Ex neighbours possessions left on our drive

KazJenn

Just to clarify. We did not give consent explicitly. When it was put on our drive without our permission we stated that we expected it to be gone by 5pm. We certainly made no promises about looking after it etc. A neighbour had earlier agreed to look after the items which were rejected.

We absolutely will try to make contact with the ex-husband first and try to resolve amicably. For all I know he's already planning on collecting it and just hasn't told anyone. However due to the lack of contact and him ignoring his ex-wife's calls I just wanted alternative options. 

Before his ex-wife left last night we asked her to text him saying that she had left and attached a photo of his stuff to make it clear that it was left on our drive for him to sort.

KazJenn

And just to clarify re neighbour. They had agreed with the ex-wife re the bulky item but not the rest of the stuff and the ex-husband refused to let them store it for him.

mrschaucer

It does seem to have been the ex-wife who dumped the husband's stuff on OP, and agreed things with other neighbours about storing the husband's stuff.  And although one can sympathise with her on a lousy moving day, it seems to me SHE should be the one more involved in moving it, delivering it to ex-husband etc, not the OP who has got caught in the middle of a domestic.

theartfullodger

Those possessions/goods are ex-neighbours property and you know this, fine well. If you dispose of them that would likely be found to be theft.  Do the decent thing. 

canaldumidi

Fly tipping on private property - doubt the council will do anything.

Phone owner and tell him to remove within 12 hours or you will:

Pay a man + van to take it to a storage unit

Owner can collect from there once he's paid you for the man/van and storage

If he does not do so within 7 days, sell it(anyhing of value?) to cover your costs.

MEM62

KazJenn said:

Just to clarify. We did not give consent explicitly. 

Yes you did. 

Although they placed their property on your drive without asking, once you noticed you gave them a grace period rather than insisting that it was removed immediately.  Therefore you consented to have it on your drive for a period of time.  It was not right of the husband and wife to impose their problems on you and they have taken advantage of your good nature.  Your best course of action would have been to insist on immediate remove of their property as soon as you noticed that it was being dumped on your drive.  You are now in the unfortunate position where you are reliant of the husbands co-operation to clear it and I suspect that it may not be easy to achieve.           

Schwarzwald

Make contact with the ex husband.
Give him a deadline, Sunday 5pm.

make contact with the ex wife as she moved the stuff on your property.
give her a deadline.

document both.

if the deadline passes, bin the stuff.

hard to imagine that any court in their right mind puts the blame on you if he decides to take you there.

Mutton_Geoff

I fully understand the principal in this but is the stuff actually in your way at the moment? I know there is the legal side of all this and the MSE crowd baying for blood, but there is a human being on the other end of it who had probably the crappiest day of their life yesterday seeing their world unfold in front of them.

We don't have any idea what could be going through the guy's mind at the moment. Are you able to cut him some slack and cover/store the stuff for the weekend? Let everything cool down then ping him a message on Monday if nothing has been heard by then. I know he will really appreciate a breather right now and ultimatums by text are just not going to help.

I agree it shouldn't have been this way but you've now been dragged into the situation. Who knows, 2-3 days of compassion might lead to a friend for life or even just leave you feeling you did your bit for humanity this year.

BikingBud

Obviously a good neighbourhood in some places the stuff would have "walked" never to be seen again.

theoretica

What is the weather forecast for your area?  Anything coming that might damage the stuff and provide either a clearer justification for scrapping it after it is damaged, or an independent incentive for it to be rescued?