How Do I Remove a Friend's Property Left on in My Building?

Full question:

I own a building and I told a friend he could put somethings in there for a week. He had someone buying all his stuff. They were to pick it up the next week but they never did. I sent them a letter saying they had til the end of the next month to pick it up. That time came and went. It's been 3 or 5 months. I called him yesterday and told him I was going to be sitting it out this weekend if he didn't pick it up. They said they would sue me if I did. They never gave me money for storing it and I've had people that want to rent the space. Can I sell or sit their stuff out and can they sue me ?

• Category: Abandoned Property
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Kentucky

Answer:

Abandoned property is primarily governed by local ordinances, so we suggest calling the local police department to inquire about applicable procedures for abandoned property. Typically, such laws require notice to be sent to the last known address, giving a certain length of notice for the property to be retrieved or otherwise deemed abandoned and subject to sale.

When a person who is not a landlord agrees to hold property for another, a bailment is created. When the person holding the property, called the bailee, is not being compensated, it is called a gratutous bailment and the bailee must use reasonable care to protect the property.

There are different types of bailments- "bailments for hire" in which the custodian (bailee) is paid, "constructive bailment" when the circumstances create an obligation upon the custodian to protect the goods, and "gratuitous bailment" in which there is no payment, but the bailee is still responsible. There is a lower standard of care imposed upon the bailee in a gratuitous bailment, and the parties may contract to hold the bailee free from liability in any bailment. As the law of bailments establishes a lower standard of care for the bailee in a gratuitous bailment agreement, such an agreement or receipt should indicate explicitly that the bailee is acting without compensation. When a bailment is for the exclusive benefit of the bailee, the bailee owes a duty of extraordinary care. If the bailment is for the mutual benefit of the bailee and bailor, the bailee owes a duty of ordinary care. A gratuitous bailee must use only slight care and is liable only for gross negligence. To create a bailment, the alleged bailee must have actual physical control with the intent to possess. Physical control and intent to possess will be interpreted according to the expectations of the parties. If a court thinks that liability would be unexpected or unfair, it can usually find that the defendant did not have “physical control” or “intent to possess.” For example, courts are more likely to find a bailment of a car exists in a garage with an attendant than in a park and lock garage.