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If someone leaves something at your apartment and doesn't ever come to get it does it become yours? ?
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If someone leaves something at your apartment and doesn't ever come to get it does it become yours? ?

The item in question is a computer and the person once lived here and hasn't for about a year now and their name is no longer on the apartment lease


    




dalevil
Rating
if he did not leave any forwarding address, didnt make any attempt to reach the landlord regarding his things, then its yours. haha. but if he comes back for it, then you have to choice but to give it to him. since he isnt around to pick it up then you can use it for the time being. just dont use for anything incriminating. hehe


mel
if you know them and cannot get in contact with them, I'd say yes.

if you can get in touch with them, do so, your obligated.


squirrel
it still doesn't make it yours but keep it anyway


keepitsocial
Rating
Personally speaking: you have to remind them to pick it up. if 2 months go by its yours to do with as you please.

Legally: you should turn it over to the police as lost property and it becomes yours in 60 days. MASS law.


JoobaLooba
Rating
If you know the person then call and ask them if they want it back but if you don't know the person then yeah it is yours.


jenius
Rating
As someone who rents out an apartment I can tell you the laws in my state say I need to hang onto anything left behind for a year. I can charge storage fees, after the year is up I can dispose of it as I choose. You might try checking the local laws where you are. Hope this Helps.


ket
Rating
There is a legal theory called abandonment, but it has a lot of little nuances. If they haven't contacted you, said anything about it, made any attempt to get it, etc, I'd say you might be safe doing what you want with it. I doubt if you sell it, or whatever, someone is going to take you to court over it. And even then, they'd probably lose.


Wintermute
Rating
have you have attempted to return said item to it's rightful owner? if you have told this person to come get the computer and they haven't then it might as well be yours. however I'm not sure what the law is about something like that. seems to me a year is a long time to have left something behind and still expect it to be returned if you haven't tried to get it back.


Sexy Homer
Rating
Think about this: who's going to say that it isn't yours? Your former roommate?


Tiffanie O
you have to ask yourself this did i try to get ahold of this person plenty of time have to tried to communicate with them at all about there computer and if you have good set a time and date for them to pick it up if the answer is no and they never return your phone calls or whatever then yes ifs legally yours. if you make a point and call them but dont call back and things like that lead up to you keeping it and doing whatever with it. after 90 days if they dont come and pick it up its yours its called abondement just make sure you have evindence that you tried to call them becuase if you dont they could sue you which wouldnt be fun make sure you keep all your possesions and notes and stuff from this other person just in case of small claims you never know what could happen.


♥Skyway Avenue♥
Rating
heck yah


tom
yea, keep it, or sell it or whatever you want to do, they obviousely don't care.


*CeLiNe~FrEnChAdO*
well technically, no. its still someone else's property. but in your case, its been there long enough, and the person basically left their property in your property, and you could've just thrown it away. but since you were merciful enough to keep it, you get to keep it. i kind of confused myself there..


short cake
Rating
I know that works with land, that if you sit on it for so long it becomes yours if no one asks you to leave.

It probably works with property too. I'd just keep the computer unless that person comes to ask for it.


Grill1981
Rating
yeah unless you throw it away


Tammy*
Rating
I guess, until of course, they come and claim it.


Cassady
Rating
The simple answer is yes, but it depends on your states law. The only thing that varies is the duration that it's left in your home.


superfunky95
You BOUGHT it WITH the apartment ;)
If it was in there, its your property. That's my philosophy.


Stephanie C
perhaps you could contact them and ask them if they would like to collect their belongings. i dont see a problem in using the machine but probably would advise you sell it or anything.


liseater123
Rating
contact them and tell them


notyou311
Rating
It is considered abandoned after a year. It's yours.


ThatsNotRight
Rating
have you told her that you have it.
if you dont have any communications with that person then i guess you can keep it

someone answer my question
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlNM6FExHipYpsulELsNKpTsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080821193209AAOLjTC


Salt&Pepper Apricot
Rating
No. What you should have done a year ago, but can still do is have a lawyer, paralegal, etc. draw up a letter stating to them that they have x number of days to get the item in question, or it becomes yours to do with as you wish as of such and such a date.

Edit: If they left it there, there's a good chance that computer is stolen. So scratch what I wrote above. Turn it over to the police.


zombie
Rating
just take it if he/she really wanted it or it was that important to them they would have taken it


LEZIC
Rating
Of course yes, take it





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