If Iown a house and my ex-girlfriend was staying with me, can I legally put her belongings outside and change the locks so she can’t get in?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If Iown a house and my ex-girlfriend was staying with me, can I legally put her belongings outside and change the locks so she can’t get in?
The house is in my name only and her mailing address is not my house.
Asked on January 18, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Connecticut
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If your former girlfriend has vacated the unit you own leaving behind her belongings that you want removed, you can legally change the locks of your home.
As to the belongings left behind by your former girlfriend, I would write her a note asking her to pick up her belongings by a certain date. Keep a copy of the letter for future use and need.
If she does not pick up the items and you believe they are worth less than $300, you can get rid of the items any way you desire. If more than $300 in your opinion, I would take the items to offsite storage and place them in storage under the name of your ex-girlfriend with her last known address. Send her a note about where her belongings are. Keep a copy of the note. If she fails to pay the rent on the items placed in storage, there will be an auction of her items to pay the offsite rent.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.