Property Retention

jackieglasgow

That's exactly how I interpreted it todolistsocd, TBH they sound like they shouldn't have anything to do with each other again.

todolistsocd

Exactly.
I know some people may say.."You're Family, you should make it work" but sometimes, there is just no getting past that point, if you know what I mean?
We, don't know if this is the 1st problem between them or whether there are other issues between them.
I have family like this and got rid of them a long time ago!

Spendless

Thanks for the explanation jackie. I guessed there was something I wasn't 'getting'. When DS was born and we struggled for space, we asked family members to help us out by storing some furniture items, till a time when we could afford a bigger place - which we knew was a few years away. No-one offerred to help us store an armchair despite everyone having at least 1 spare unused double bedroom without furniture, but several offerred to store a grandfather clock. I could see what was coming, when we asked for it back, at best there'd be a row at worst we wouldn't get it returned so I kept it (and the armchair!) and we managed.

What are the furniture items? Are they that important to you or not?

ALIBOBSY

It depends what the items were, how new they were and how much they are worth. If its a case of you had no space for the items at the time and the sister had a need for furniture, you could argue that op got free storage and sister got free use of the furniture so even stevens really. But at the end of the day if stuff is lent it has to be paid/given back.

How much is the stuff worth and do you want to lose your sister over this? i suppose thats the crux of it. You decide either to write the stuff off and move on or pursue recovery knowing you might end up with a big family fallout.

If you want to pursue it you would find the value of the items and send her a letter (better than getting into a slanging match over the phone) list all the items you want back or a cash figure you will settle for instead. You could perhaps get another family member-parent etc to speak to her and arrange pick up?. You could take her to court, but it sounds like she hasn't much money anyway so would it be trying to get blood from a stone.

I had issues with my mother over the years and I made it clear that in the end if she kept on i was prepared to cut her right out of our lives (and many people have to make these sort of decisions-sad but true), we moved on to a better place where she tries to bite her tongue more and I let her comments go and don't let them bother me any more.

Good luck whatever you decide. But for the record she has a cheek-perhaps she panicked as she assumed after this time you wouldn't want stuff back?

Make-it-3

As has been said many times before never lend money or things to family unless you are prepared to give them away.

Your sister has assumed after two years that these things are hers, so peeved that you are asking for them back. I assume she was setting up home and didn't have the money to purchase her own and probably still doesn't. By threatening to charge for storage she is looking for some cash compensation for losing things she now considers hers and/or delaying returning them with nonsense about needing to see receipts.

It is all very petty, best off out of it. Write the stuff off and re buy if you need it. If you ignore her she'll no doubt be quite happy to "store" your things for the rest of their lives. Trying to retrieve them would just be more hassle than you really want by the sounds of it.

brians_daughter

oh poor show from your sister. I for one, will never lend anything to anyone ever again - give, yes- lend, nope.

I leant a friend a unit (that we were still using tbh but they had just moved into their 1st home and had nothing but a bed, sofa, cooker and kettle) about 3 years ago. I asked for it back on many occassions once it was clear they were on their feet again and never got it returned.

I went to a BBQ at a mutual friends home last summer...and lo and behold my unit had migrated to her house courtosy of our friend in common....6 months later friend in common sold said unit on ebay for £150!! In her defense i never told her it was mine originally

mishkanorman

I would tell her you have calculated the rental costs to be £400, if she wishes to allow you to collect the items you will be prepared to waiver the fee however if not further rental will be charged at £100 per month.

FBaby

You can't store and use furniture at the same time, it's one or the other...

LilacLouisa

I was thinking along the same lines as Mishka, could you say you intend to charge for her renting of the furniture? I never knew placces did this until I saw some house refurbishing programs where they rented furniture to dress the house.

If she still wants to have receipts provided to prove your ownership, ask her for some proof that she ever bought the stuff.

meritaten

I would be very tempted to say I would pay her the darned money - go collect my furniture and give her a cheque once it was all loaded! then go home and stop payment on it! she would be furious - but at least I would have my furniture back!