How to recover my valuables when they are locked in a friend’s house
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How to recover my valuables when they are locked in a friend’s house
I am a musician and visual artist. My friend and I planned on building
a photography darkroom in his house. I brought the necessary supplies
there.
I wound up having to move from my then apartment across the street
from his house into a very small room and had no place to put all my
musical equipment and artwork. My friend offered to keep it at the
house along with the darkroom gear I had already put there for our
project.
I moved into a large house and wanted to get my belongings back but
discovered that my friend’s phone had been disconnected and he did not
come to the door when I knocked.
An internet search revealed that the house had been sold and that the
sale is pending but has not closed due to unpaid property taxes.
I found the realtor representing my friend and he originally agreed to
let me into the house but a few days later someone else from the
office emailed saying my friend id still living in the house and I
should try knocking on the door. I tried again and no response.
Should I call the police and would they be able to help me get in?
I would need to hire movers, so how would I coordinate this? I’m in
Philadelphia PA. Thank you.
Asked on June 10, 2019 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The police will not help you not without a court order. You will have to bring a legal action in country court for "unlawful distraint" (when someone seizes and holds your possessions illegally) to get a court order for their return. Contact the county court clerk's office and explain what is happening; they should be able to direct you to forms and instructions.
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.