Property ownership with ex partner

spaghetti_legs

I need advice urgently regarding removing property from my ex partners house.

We split in June 2013 and I moved out of his house that we lived in together. He stated that he was happy to store my belongings at his house until I moved into my own property as I had nowhere for them to go.

In Sept/Oct I removed the majority of my property from his address apart from several things which couldn't fit in two cars that I had taken.

I now have bulky items that need removing from his address and after a long time of trying to organise a date for me to collect my stuff, he has stated that he has assumed ownership on the bulky items and that he will be keeping them in his house.

Can he do this? As the items were originally given to me as gifts from family members which I then took into the relationship.

I would be grateful for any help and any legislation that could support me in getting my stuff back as soon as possible.

Beckyy

Can't help with legal side of things but how did you leave it with him?

I take it 'Sorry it's taken so long, but arranging to collect the items was really difficult. I appreciate it's been a long time but as the items were gifts they mean a lot to me so I'd like to collect them and let us go our separate ways from there' wouldn't work?

Was it furniture type items?

spaghetti_legs

The reason it has taken so long was because he wouldn't reply to any forms of communication with him.

Yes the items are furniture. He is being unreasonable and what you have stated above would unfortunately not work. It has gone past that point now.

BitterAndTwisted

I'd put it in writing: that he cannot "assume" ownership of items that do not belong to him, that were given solely to you as gifts, and that were left in his home as agreed until you were able to collect then and that he appears to have been as uncooperate as possible for you to arrange to collect.


If he doesn't see sense I'd be thinking about turning up at 7am on a Saturday morning with a couple of beefy mates in tow.

spaghetti_legs

Thanks for your reply, I have done as suggested above via email and I am awaiting his response. I'll let you know how I get on.

RAS

Write, paper and pen to him repeating the above information and giving him two alternative time and dates when you will pick up your property. Two copies, sent from different post offices witrh free certificates of posting. Ask which date and time he prefers

Because legally written communication is much more highly regarded if you go to court. and courts assume that one letter goes astray but not two.

Go to the police statioin nearest the house in advance and ask them if they will attend because you fear a breach of the peace. In fact, try to speak to them before sending the letter so you do not pick a time when they have shift handover etc.

spaghetti_legs

I have replied to him in letter form previously, sent 2 copies recorded delivery. He chose to reply via email to me.

He has stated that he has still assumed ownership of the property and he will not be giving it back to me. He stated that I am being unreasonable as I have waited 8 months to state that I want to collect all of my property. This is not true, I have been asking for my property back since November 2013 and he had no issue of keeping it at his house previously. He is now being unreasonable as he doesn't wish to hand over certain goods, as he is still using them and will inconvenience him.

I have contacted the police and they have stated that they are happy to attend however my ex has only given me a 15 minute window and if I am not there within that time then he will just leave the property he is happy to hand over, in the street.

All of my email responses to him have been written in a legal form if in case I need to use them as evidence in court.

He isn't budging from this whatsoever and I am getting so fed up with it now.

RAS

So ask the police to attend the property half an hour before his 15 minute window.

He is being a !!!!!! but you have to give him a chance to co-operate.

Regardless of the fact that he refuses to write, you have to write if you want to take legal action later.

Send a list of what you intend to pick up.

Have you got a list of the dates when you tried to communicate?