Sons belongings

mommygoose

Wondering if anyone can help me. I evicted my 26 year old son on the 1st march.  His belongings are still here and he refuses to take them. Where do I stand law wise on putting his belongings outside? 

RAS

This needs to go into the renting and selling subforum, as folk there understand the relevant law. 

MEM62

Write to him an give him a specific deadline to collect his personal effects, after which they will be disposed of.  Don't let him make it your problem.  

twopenny

When you say 'refuses to take them' does he still want them? Might he need them in the future?

Is there anything that would be damaged by being left outside?

Are you in an area that they might be stolen?

You should give him reasonable time and notification that they must be collected or stored somewhere.

It's not been that long, not long enough for any animosity to die down or presumably for him to have found somewhere he could have them.

Have you an attic or garage you could box them up and store and give him a timescale for collecting? A couple of months say?

Brie

I've moved the thread as suggested.

user1977

Is there anything of material value among them? I would guess not if he isn't excited about picking them up.

mommygoose

The loft is full of his stuff also. I've moved it all into the box room apart from the items in the loft and he has been given time to move it, he just won't. We don't get along and he lives with his grandparents now. I've suggested he puts them in storage which he can afford but he refuses.

born_again

Could you move them to the Grandparents?

Neil49

Start off by taking appropriate items to local charity shops. 

theartfullodger

Before you do anything take LOADS of photos and write to him telling him what you will be doing & when.

Clearly most people may think that disposing of something owned by someone else is unlikely to be legal.

saajan_12

With abandoned goods, you generally have to
a) give notice to son of where the items, how long you will hold them
b) hold them for a reasonable amount of time (usually considered to be ~ 30 days)
c) then sell them, deducting reasonable costs to sell (your effort, sale fees, etc) 
d) return the balance to son

In pratice, if the value of the items are less than the reasonable cost of selling (eg an old duvet that'll only fetch £10 but cost more to photograph, list online, shipping, etc) then you might just dispose of the items. However you take the risk that son could legally claim the value of the items (less selling costs) and you might have to justify why that would be cost prohibitive. 

Just outlining the legal position so you know the worst case. Adjust for the likelihood that son will actually take it that far.. eg someone who can't be bothered to pick up items might not be bothered to file a court claim. However someone that's arguing wiht you might file just even it it wasn't logical.