Roomate Biteing the Hand that Feeds

[scoobysmax]

I do not own my home, I am renting. But recently I had a family member to come into hard times. So I politely gave them a place to crash (so to speak) for a short while. They ended up staying here for about three or four months. Not paying a dime, Well unless you count the two or three times they covered diner. Also I allowed this same family member to store thier stuff in my storage building.

Well now it has come time I pull back my soft heart and asked them to move out. Witch they have. But left all tier belongings in my storage building and in my house. Not to mention trying to start trouble between me and other family and friends. But anyway, My real issue is that this family member is now saying that since they where receiving mail at my address, They some how have legal rights and are threatening us with more trouble. So is there any truth to this. And if so, what steps do I need to take? Thank you

 

[mightymoose]

It sounds like you got lucky and you are in the clear. The hardest part- actually getting the freeloader out- is already done. It sounds as if they left willingly and you did not force them out. That means any rights they may have had are already GONE.
Keep them out. You may now change your locks if you need to.
Move anything that is inside the house to the storage area outside. Take lots of pictures of the property that has been left at your house. You may end up storing these items for awhile. Make every effort to get the owner to recover the items. If the property has not been recovered after a few months look in to your state laws regarding abandoned property. Do not simply throw it all out.

 

[army judge]

I do not own my home, I am renting. But recently I had a family member to come into hard times. So I politely gave them a place to crash (so to speak) for a short while. They ended up staying here for about three or four months. Not paying a dime, Well unless you count the two or three times they covered diner. Also I allowed this same family member to store thier stuff in my storage building.

Well now it has come time I pull back my soft heart and asked them to move out. Witch they have. But left all tier belongings in my storage building and in my house. Not to mention trying to start trouble between me and other family and friends. But anyway, My real issue is that this family member is now saying that since they where receiving mail at my address, They some how have legal rights and are threatening us with more trouble. So is there any truth to this. And if so, what steps do I need to take? Thank you

Congratulations, the deadbeat leech decided to leave.
Well, here's some MORE good news.
Unlike many other states, Georgia does not require you (the former landlord) to store the property for any length of time after you remove it from the rental unit.
You may move the property to any location you choose and you may dispose of it however you like -- you don't have a legal duty to keep or protect the property for the tenant.

Now YOU get to BITE back, thanks to Georgia's lack of you owing any legal duty to keep the deadbeat's junk safe, or even to keep the junk.
YOU can dump all of the deadbeat's junk into a dumpster and smile!!!


(See Georgia Code § 44-7-55.)

http://law.onecle.com/georgia/44/44-7-55.html

 

[Betty3]

I would tell them to come get their stuff & if they don't, you will dispose of it.