abandoned property

[jwenger40]

My adult son moved out suddenly two weeks ago, leaving behind a lot of his belongings and a HUGE mess! Am I legally obligated to store his things and if so, for how long. I get a different answer from every lawyer I talk to, so I'd like to know if there's an actual law concerning this matter. Thanks!

 

[army judge]

Were you renting to your son? Did he regularly give you rental payments? If so, Google your state's laws on abandoned personal property by tenants. You have a legal duty to secure (temporarily) a tenant's abandoned property. Each state has different rules on how long you have to store and how you go about destroying it.

If your son was merely a guest you have no legal duty to protect his property. A guest in that he stayed in your home without paying you a dime. That property can be removed easily. In fact, if you box up the bulk of it, the police will normally take possession of it as, found property. Not always, but usually, call them and see what they say.

 

[mightymoose]

Better safe than sorry. Give your son notice to remove the property immediately and inform him that it will be disposed of if he does not claim it. Leave everything alone for 30 days then do what you wish with it.

If he was renting from you, do as suggested above and check your state laws regarding abandoned property left by tenants.