Deceased Son's Fiancé Moved and Left Her Stuff in Our Home
I'm in South Carolina and have found myself in a bit of a dilemma. My son and his fiancé moved to our home in June of 2014 because of an employment opportunity. In July of 2015 he passed away and due the amount of grief we all suffered we allowed her to stay, since she had no family. In February, 2016 I found she had stolen some of my jewelry, which was on the same day my husband was told he has cancer... it was an emotional day and I told her to leave. She left and return twice to get her things; however, she left much of it behind. I texted/called her to please come and remove her stuff and more than once she said she would be over to pick it up; yet, she never showed up. In the meantime I decided to do a formal eviction (I didn't know where she lived but did know where she worked), unfortunately she no longer works at the same place and no one there knows where she is and the process server was unable to locate her. Now, what do I do with all the things she left behind? I do not have any place to store her belongings and am still going through much of my son's things. Can I just throw her stuff out? I don't know where she lives or works and I don't have a new phone number for her. I can't afford an attorney and am looking for suggestions. Thank you.
Re: Deceased Son's Fiancé Moved and Left Her Stuff in Our Home
This is not legal advice and if you act on my comments you do so at your own risk.
i was a landlord for twenty years. When my tenants left "trash" behind, I cleaned up the "trash" and threw it all in the dumpster. I kept nothing, I sold nothing. Just tossed out the "trash."
Get it?
If she ever comes back looking for her stuff, don't even engage her. Just say "Get off my property or I'll call the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Then take out your cell phone, hold it in front of you and stare her down without saying anything. If she doesn't leave, dial 911. Low lifes don't hang around for the police.
Re: Deceased Son's Fiancé Moved and Left Her Stuff in Our Home
Quote:
Quoting
adjusterjack
This is not legal advice and if you act on my comments you do so at your own risk.
i was a landlord for twenty years. When my tenants left "trash" behind, I cleaned up the "trash" and threw it all in the dumpster. I kept nothing, I sold nothing. Just tossed out the "trash."
Get it?
If she ever comes back looking for her stuff, don't even engage her. Just say "Get off my property or I'll call the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Then take out your cell phone, hold it in front of you and stare her down without saying anything. If she doesn't leave, dial 911. Low lifes don't hang around for the police.
This is good advice if none of her stuff has any real value. If it truly is pretty much trash. However if any of it has any kind of real value, then that advice can be a bit dangerous.
What kind of stuff has she left behind?
Re: Deceased Son's Fiancé Moved and Left Her Stuff in Our Home
Thank you for the suggestions.
Most of it is clothing, shoes, purses (full of trash), make up... my only concern is her mother's urn, with her mother's ashes.
Re: Deceased Son's Fiancé Moved and Left Her Stuff in Our Home
I would take AdjusterJack's suggestion, and sprinkle a tad bit of caution;
Box up as much of her stuff as you can, with whatever spare boxes you have. If you don't have any, throw it in some trash bags and keep the stuff in an out-of-the-way part of the house (basement, crawlspace, shed out back, attic, etc). If she's not around for her stuff after 2 months, toss it.
She comes back asking for her stuff, you call the police immediately.