How long do I have to hold my ex’s stuff?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How long do I have to hold my ex’s stuff?
My ex-boyfriend stayed at my apartment with me for about 5 months. He was never on my lease or listed as a resident, I just allowed him to stay there with me. He was ordered by the police to leave and turn in his key when he called them when we got in a fight (no domestic violence, no charges filed, just a warning) and he turned over the key I let him use. I keep trying to get him to pick up his stuff and he says he is busy, or too tired, or does not want to drive that far today. How long before I can toss his stuff without getting in legal trouble?
Asked on March 1, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Michigan
Answers:
Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
In Michigan, because he was not a resident of your address, there is no "legal" time period to keep his possessions, nor are you required to place them in storage. To protect yourself however, I would keep a record or try to document the times you attempted to contact him to come pick up his things. In the meantime, you are free to remove his belongings from the property or trash them. The worst he could do is attempt to try to report you to the police and claim you maliciously destroyed his property, but that is unlikely to hold up given the time period since he last stayed there and your attempts to have him retrieve his belongings.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.