dispose of the abandoned property if the tenant doesn't reclaim it within 30 days.

You must deliver the notice personally or by regular mail addressed to the tenant's last known address. If you sell the tenant's property, you may keep enough of the proceeds to cover the costs of the sale and any storage costs.

If the tenant doesn't claim the rest of the proceeds within 60 days, you are required to send them to the Wisconsin Department of Administration to be used for grants to homeless shelters.

Store the property without charge to the tenant. You may store the abandoned property without charge to the tenant and return it when the tenant requests it.

Nothing has changed since the previous times we responded to your queries about handling his property.

Here is what you must do as his former landlord after he, your former tenant, abandoned the home and his property. You OWE him a duty if care.

...


Handling a Tenant's Abandoned Property in Wisconsin | Nolo.com








http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/704.pdf



...

If, as you say, you own (or legally control the property as a lessee) you cancut the lock n your storage building, replacing it with a lack of your choosing.

You might want to formally evict him.

Read how here:

The Wisconsin Eviction Process and The 5 Day Notice to Pay or Quit

 

[army judge]

PS: You shouldn't give him the key to YOUR storage unit.
Your goal should be to get him and his junk off of your property and out of your life permanently.

You should return his property, or address it according to your state's law as mentioned above.

There are no shortcuts.

Follow your state's laws to the letter.