Roommate Left Personal Property Behind

[wally4]

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Florida

Hi everyone- I come seeking some serious advice as things are a big mess. Sorry if this is a little long - just want to be thorough.

I rent an apartment from a company. I am the only one on the lease.
I got a roommate about 3 or 4 months ago under oral terms and he did not sign onto the lease. Anything they wanted to do to the apartment had to go thru me, obviously since he paid me directly and I remained the sole person on the lease.

A couple months went by and all was fine - bills were paid - no problems. About a month ago, he started replacing my stuff with "better" stuff and just throwing mine under the cabinet. He then started moving my stuff out of common areas to infront of my door because "it looked bad" in the common room. He added family photos to the common area and a bunch of his own stuff.

I tried to shrug it off and not let it get to me.

About 2 weeks ago, I come home and a puppy is running around. It is clearly a pitbull mix which is not allowed in our complex and many others and could get us both evicted. To top it off, he never asked my permission. He verified it was pitbull and I told him he could not have it and get rid of it immediately. He fought me on it saying I had a dog (a 10lb dog!) and told me that in 6 months his dog would kill mine.

Fed up with it, I offered him three choices.
-Move out by the end of the month (up until his rent was already paid)
-Take over my lease and I will move out
-Ill end the lease early and we will both move out (worst case, if he didnt cooperate)

He finally agreed to move out.

Well several days ago, I come out to a note on the door saying that he was gone and he had gone thru all his stuff and got what he wanted and left everything else and since it was "my idea" for him to move out - I had to go thru it and clean up "Good luck!"..

In the room, he has left his bed, tv, clothes, books, and numerous other things.

He has already turned in his keys - and havent heard from him going on 4 or 5 days now. I have the note (Although not signed) where he said I am to go thru all of his stuff and get rid of it) - yet he technically did pay until the end of the month so the room I guess is technically still his?

What would you recommend I do to cover my own self - in case he comes back in time asking for his stuff? I obviously need to get the room clear so I can find a new roommate before the 1st.

Let me know if I need to clarify anything

Thanks

[Mr. Knowitall]

If your roommate stated that he was abandoning everything he left behind, and has everything he wanted, I suggest not losing that note, confirming his intentions by certified mail with the warning that past a specified date the items would be disposed of, and acting accordingly.

[wally4]

I have stored the note in case he does come back - however he has been gone about a week and have heard nothing. Since he skipped out on about 250$ in bills - don't I have the right to sell his stuff to pay for the bills?

He left no forwarding address or any means of contact.

[Mr. Knowitall]

No mutual friends? No cell phone, email, facebook.... Think hard.

[tigerdog]

No mutual friends? No cell phone, email, facebook.... Think hard.

I'll add to this...work, places he likes to hang out...
If all else fails, send the letter to your address. It's possible he turned in a 'change of address' to the post office, even if he didn't tell you. If he did, it will get forwarded to him. If he didn't, you'll end up with it and it helps show that you attempted to contact him.