how long do I have to hold onto someones property?

aby1

Hi, I have a property that was vacant at the time of a family dispute and I agreed to let a relative stay at the property until they could find alternative accommodation. Due to personal circumstances we let the time slide and it's been almost a year now and we have been trying to get this person to leave for a number of months but he is a chronic alcoholic and has been avoiding our calls or when we reach him he is too intoxicated to have a conversation.

He was recently taken to hospital and we took the opportunity to pack up his things and request, during one of his lucid periods, that he arrange someone to pick up his stuff or give us an address we could leave it all at but he is refusing saying he doesn't have anyone to help him or provide storage.

He was given the key to an immaculate house that we had ready for renting at the time and he has destroyed it. It is going to cost thousands to fix what he has done to it but I really don't care at this stage I just want him and all his belongings and urine soaked/faeces covered rags out of my house.

I know we're lucky he wasn't a tenant but I'm sure we still have some obligation to see that he gets his stuff back but how? If he won't collect it what can we do? Do we have provide free storage after what he's done?

I'm at my wits end with it all. Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance

ABajaninCork

Can you take the property to the Gards, explain the situation and tell your relative to pick it up there?

Victor

Can the property be put into storage? Self-storage lock-up can possibly used quite cheaply.

€10/week http://www.storageworld.ie/

slimjimmc

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Can you take the property to the Gards, explain the situation and tell your relative to pick it up there?

Why the Gardaí? They won't and shouldn't get involved in a civil/family issue unless there is a crime.
It would be far more appropriate to contact Social services, that's their field, leave the Gardaí to policing.

aby1

Hi folks, thanks for your replies.

As there is no criminal matter there is little the Gardai could do for us. Re the storage, we had thought of that but his belongings are filty, it would only be a matter of days before the storage company would be insisting we empty it all out again. It's really only his paperwork, a tv and a 2 seater that have any real value, everything else is beyond disgusting and fit only for the bin but we're afraid to bin it as it's not our property to decide.

Think I'll get onto Citizens advice today and see if they can offer any solutions. I'm terrified we'll have rats in the house if we don't get all his stuff out soon.

cheers again for replying.

newmug

If his clothes are that bad, I'd burn them on the quiet and buy him new ones. Health and safety includes hygene. Your health comes first, deal with court (or whatever) for destroying his property later.