Landlord Question and Answer Forum

One of my tenant's left his bed made with all linens, trash, marijuana labeled medicine bottles, towels, slippers, shower items, personal hygiene items, after his lease ended and he left the property. Most all of the many other belongings were gone. Am I responsible by Arizona Landlord Tenant Law to keep belongings for a certain period of time? I couldn't find anything in my copy or the online version of the Arizonal Landlord/Tenant Act. I put in writing the requirements of vacating the property and leaving the property in the same condition as found upon the beginning of his tenancy and gave him a copy 60 days prior and 30 days prior to move out at end of lease. Still, he did not comply. He moved out 18 May, his lease officially ended 20 May. Sent notice to him regarding his personal property, and where to retreive it, on May 25, he received notice in Florida on May 29, and I've kept his stuff until today. Would like to remove it from property to prepare for new tenants moving in this weekend (June 1/2, 2013). I don't have another property to store his belongings and the lease was ended on May 20 officially.

Traditionally, after sending notice to reclaim items a time frame is given. Once that time frame expires... and its not claimed its yours to dispose of.

Posted by karen s, WI on Monday, June 10, 2013

Actually the law in California and Arizona is different than Wisconsin and the advice given was dead wrong, you could be sued for following it. California law requires the landlord to send a notice of right to reclaim abandoned personal property giving the former tenant 15 days (plus 3 days mailing) 18 days total to come and get their stuff. If the personal property is valued at $700 or more, then it must be sold by a professional auctioneer. It does not matter if the tenant was evicted or left voluntarily after being the best tenant in the world. If you simply dispose of their stuff they can come back and sue you for the full replacement value. There are only a few companies like mine that specialize in providing personal property appraisals to indemnify landlords for personal property like this.

Posted by Billy B, CA on Monday, October 14, 2013