Abandoned property by guest

[Dreamcatcher508]

This is in the state of Alaska. My adult son had a girlfriend that would sometimes stay overnight as a guest in my home, over several months. Over time as one would expect, some personal effects had been left in my home. (Shoes, books, laptop, toothbrush, a shirt, a hat, photos etc...) After an incident ocurred, in a civil manner I told this individual that she was no longer welcome in my home. I instructed her to get all of her belongings and leave my house.

She was given reasonable time to gather her belongings. In fact, she got her laptop, clothes, and other personal effects but left other stuff behind. She had a full-sized pick-up truck. So, she had plenty of room to take it with her. She knew when she left that she was not welcomed back on our property. Needless to say, we wanted her, and all her stuff gone right there on the spot. After she left, I considered anything she left behind abandoned and tossed it in the garbage accordingly.

She has recently claimed that she left thousands in property at my home. She also believes that I have illegally destroyed her things by disposing of them. She contends that the belongings were left in care of my son and I had no right to dispose of them. She is demandng that I pay her an amount that she has estimated as the value of her irreplacable "sentimental" property.

If I throw an unwanted guest off my property, that has never rented or lived in my home does this person really have any legal rights that require me to assume liabilty/responsibility?

 

[Ohiogal]

This is in the state of Alaska. My adult son had a girlfriend that would sometimes stay overnight as a guest in my home, over several months. Over time as one would expect, some personal effects had been left in my home. (Shoes, books, laptop, toothbrush, a shirt, a hat, photos etc...) After an incident ocurred, in a civil manner I told this individual that she was no longer welcome in my home. I instructed her to get all of her belongings and leave my house.

She was given reasonable time to gather her belongings. In fact, she got her laptop, clothes, and other personal effects but left other stuff behind. She had a full-sized pick-up truck. So, she had plenty of room to take it with her. She knew when she left that she was not welcomed back on our property. Needless to say, we wanted her, and all her stuff gone right there on the spot. After she left, I considered anything she left behind abandoned and tossed it in the garbage accordingly.

She has recently claimed that she left thousands in property at my home. She also believes that I have illegally destroyed her things by disposing of them. She contends that the belongings were left in care of my son and I had no right to dispose of them. She is demandng that I pay her an amount that she has estimated as the value of her irreplacable "sentimental" property.

If I throw an unwanted guest off my property, that has never rented or lived in my home does this person really have any legal rights that require me to assume liabilty/responsibility?

You had NO RIGHT to throw out those items. If she takes you to court, she may very well win. You should have called her after finding them and stated that you found her items and she should come pick them up. You screwed up. Now, you may be paying up.

 

[Dreamcatcher508]

I know this is normally the law with regard to tenant/landlord situations. However, at some point we all should have a measure of personal responsibility. If she truly considered this property irreplacable/highly sentimental, two common sense questions occur to me. Why on earth would you bring/leave such things in a stranger's home instead of leaving them in your own home? And, if you were asked to leave how could you possibly justify not bothering to take them with you when you are asked to do so?

It seems to me that she is seeing an opportunity to make a fast buck. I could not fathom that she could be rewarded for failing to responsibly keep track of her possessions, let alone that I would be held finacially liable when she didn't. Live and learn. It is very frustrating.

Thank-you very much for taking the time to answer my post. It is very much appreciated.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

She can pound sand on the "sentimental value" nonsense. What of hers did you throw away, and what would it realistically be worth?

 

[Dreamcatcher508]

It looked like a bag of garbage filled with crumpled and ripped papers, several year old utility bills, broken glass. Of course now, after the fact the bag had momentos from a previous wedding, money, vital documents, stocks, bonds, and her dog. (That was a tad bit of scarcastic humor there, sorry.)

But seriously, she has been very vague about what was supposedly in that bag other than old wedding and high school momentos. The only thing that she seems to be sure about is her demand for a thousand dollars. She tells me that she has contacted the police due to the destruction of her property. I was not aware that that discarding another's trash left in my home was now considered a criminal/police matter. I suspect this was an attempt to scare me into paying her.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

It looked like a bag of garbage filled with crumpled and ripped papers, several year old utility bills, broken glass. Of course now, after the fact the bag had momentos from a previous wedding, money, vital documents, stocks, bonds, and her dog. (That was a tad bit of scarcastic humor there, sorry.)

But seriously, she has been very vague about what was supposedly in that bag other than old wedding and high school momentos. The only thing that she seems to be sure about is her demand for a thousand dollars. She tells me that she has contacted the police due to the destruction of her property. I was not aware that that discarding another's trash left in my home was now considered a criminal/police matter. I suspect this was an attempt to scare me into paying her.

I suspect you're correct. I'd tell her to sue you, and bet she doesn't.