Money Moral Dilemma: Should we return valuables to their owner?

MSE_Sarah

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

We found a box of valuables in our loft when clearing it out, which belong to a previous owner - but not the person we bought our home from, so they may be difficult to return. Are we obliged to attempt to do so?

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dj1471

Not much of a dilemma and this is the wrong forum, should be in the House Buying, Renting and Selling board.

Legally it's yours. If you can't track the original owner then I'd say it's morally yours too.

SuperPikachu

Depends on the valuables. If it is seriously expensive stuff then you should be making considerably more effort to find out who owned it.

paddy's_mum

It's a non-dilemma. They already know who owned it in order to be able to state "a previous owner".

'Valuables' are we talking bars of gold bullion or a couple of Royal Worcester dishes?

The value dictates, in terms of being realistic, how much effort should be made, surely?

pickledonionspaceraider

How would you even track them down - it isn't the person who you brought the house from.

It could be a previous owner from way back. It might not even be the owner from 3 owners ago, and they may well claim the goods anyway - unless the goods have a name tag on them, it may well be five owners ago. It could be ill gotten gains. You just dont know

I think if they were bothered they would have made contact way before you brought the property

I wouldn't bother to be honest. I refuse to be held responsible for other adults irresponsibility and stupidity.

And good for you, all we found in our house, was a skip full of absolute rubbish in the loft, paperwork from 40 years ago, old reeking clothes, broken furniture... it was like they had used the loft as a bin the filthbags and left it there cos they could not be bothered to clear it

firebubble

Depends on the items...junk which just happens to have gained in value from having been dumped in the loft is one thing, but what is clearly someone's sentimental treasure is another, particularly if you're able to identify them from the box or contents.

I think it also depends on how you know it's not the previous owners - presumably you've already asked them, and they've said no, so how long ago was the previous owner before them there - if it's a long time, then it probably wouldn't be worth making the effort.

If it was a couple of years, and the previous owners are identifiable, then I think you should contact them. At the very least, even if the trail goes cold, you'll know you did all you could and so can now keep the stuff with a clear conscience.

Dean000000

Are you lot high?

Keep and pawn that sht real quick...

kazt2006

Usually anything in the house becomes the property of the new owner. The pre-sale inventory identifies everything included or not included within the sale. My current place was a mortgage repossession and it was sold as seen inc. a range cooked that lasted 2.5 years, a boiler that was less than 3 years old as we have since met the local plumber who installed it.

In this case I would say as it was missed from the legal documents it doesn’t belong to anyone and therefore finders keepers! If there are old photos etc, you might want to retain these just in case though!

Qievo

Although legally you own the items, there's obviously a sense that the items are of a value which is pulling at your conscience.

As per earlier posts, if it is just some bits and Bob's they're probably not being missed. If it's more substantial, I'd feel compelled to find the owner and return.

Interesting that the last previous owner didn't discover the items in their time there.

engineer_amy

Qievo wrote: »

Interesting that the last previous owner didn't discover the items in their time there.

I couldn't tell you what is in my loft - ive never been up there in the 10 years I have lived in my house. Theres certainly none of my stuff up there. Mainly because im scared of ladders and scared of falling through the ceiling!


So there could be priceless heirlooms up there and I would never know.


I *think* its pretty empty though, as I had an electrician pulling cables through the loft and he didn't have to move anything to get access.



In response to the OP - if its sentimental type stuff and there is a name you can use, an hour googling the name and address might yield some more current info. I wouldn't spend any more time than that. Otherwise - finders keepers!

colinlyne

This is larceny by finding, or in simple terms, theft!