Location: WV
Very long story short, my ex moved out of our shared apartment and left his couch. I later moved out of the apartment and took the couch with me. I don’t particularly like the couch but a couch is a couch and he left it. He is now demanding I pay for the couch. I told him I would not and if he’s that upset I’ll leave it outside for him to get. He’s saying if I do that he’ll call the cops on me. Is that even legal? Am I at fault for bringing the couch to my new place?
Comments
Look to see if WV has a law about abandoned property. In my state you have to send a notice saying that that if you don’t retrieve your abandoned property within 35 days it will be deemed conclusively abandoned and can be disposed of.
Most states have similar laws
E – you might find this helpful https://legalaidwv.org/legal-information/abandoned-personal-property-in-rental-housing/
Your state is famous for burning couches, could you do something like that?
Tell him he should have taken it with him and that that he owes you for storage and a moving fee. F him
refuse to pay. keep the couch and save money. dude is being petty because he got left.
WV’s abandoned property law applies to tenants and landlords.
Police will not do anything about this idiot’s complaint.
It’s a civil issue. At most, the idiot can retrieve it. You definitely don’t have to pay him for something he willfully abandoned without any proof of a sales agreement.
If he won’t come get it, you can keep it or drop it off near a homeless encampment.