Disposing Of Property

[sigma]

My son recently moved house, the previous owners had left a number of items behind (mainly kitchen utensils) He has asked them to collect them but they have not been back. How long does he have to keep them before he can dispose of them

[Flonska]

Your son should talk to his solicitor. They should contact the sellers' solicitors and request that the sellers remove the items left behind forthwith and explain that if they fail to do so, he will arrange disposal of the items. Also your son should talk to the selling agents to see if they can influence the vendors in a positive way.

[ummmm]

Solicitors cost money!

If they left them behind the chances are they don't want them. Keep them or bin them.

[mikey4444]

Ummm is right here....begger the Solicitors....tell the previous owners one more time and then bin them !

[woofgang]

If they sold the house, surely minor items left there become the property of the purchaser?

[Eve]

Is the house rented or privately owned by your son and were the former occupiers renting or private owners, if renting, is it by the same landlord/agents?

[Bigbad]

If that were the case, woofgang, then surely that would give people carte blanche to leave behind any old rubbish they couldn’t be bothered to dispose of.

I moved at the end of September, and on one of the forms, there was a section where I had to agree to remove all items, unless it was previously agreed they would be left.

Assuming the property was bought, then I would ask their agents to contact them, and give them say 2 weeks to arrange a convenient time to come back, but if they fail to do so, any costs incurred by your son to dispose of them, would be pursued through The Small Claims Court.
I would also back this up with a recorded delivery letter. Your son could address it to his address, but if the previous owners are having their post redirected, it should reach them.
If he gets a knock from the postie one morning, though, it didn’t work!

[Buenchico]

Section 12 of the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 applies here.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/32

(Theoretically at least) your son is obliged to give the owner of the items formal notice of his intention to sell them and to provide him with a reasonable opportunity to collect them to prevent such a sale. (The law doesn't specify a specific period). After that time is up your son is entitled to sell the goods but he must
(a) ensures that he gets the best price for them ; and
(b) hand over that money to the previous owner if asked to do so.

In practice though, a letter stating that your son will assume that the previous owners have abandoned the goods if they're not collected within (say) 21 days, and that he'll then donate them to a charity shop, would probably suffice.

[Peter Pedant]

s.12 applies if you want to sell them
very clear article here

http://www.letlink.co.uk/articles/17-articles/abandonment/269-abandonment-what-to-do-with-goods-left-at-the-property

see goods of a low value
which I think kitchen utensils are