I got the keys to my new house on Nov 1st. The previous owners have left a quantity of their stuff in the garage - we talked about this and I said it would be ok as long as they came and got it soon after they left. The trouble is, I haven't seen them for nearly a month now and I want to get rid of it - its taking up half my garage. Its miscellaneous stuff like a cot, a grinder, go cart, pick axe - just random stuff. Under UK law, can I dispose of it? What should I do - I have no contact number for them and don't know where they have moved to. Please help!
2006-12-14 04:43:31 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Speak to your solicitor or the estate agent who sold the property. Explain the situation and ask if you can have their contact details. They may say they cannot give them to you, but they will pass on a message. Either way, inform the owner that if they do not remove the items in say 14 days time, you will get rid of them.
You are not legally entitled to just throw them out if you have made arrangement that they can pick them up later, but as long as you give them reasonable notice and they don't come and collect, then you can rightly do what you want with it.
If you use all reasonable endeavours to get hold of them but can't, then you would be entitled to get rid of their things as you have already been waiting an unreasonably long time for them to return and remove them.
2006-12-14 05:11:39 · answer #1 · answered by Benjamin J 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You cannot just dispose of it because you have an understanding with the previous owner. There should be a way to get in touch with the owner. Once you have contacted him, let him know your concern over his remaining things in the garage. Set a time line as to when you will have to dispose his belongings if he fails to claim them. If by then he still has not come to collect, you may do so. Best to put things in material form and have him acknowledged the notice.
2006-12-14 21:35:24 · answer #2 · answered by counterculturalist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello,
The answer here, is that you have already made your position quiet clear to the previous owner of this property.
**The point being that, If you did have a way to contact the person then it would be quite right & reasonable to phone them or contact then and ask them to come and remove the items (the items you now want rid of!). Reminding them with urgency!!
However, as you have no method to contact this person about their remaining items in your garage, and as 4 weeks has now passed. Personally I think your within your rights to take the stuff to the local tip or to a charity shop,etc.
**NOP!! just feel free to dispose of these items, the previous owner has been warned and given quite enough time to collect them. If they're not responsible and havent communiacted with you what they want to do with them, you have to make a final choice yourself, it seems quite clear too me that if they wanted these items they would have collected them by now after 4weeks.
IR
2006-12-14 04:55:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must have details of your solicitor who will have the previous tenants solicitor , send them a letter via him, copy to yours and theirs , in which you give them an ultimating of a date when you will dispose of the said items as you wish to use the garage, any further time you will charge them storage fees or dispose of them is another choice,
2006-12-14 04:54:54 · answer #4 · answered by john r 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have an arrangement, then its good manners to honour is within reason. Get your solicitor to give the other side solicitor notice that their client has left property, if it is not collected within x weeks etc, then it will be disposed/destroyed etc. At least if you destroy it, you have adequate protection from the doctrine of notice.
2006-12-14 10:19:15 · answer #5 · answered by logicalawyer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait until the first of the year and have a charity come pick it up.
I don't know about UK but in NC it technically has to be out the day of the closing.
2006-12-14 05:21:49 · answer #6 · answered by redslippers 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact the realtor to see if they have any contact information for the previous owners. And if you can contact them. Give them a specific date for their items to be out of your house. If they do not come by then, you are within your legal rights to remove, sell, pitch these items.
2006-12-14 04:51:55 · answer #7 · answered by Squeegee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call the solicitor who dealt with your purchase. They should contact the old owner for you.
On the contract, the old owner probably had to sign to say they'd take all their property with them, and nothing is to be left. Get your solicitor to check the contract in the file to see've this is the case. If so, yeah, dump it!!
2006-12-14 04:48:45 · answer #8 · answered by jojo 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Ask the solicitor to trace them, if no contact after a month take the items outside and set alight to it.
2006-12-14 06:17:10 · answer #9 · answered by bluemax 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Burn it. If they ever come back, just tell them there was an arson attack by a bunch of irate Muslims/chavs/pikeys/yardies - whatever your local gang is
2006-12-14 04:54:30 · answer #10 · answered by lickintonight 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋