Other Criminal Charges & Offenses abandoned personal property

[mishy44]

Had to evict boarder due to constant police presence, no lease and no bond,she left some of her property here said she would pick it up a couple weeks later, but did not show up or contact me! I held onto it 4 a further week and still no contact from her! I gave her things to a charity and tx messaged her to say what i had done and why! Still no reply! A couple weeks later i get a message from her saying that she believes her property is still here and that she is bringing the police around to collect it and if its not here she will have me charged! Can she do that? I live in south Australia

 

[mightymoose]

Not likely. You won't have any trouble with police as you did not steal anything. She MIGHT be able to sue you in a civil court for the value of the property. I don't know what the law in Australia might be regarding how to handle abandoned property, but if you are able to show that he held the property for a reasonable amount of time, attempted to make contact, etc., then you will be well off.