California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (under $700)

California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (Under $700)

The California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (Under $700) notifies a tenant when they have left behind personal property worth less than $700 after vacating a rental property. In order to legally dispose of the tenant’s personal property, as a landlord in California, you must first provide the tenant with this form and give them the opportunity to reclaim their property.

When you have a former tenant who has left personal property behind at one of your rental properties, you may not simply throw it away or sell it. You must first notify the tenant with this form, which gives them a reasonable amount of time in which to reclaim the property and pay reasonable storage fees for it. It also notifies them that their property may be kept, sold, or destroyed after the deadline delineated within the notice.

Who: As a landlord in California, you must provide this document to any tenant who has vacated one of your rental properties and has left personal possessions behind. This is the form you will use only if the estimated value of those possessions is less than $700.

What: The California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (Under $700) gives tenants reasonable notice that they have left behind personal property that they may want to reclaim. It gives the tenant a specific deadline to reclaim their personal property and to pay for any applicable and reasonable storage fees for the property. It also clearly notifies the tenant that, if they do not reclaim their property, that it may be kept, sold, or destroyed.

When: Give this California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (Under $700) to your former tenant as soon as you become aware that they have left behind personal property valued at less than $700.

IMPORTANT: Please note that this is not the document you should use if your tenant has left behind property estimated at $700 or more. If that is the case, then you will need to serve them with the California Notice to Reclaim Abandoned Property (Over $700).

Related Landlord Resources:

Landlords in California may also find the following documents and resources helpful in acquiring tenants, maintaining landlord-tenant relationships, and handling transitions between tenants:

• California Lease Agreement
• California Guide to Residential Tenants’ and Landlords’ Rights and Responsibilities
• California 60 Day Notice to Vacate
• Mutual Termination of Lease Tenancy
• California Notification of Pre-Move Out Inspection