I rented a house a few months back from a lady getting divorced. Her husband moved out and she was trying not to take a total loss on the hosue. When I left, the owner allowed me to store a few things in the garage (my massage chair worth about $1000 and a dresser). She said I could keep it there for 6-8 weeks. In the meantime, her ex moved back in and changed the locks. I coudn't get my suff out. Her ex had changed the locks. After a few months of bitching and fighting, I got my dresser but not my chair. He said he "gave it away". I contacted his father and tried to go that route, because he asked me not to call the cops....now I am just pissed. He can't get it back....so he says.

So, whats my next move? File papers in small claims court? Is there anything I can do?

1/17/2008 1:37:19 PM

the only thing.. and most logical thing is to sue them for the worth of the chair. It was your property, and you had permission from the lady.

that is... if the lady still had rights to the house. if she didnt, and she told you you could, i would sue them both.

1/17/2008 1:40:06 PM

How much was the chair worth? It will probably cost you more to get it back.

1/17/2008 1:40:22 PM

Quote :

"my massage chair worth about $1000"

1/17/2008 1:41:00 PM

I would file

^^If you win the case, don't they have to pay your costs?

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:41 PM. Reason : ^]

1/17/2008 1:41:43 PM

whats the depreciation of a chair such as that?

1/17/2008 1:41:45 PM

sue for expenses, as well

^ i'm not entirely sure it's relevant...i think what's relevant is the cost associated with replacing the chair

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:42 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 1:41:54 PM

Paid =/= worth.

Nevermind. For the cost of a replacement try small claims.

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:46 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 1:42:43 PM

even refurbished, the chair is worth $700

http://officedesigns.stores.yahoo.net/ihhtt7.html

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:44 PM. Reason : l]

1/17/2008 1:42:54 PM

Yeah I would not store anything of value in a situation like that. I mean you had to know that was a bad idea, right?

There is a specific process a landlord has to follow when disposing of property left behind. I think they have to mail you notice via certified letter etc. Look it up and if that process was not followed you definitely want to know that for court.

Also, you need a way to prove that chair was worth $1,000 bucks, I hope you keep receipts.

1/17/2008 1:44:21 PM

yeah that is true^^

plus what quagmire said is probably true also

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:45 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 1:44:41 PM

1/17/2008 1:45:27 PM

I didnt' think I would have any problems to be honest...I have everything in writting. And I was given NO notice of anything. The chair is not brand new or anything like that, but I can definatly get the reciepts. It was bought at Brookstone on my Visa.

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 1:48 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 1:46:59 PM

Quote :

"There is a specific process a landlord has to follow when disposing of property left behind. I think they have to mail you notice via certified letter etc."

i used to turn apartments, once the lease is up, your property becomes their property, and all of it goes in the dumpster

1/17/2008 2:10:32 PM

http://www.judgejudy.com

1/17/2008 2:12:20 PM

haha, tww esq. sucks

1/17/2008 2:13:07 PM

sue for the worth of the chair plus money for getting stressed and having to do all this, plus court fees and whatnot

basically get two chairs out of it

1/17/2008 4:11:37 PM

thanks for the advice. i am gonna head to the court house tomorrow and file a small claim suit. I will let you guys know how it goes.

1/18/2008 12:29:47 AM

touch to prove anything that isn't in writing

1/18/2008 12:47:48 AM

wow this is some trailor park, judge judy shit

1/18/2008 12:58:23 AM

I have taken the next step. I filed a small claim against him for @$1300.00
I also had to have him served, so I sprung the extra 15 bucks to have a cop deliver the paper work. Court date is 3/3/08 so I will post updates after that.

1/30/2008 2:15:47 PM

sweet. Hope it works out.

1/30/2008 2:33:35 PM

z

1/30/2008 5:56:24 PM

opportunist prick...I hope you lose. It's you own fault for leaving your shit somewhere else for 2 months, not the guy who changed the locks on your probably creepy ass.

1/30/2008 6:01:18 PM

haha. dude got SERVED

1/30/2008 6:11:21 PM

did the chair massage your penis?

1/30/2008 6:24:10 PM

Quote :

"i used to turn apartments, once the lease is up, your property becomes their property, and all of it goes in the dumpster"

Only if it was abandoned without notice of intent to return or an understanding that the owner intended to retrieve it. In most states this communication of intent bars the landlord from simply siezing the property that was left. If he has emails indicating that they knew he intended to retrieve the chair and dresser or that suggesting they understood he was not simply leaving it behind, then they have to go through very different procedures.

1/30/2008 6:37:08 PM

massage those balls, boy!

1/30/2008 6:42:27 PM

xsmp loses this thread

1/30/2008 6:59:46 PM

why do I lose this thread?
there was a lot of effort drunktyper could have gone to that he didn't - like going to the house with a truck while dude was home, and getting his precious thousand dollar chair MONTHS AGO.

1/30/2008 7:51:52 PM

i'm at least 800 percent more creepy than drunktyper

1/30/2008 8:15:54 PM

yep

1/30/2008 8:30:44 PM

theres a case like this on like every episode of the peoples court. usually the red headed lady gets mad and screams at the people who use the other garage for storage and throws the claim out

i dont know!

1/30/2008 8:32:31 PM

who the fuck are you


george costanza?

1/30/2008 8:44:08 PM

XSMP...I did head to the house and tried to pick up my stuff about 4 times with 3 different people. 2 of them are coming to court with me as witnesses. I have a total of 63 phone calls, 31 text messages and 3 certified letters that were sent out trying to get the chair back. I first went to the house 2 weeks after I left the stuff (and I was still paying rent) but the guy had already changed the locks.

My court date is 3/3 so I will let you know what happens.

2/27/2008 8:31:47 PM

That sucks From personal experience, the court will probably rule in your favor since you've been keeping records.

2/27/2008 8:35:46 PM

The court ruled in my favor for the chair, so he has 10 days to get it to me. The problem is he claims he no longer has it and doesn't know where it is. I have two options, settle out of court for some $ or take it to the next level and sue him for replacement cost now that I have a ruling. This would require that I hire an lawyer. I hate the way our court system works...but I guess it worked this time.

Just to let you know, we are going to settle it out of court for around $700 so it worked out in the end.

3/4/2008 2:13:17 PM

didn't the chair cost more than that?

3/4/2008 2:27:09 PM

new it would be 1200...but i found one factory refurbished for 700

3/4/2008 2:29:03 PM

nice.

good to hear some advice on tww actually worked.

3/4/2008 2:32:41 PM

3/4/2008 3:31:53 PM