What to do with a chair that a roommate left behind?
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What to do with a chair that a roommate left behind?
My ex-roommate left a recliner in my front yard after moving out over a month ago. I have asked her to pick it up many times over the course of these 30 days and she has said she would but never has. I have no way of transporting this stuff by myself and my landlord will fine me if it is not removed soon. Is this considered littering? I’d like to report this to the police if possible and let them deal with her.
Asked on June 16, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Washington
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If the recliner is not outdoor furniture, you should be able to treat the fact that it was left outside as the recliner being abandoned and dispose of it as rubbish or garbage.
If it is outdoor furniture, if you have documented your requests to your ex-roommate to pick it up (and ideally also at least some of her refusals)--that is, if you communicated by email, text message, etc. and stiill have the mail/messages--then again, you should be able to treat it as abandoned now that 30 days have passed and she has refused to retrieve it. If you have not documented that you have asked her to get it, send her written notice that she has to pick it up, within, say, 5 business days or it will be discarded. In the notice, recite the number of times and dates you contracted her (e.g. dates of telelphone calls) and the fact that more than 30 days have passed; also note that you are facing fines and will hold her liable for any costs or fines you incur due to her failure to move her belongings; then send the notice some way you can prove delivery. If after that she still does not retrieve the chair, you should be able to safely discard it.
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