Money Moral Dilemma: Should I return the money I found in a chair I bought?

MSE_Kelvin

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

I recently bought an armchair for £20 via a local buying and selling website. After giving it a clean, I found £12.70 plus a €5 note had fallen down the back of it. Do I keep it, as it's my chair now, or contact the previous owner?

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LippyDoodle

I'd contact the previous owner.

jeffuk

If it was given to you by your daughter in law, no.

JGB1955

jeffuk said:

If it was given to you by your daughter in law, no.

That's a weird answer - I guess you don't like your DIL?  The OP BOUGHT it (and ended up with a 'bonus' €5 note which will involve a journey abroad and Covid -tests)... sound like a liability to me).

As for the £12.70 it's yours... give it to charity if you want -  I wouldn't... the seller should have/could have checked for any loose change down the back before selling!

biscan25

I'd take this as payment for cleaning out the back of the chair

shapala

JGB1955 said:

jeffuk said:

If it was given to you by your daughter in law, no.

That's a weird answer - I guess you don't like your DIL?  The OP BOUGHT it (and ended up with a 'bonus' €5 note which will involve a journey abroad and Covid -tests)... sound like a liability to me).

As for the £12.70 it's yours... give it to charity if you want -  I wouldn't... the seller should have/could have checked for any loose change down the back before selling!

I agree with this and also the time it may take you to give back - even if they're local.

If you feel really guilty, buy something you like the look of at a local charity shop or give to a homeless shelter. As for the Eur5, is that worth anything anyway 

knightstyle

This reminds me of a friend who bought a washing machine from someone, shortly after buying it stopped working and he took the back off and found bundles of cash, nearly £1500 in total, he went back to the seller to find the police had raided the house and all the residents had fled.
Some money was used to buy a TV and some went to the Guide pack to pay for a trip to the potteries.

jeffuk

JGB1955 said:

jeffuk said:

If it was given to you by your daughter in law, no.

That's a weird answer - I guess you don't like your DIL?  The OP BOUGHT it (and ended up with a 'bonus' €5 note which will involve a journey abroad and Covid -tests)... sound like a liability to me).

As for the £12.70 it's yours... give it to charity if you want -  I wouldn't... the seller should have/could have checked for any loose change down the back before selling!

It was a nod to the OP's previous post where the DIL gave the MIL items to sell then expected payment. In that thread the OP never came back to answer any questions. Thread got plenty of clicks though.

NeilOHiggins

Not enough info., but assuming you bought the chair directly from the person who likely lost the money - it turns out you did not buy a chair for £20 after all, you bought a chair for £3.04 based on todays Euro exchange rate. Well done, a bargain was had!

Daycart1

That's an unbeatable rate of interest - keep the money, sell the chair for the £20 originally paid and buy more old chairs to search. You could be a millionaire and Tory donor with a knighthood this time next year.

Soontobewed

Your money, your choice. Save it, spand it, give it back. There are more important things to worry about.