What do I do with her stuff?

[garciajennifer2]

A friend of mine stayed with me for a couple of weeks. We are not friends anymore, as we have not talked in about 2 months. She had to move out of my apartment, because she had dogs and they were too noisy. So she moved in at her mother's house, a mere ten minutes away. She left all of her belongings here. There is expensive stuff like a desktop computer, jewelry...and personal stuff like family photos, clothes, linens. It is filling up all three of my closets! It is a lot of stuff. She left my house 6 months ago, and although she has had opportunites, she has not come one time to get any of it. She has assumed that I am storing it for her, although we did not have any agreement whatsoever that I would do so. Also, I have not stated to her to come and pick it up by any certain time or date...because I never agreed to keep it for any time in the first place. What I need to know is, given that it's been 6 months, is it now considered abandoned property? Would I be within my rights if I disposed of it? I'm really sick of not being able to use my own closets or space, but I don't want to get slapped with a lawsuit or be harassed by her later. What can or should I legally do? By the way, I am in Texas.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Send a letter via a certifiable method about the matter and give a time for pickup otherwise you're considering the property abandoned and you're selling it. That's the safest method, especially when dealing with expensive items. At the very worst, if she comes back for the property you've got money you can provide as remuneration, less your costs.