What to do if we bought a house and the previous owner left things behind?
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What to do if we bought a house and the previous owner left things behind?
Some items were usable but they mostly left garbage and junk behind. They are now calling and asking for some of the stuff that I already got rid of. At the time of the closing did the stuff left behind become ours?
Asked on October 8, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all states in this country if the purchase agreement and its addendums stated nothing about items belonging to the former owners of the property being left behind after close of escrow to be picked up at a later date it is presumed that such items left behind were unwanted and abandoned.
As such, you seemingly did the proper thing in discarding the former owner's property that should have been cleared out before close of escrow. I would simply tell the former owners that they left behind assorted debris that was abandoned and you got rid of it since they never requested additional time after escrow's close to pick up the items.
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