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Property adandoned

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thecapt

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
A friend asked me a while ago if he could store his friends snowmobile in my garage for a bit. I said fine just not forever. Well it's been a year and half now and I have been telling him for 4 months that I want his buddy to get the snowmobile out of my garage. It still hasn't been removed and I informed him last week that if it's not removed by Saturday 12/3 that I was going to push it out onto the curb.
1) can I legally do that since I've given ample time to remove the snowmobile?
2) Can it be concidered abandoned and I keep it for myself since it's been a year and half?
3) If I putt it on the curb for anyone to take and someone does, can he sue me for anything?
4) Can I start charging him storage cost if it's not removed?
Please help.
 
Last edited:


Antigone*

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
A friend asked me a while ago if he could store his friends snowmobile in my garage for a bit. I said fine just not forever. Well it's been a year and half now and I have been telling him for 4 months that I want his buddy to get the snowmobile out of my garage. It still hasn't been removed and I informed him last week that if it's not removed by Saturday 12/3 that I was going to push it out onto the curb.
1) can I legally do that since I've given ample time to remove the snowmobile?
2) Can it be concidered abandoned and I keep it for myself since it's been a year and half?
3) If I putt it on the curb for anyone to take and someone does, can he sue me for anything?
4) Can I start charging him storage cost if it's not removed?
Please help.

1 ~ You need to inform him via certified mail that he has X days to remove the property. One week is not ample time and telling him is not sufficient. I would say 30 days is ample time.

2 ~ It is not abandoned until the first day after you do #1

3 ~ You cannot put it out on the curb until the first day after you do #1. If you do he has a cause of action.

4 ~ You do not have a contract to charge him anything, so you cannot to that.
 

sandyclaus

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
A friend asked me a while ago if he could store his friends snowmobile in my garage for a bit. I said fine just not forever. Well it's been a year and half now and I have been telling him for 4 months that I want his buddy to get the snowmobile out of my garage. It still hasn't been removed and I informed him last week that if it's not removed by Saturday 12/3 that I was going to push it out onto the curb.
1) can I legally do that since I've given ample time to remove the snowmobile?
2) Can it be concidered abandoned and I keep it for myself since it's been a year and half?
3) If I putt it on the curb for anyone to take and someone does, can he sue me for anything?
4) Can I start charging him storage cost if it's not removed?
Please help.
Your best bet is to put your plan into writing. Send the person a lettter (Certified, Return Receipt Requested), stating that the you have had the snowmobile since X date. You are demanding that the snowmobile be removed on or before Y date. If it is not removed by that date, you will (consider it abandoned property and dispose of it as you see fit OR you will charge $Z per day as storage costs until such time as the snowmobile is removed). I'd say give them somewhere from 7-10 days from the day they receive the letter to comply.

I would also suggest that if you DO choose the storage option, that you also give a second deadline after which the snowmobile is considered abandoned so that you may sell or dispose of it as you choose if it's still there, say, 6 months later. (The person will STILL owe you storage fees, even if they do not retrieve the snowmobile.)
 

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