If a tenant leaves personalbelongings behind, how long do I have to wait on cleaning my property?
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If a tenant leaves personalbelongings behind, how long do I have to wait on cleaning my property?
She has been out for 4 days.
Asked on March 19, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Wisconsin
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Unless there is a written agreement to the contrary - like what is written in the lease - a landlord under Wisconsin law can take various actions in this situation. The landlord can store the tenant?s personal property, with a lien against that property. That means the tenant would have to pay any charges for removing and storing the property. The landlord must give the tenant written notice within 10 days after the charges begin. The landlord also can give the tenant notice of the intent to sell the property, if the tenant doesn't claim it within 30 days. The proceeds of the sale would go to the tenant, minus any costs the landlord had for storage, holding the sale, and so on. If the tenant doesn't claim the sale proceeds within 60 days, the landlord must send the balance of the proceeds to the State Department of Administration for deposit. Another option is for the landlord to store the tenant's personal property without a lien and later return the property to the tenant. If you give the tenant notice - which is really the key here - and they tell you that they do not want the property- they intended to abandon it - the please: GET IT IN WRITING!
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