Q: my ex-boyfriend says he wants to take me to court to get his belongings but I have asked him to pick them up for a year.
what am I allowed to do with his things? he didn't live here, he wasn't on a lease. I have given him more than 30 days notice by text. how long do I have to keep his things and what would a court do? I don't want to have to pay court costs for him to take his things! I am in Ohio
A: What is the value of his things? Is it enough for him to actually go to court? Has he responded to your text messages to come and get the things, so that you can prove he was notified? Can you print out those text messages to show a court if he actually sues you? Send him a written notice by FedEx giving him several different dates and times to pick up his things, and advise that if he does not do it by a final date deadline, they will be considered abandoned, and you will give them to charity. If he does not come and get them, then donate them to Goodwill. Or you could sell them at a garage sale, and if he sues you, you could give him the money you collected for them. If you want to reduce the possibility he will sue you, file an eviction action against him, get an eviction order, and then you have legal basis to dispose of this things. Since you are a tenant, and not the landlord, your local court might dismiss your eviction complaint. Ask the landlord to file the eviction action on your behalf. Contact a local attorney using the Find a Lawyer tab here on Justia if you need assistance.
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