Roommate moved out and left his stuff, now what? (lease, house, payment)
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My roommate has been gone sense Nov. 4th and Friday was the last day he had to pay his half of the rent. I have no idea where he is, but his brother on law, my neighbor, says he is in a nearby town. Additionally, the brother in law, on Wednesday, said my roommate had the money and would be out Friday to pay. The payment never came and now I am left with a house full of stuff that is not mine. I live in Oregon and now need to know what to do with his stuff.
Yes, find out what the law is and act accordingly. Since your ex-roomie's BIL is your neighbor, to be polite, I'd tell the BIL what the law is and tell him that if he's willing to take your roomie's stuff, you'll be happy to deliver it. If he's not willing, then do what you want.
Check the local law, hold his items for as long
as the law says, then discard the items.
This...and tell the brother in law...or Craig's List?
Too bad it rains there a lot..you could put them in the back yard...get them outta the way.
And this!
Quote:
Yes, find out what the law is and act accordingly.
Since your ex-roomie's BIL is your neighbor, to be polite,
I'd tell the BIL what the law is and tell him that if he's willing to take your roomie's
stuff, you'll be happy to deliver it.
If he's not willing, then do what you want.
Your roommate owes you rent until his stuff is all out. He hasn't given back possession until his belongings are out.
Oregon law does cover belongings that are abandoned. If he says he is out and has returned the keys, there is a procedure that you have to go through. Belongs have to be sold and the money, minus damages and costs, gets returned to the tenant. There is a time schedule, but I don't remember exactly, so you will have to look it up in the Oregon Revised Statutes, which are online.
Be careful about disposing of his belongings if he is going to come back and claim he wanted his stuff. Follow the procedure in the law exactly, in order to protect yourself.
You might send him a message that you are charging rent until he either gets his stuff or gives you a written notice that he doesn't want it. maybe that will get him motivated to deal with it instead of expecting you to provide free storage.
Make sure to put in an email or txt and save it carefully, to let him know the amount of time you give him to come and collect his items.
In some States it is 30 days but make sure you have it in writing. After that you can sell it or get rid of it at his expense so if you can collect some money for it you may be able to recoup some of your expenses.
My roommate has been gone sense Nov. 4th and Friday was the last day he had to pay his half of the rent. I have no idea where he is, but his brother on law, my neighbor, says he is in a nearby town. Additionally, the brother in law, on Wednesday, said my roommate had the money and would be out Friday to pay. The payment never came and now I am left with a house full of stuff that is not mine. I live in Oregon and now need to know what to do with his stuff.
Your roommate owes you rent until his stuff is all out. He hasn't given back possession until his belongings are out.
Oregon law does cover belongings that are abandoned. If he says he is out and has returned the keys, there is a procedure that you have to go through. Belongs have to be sold and the money, minus damages and costs, gets returned to the tenant. There is a time schedule, but I don't remember exactly, so you will have to look it up in the Oregon Revised Statutes, which are online.
Be careful about disposing of his belongings if he is going to come back and claim he wanted his stuff. Follow the procedure in the law exactly, in order to protect yourself.
You might send him a message that you are charging rent until he either gets his stuff or gives you a written notice that he doesn't want it. maybe that will get him motivated to deal with it instead of expecting you to provide free storage.
Wow...What an inconvenience, roommate moves and you have to dispose/sell/move his belongs. What a mess. Are you the home owner?? Or are you both on a lease together. I believe if you are on a lease together, that there is even more bureaucratic red tape to get him off the lease.
I think that I'd ask the BIL to talk to this roommate....and tell him you are putting his stuff in storage, and paying one month rent unless he picks his belongs up with a week...You'll likely never see the rent he owes. Good luck
I will do whatever I can to not have this problem... even paid for a couple of hours of U-Haul time just so it would not be my problem.
Worse case is move it to storage...
The last thing you want is to be sued and have to appear in Court and lose over a technicality...
Is there a garage you can use to secure it?
Abandonment laws vary... just make sure you cover yourself by knowing them...
The alternative is do whatever you want and let the chips fall where they may...
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