my exboyfriend who was in iraq...

[plaguee1234xx]

He sent me his stuff before he came home. He won't pay for me to send it to him or even give me an address so I can send him a letter saying he has 30 days. He keeps telling me if I get rid of it I'll get a fine because of the DOD law? I can't find out anything I've contacted my local state police department and I can't get any help. Do I have any rights? What can I do with his stuff?

[seniorjudge]

Q: What can I do with his stuff?

A: Keep it till he comes back.

[Silverplum]

Originally Posted by plaguee1234xx

He sent me his stuff before he came home. He won't pay for me to send it to him or even give me an address so I can send him a letter saying he has 30 days. He keeps telling me if I get rid of it I'll get a fine because of the DOD law? I can't find out anything I've contacted my local state police department and I can't get any help. Do I have any rights? What can I do with his stuff?

What is the size of this "stuff?" A trunk? He sure can't ship you a vehicle, or anything much larger than a trunk.

Would it KILL you to hold onto it till he gets back?

[plaguee1234xx]

He is back. he has been back for about 6 months.

[xylene]

Originally Posted by plaguee1234xx

He sent me his stuff before he came home. He won't pay for me to send it to him or even give me an address so I can send him a letter saying he has 30 days. He keeps telling me if I get rid of it I'll get a fine because of the DOD law? I can't find out anything I've contacted my local state police department and I can't get any help. Do I have any rights? What can I do with his stuff?

Contact his unit.

---

Also, you could have refused delivery if you wanted to avoid this responsibility.

[plaguee1234xx]

Thank-You.

[>Charlotte<]

Tell him you're going to take it to the local public storage unit, rent their smallest space for one month on his behalf, and you will leave the key with the person at the front desk. Tell him at that point it will be up to him to either go get his stuff, continue to pay the storage fee, or risk having the account closed out and his stuff auctioned off. Either way, whatever happens to his stuff will be his responsibility.

Don't actually do this. It's a bluff. He'll probably tell you not to do that, and then he'll come get his stuff.

[plaguee1234xx]

That's good. I'm not good and making things up and making them seem believable but I think I can make that one sound good. Thank you So much.

[>Charlotte<]

I should add that when I posted that response I was assuming that he lives near enough to you to make it possible for him to actually be able to go to the public storage and retrieve his things.

I should also have stated that the reason it's a bluff is because if you did rent a unit and he didn't either pick up the items or pay the fee, it would affect your credit when they closed it out and auctioned his stuff.

Also, make it a last resort. Because if you bluff he might call your hand.

[RealAmerican]

Throw it out.
If you have no way of contacting him then you have no responsibility to keep his property. There is no DOD regulation stating you have to keep other peoples property until they come and pick it up. PM what the property actually is and maybe I'll take it off your hands.

[cyberspook]

Originally Posted by RealAmerican

Throw it out.
If you have no way of contacting him then you have no responsibility to keep his property. There is no DOD regulation stating you have to keep other peoples property until they come and pick it up. PM what the property actually is and maybe I'll take it off your hands.

Yes, good idea. I could use some more gear too.

[fozzy2]

I'd suggest a little caution, here. You didn't specify what this "stuff" is, or whether or not it is worth going to court over. By accepting the goods, you may have become the "bailee" of his property. It is not military law, but generally a bailee has a duty to use reasonable care to ensure that the goods go back to the bailor (your guy) in the same condition they were received in. As to how you can terminate the bailment, you can enquire on a newsgroup with more expertise. Though you can probably terminate the bailment at will, you may have duties to deliver and/or provide notice. There may be state-specific statutes on this. You say "he keeps telling you" --- verbal notice may be enough, you probably don't have to mail him. But you should ask someone who deals in these issues - as noted it really has nothing to do with the military/DoD.

[cyberspook]

Originally Posted by fozzy2

I'd suggest a little caution, here. You didn't specify what this "stuff" is, or whether or not it is worth going to court over. By accepting the goods, you may have become the "bailee" of his property. It is not military law, but generally a bailee has a duty to use reasonable care to ensure that the goods go back to the bailor (your guy) in the same condition they were received in. As to how you can terminate the bailment, you can enquire on a newsgroup with more expertise. Though you can probably terminate the bailment at will, you may have duties to deliver and/or provide notice. There may be state-specific statutes on this. You say "he keeps telling you" --- verbal notice may be enough, you probably don't have to mail him. But you should ask someone who deals in these issues - as noted it really has nothing to do with the military/DoD.

Listen to Fozzy, don't let us gear hungry old timers get our hands on it.

[mattv03]

The best way is to give a specified amount of time in an e-mail and make a copy of the e-mail you send him. Give him 30 days to come get his stuff and if he does not show within that time go to the nearest place with a Military of that branch and take it to a shop that sells military equipment and see what they will give for it all. In other words sell it and if he asks you about it tell him I am not storage provider. You are a civilian, you don't belong to the military and therefore you are subject for UCMJ. He is responsible for those items not you and when he has to turn them in he will be charged for losing them.

[Zigner]

Bad advice. Why? Email is NOT the proper way to provide notice.
(I know this thread is old, but I wanted to make sure this "advice" was corrected)

Originally Posted by mattv03

The best way is to give a specified amount of time in an e-mail and make a copy of the e-mail you send him. Give him 30 days to come get his stuff and if he does not show within that time go to the nearest place with a Military of that branch and take it to a shop that sells military equipment and see what they will give for it all. In other words sell it and if he asks you about it tell him I am not storage provider. You are a civilian, you don't belong to the military and therefore you are subject for UCMJ. He is responsible for those items not you and when he has to turn them in he will be charged for losing them.