End of tenancy cleaner took my posessions

moneyistooshorttomention

I'd interpret that bit of small print re all possessions removed in advance as being something they put in to cover their backsides against a client having left a substantial number of their possessions in situ when they went in to clean. Reason for that being - cleaning is going to be more difficult and take longer in a home full of possessions than it is if somewhere is a more "blank slate".

I'd ignore that clause and carry right on with my claim personally. The home was - very nearly - that "blank slate".

I've ignored a similar clause (ie "claims to be made for damaged goods within 7 days") during recent removal. With a whole house full of possessions - it clearly was highly unlikely that a client (particularly a single one like myself) would have unpacked and checked all their possessions after hiring a removal van to move from one house to another. When I had finally managed to get all my belongings unpacked and arranged - I discovered the removal men had stolen a couple of my belongings. More than 7 days had passed obviously - but I put in a claim. They argued back a bit - but paid up for the theft.

So - ignore that small print and claim anyway.

always_sunny

Must have been very valuable for you to forget it!
If the cleaning company came around expecting an empty flat to clean, it is also fair that they may interpret all stuff left behind as garbage to be disposed.

Whether it's disposed or kept, it won't matter. What would you do if they had chucked it away and it was gooooone?

What it they had put it aside and the LL charged you for removal?
I bet these cleaning company often deal with very cluttered places to clean up having to remove tons of garbage.

You shouldn't hold payment cause the cleaning company completed what they were contracted to do, CLEAN THE PROPERTY.

googler

92203 wrote: »

... left some expensive model railway items (mint in box - value >£200) in one of the drawers and only realised that this was missing yesterday evening.

... cleaning firm who said that they hadn't seen it, though the their employee may have mistaken it for rubbish and thrown it away.

Around 30 minutes later I got a phone call saying that their employee had it in their posession and that I could go around to their house and collect it from them.

1) I was handed the item back in a carrier bag, still in it's box. The box has been ripped open and damaged, and the instruction manuals scrunched up. Thankfully the model itself is still in good condition, though the damaged packaging will reduce its value

So they didn't throw it away, then.

2) Why, when employed by me to act in my interests , did they not contact me to advise that they'd found something which was clearly of high value, or at the very least hand it in to the concierge at the block of flats

Because the cleaner clearly wished to appropriate/take ownership of/steal the item for themselves, possibly to sell on eBay or Gumtree

Unless their T&Cs have a clause saying they can keep whatever they see fit for themselves, it seems like a case of theft to me....

always_sunny

googler wrote: »

Because the cleaner clearly wished to appropriate/take ownership of/steal the item for themselves, possibly to sell on eBay or Gumtree

Unless their T&Cs have a clause saying they can keep whatever they see fit for themselves, it seems like a case of theft to me....

What if the T&C states that everything left behind will be disposed of?
What if the OP had left behind a half packet of pasta in the cupboard?

What is the difference if the cleaner disposes of in a bin or keeps it if they wish so?
Theft it's a big word, the cleaner has in no way forced their way into a premise!

moneyistooshorttomention

The cleaner didn't throw it away - they still had it 30 minutes later.

One throws rubbish out straight away.

Pixie5740

One man's rubbish is another man's treasure.

agrinnall

Sounds to me like the cleaner would have been better off simply denying all knowledge of the missing toys (and lets have no argument, that's what they are, children's toys) and avoid all the aggravation that the OP seems to want to send their way rather than thanking them for returning the items.

davidmcn

Sounds like the cleaner has saved you from the landlord's £50 choo-choo disposal fee for failing to clear the flat of your possessions.

googler

agrinnall wrote: »

Sounds to me like the cleaner would have been better off simply denying all knowledge of the missing toys (and lets have no argument, that's what they are, children's toys) and avoid all the aggravation that the OP seems to want to send their way rather than thanking them for returning the items.

... but they didn't return them willingly.

They only returned them once they'd been caught out.

They hadn't done what they'd said they would do (dispose of anything remaining in the property) and had kept some for themselves, apparently with the aim of profiting from the OP's oversight

davidmcn

googler wrote: »

They hadn't done what they'd said they would do (dispose of anything remaining in the property) and had kept some for themselves, apparently with the aim of profiting from the OP's oversight

I think that still counts as "disposal" as far as you're concerned i.e. removing it from your property.

If you recruit one of the specifically "house clearance" companies, you wouldn't expect to dictate whether the items they remove end up on eBay or in landfill, all you're concerned about is removing the clutter.