Am I responsible for items left in a vehicle by a previous owner?
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Am I responsible for items left in a vehicle by a previous owner?
I purchased a vehicle from a private owner. Then 2 days later the detail shop found personal items in the car – clothes, pictures, CD’s, papers, watch and a I-pod. I left all of those items at the shop to get thrown away, except the I-pod which I gave to my son. A few days after that previous owners called a mutual friend asking for all the items back. I no longer have any of them. My son ended up trading I-pods with a friend. Am I liable for for the cost of those items? I met the previous owner in a parking lot where we exchanged cash for the car. He signed over title. He then looked through the car to make sure he had everything and we left. After I got tags for the car, I took it to be cleaned, and they are the ones who pulled all the items from the car.
Asked on February 25, 2011 under General Practice, Georgia
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
No, probably not. You purchased the vehicle "as is" I am sure. That would have covered the car and the contents. I liken it to any contract for purchase of anything that could hold personal items, like a house. If you purchased the house and there were things left by the owner you would get those things unless they were specifically excluded in the contract. It is a shame, however, that you did not contact the previous owner prior to disposing of the items just as a courtesy. especially if some of the items were important to the prior owner or their family members. It wasobviously a mistake. Maybe next time.
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