A family living in an apartment across the street from me was

[ikojo]

evicted today. I feel for them because it's very cold here and their stuff was just thrown on the steps. How humiliating. Isn't there a better way?

[wartrace]

1. Unfortunately there isn't a better way.

They knew they were being evicted, they had time to move their stuff. The landlord was not getting paid & has no obligation to store items the former tenant left behind. Chances are the landlord lost money during the eviction process.

If such an obligation existed the net result would be higher rental fees paid by tenants.

[emilyg]

2. You are right. Still sad.

[LeftyMom]

3. Here the landlord is required to store things in the unit for three days

except for obvious trash. After that three days (well, until after the three day notice of abandoned property expires- if you're smart you have one of these ready when the sheriff's office calls and says they're on their way, that way you have a very good witness it was served if any property remains when they leave) the landlord has to store the stuff for another period if it's worth more than $200 (I think 10 days, but don't quote me) but can do so offsite. The tenant can be charged reasonable storage fees for the interval, should they pick anything up which in my experience as a property manager never happened. After that stuff can be sold off and applied to any back rent, any remainder goes to the tenant if you can track them down, in the unlikely event they leave something worth more than they owe.

Oh, and when the county mounties show up to do the lockout, they give the tenant an hour to clear out what they can, provided they're not damaging the unit or making a gigantic scene. That's not legally required, it's just local policy.

When I was managing property I was always very careful with anything that might be an heirloom or something, and on more than one occasion stored that kind of thing for much longer than was legally required in the hope that the owner would eventually come get it. One tenant left a house full of worthless crap (messed up prefab furniture, a lot of trash) didn't bother to clean out her fridge, left her tank of fish to die (I was able to get another tenant to take them, all but one made it, his buddies had eaten him) and generally screwed up, but I boxed up her family photos and baby clothes thinking that eventually she'd come get them. She did, years later. And then she accused me of stealing her shitty Kmart entertainment center, because no good deed goes unpunished.

What I guess I'm saying is that landlord-tenant law varies wildly, and in California you never throw people's stuff out on the street.

[Inchworm]

4. Watch for abandoned pets

Hate to sound harsh, but that happens quite often in that situation and pets nor babies can say.. umm wtf, where is everyone goin.

:(

[elleng]

5. Better way

is for the authorities to NOT EVICT under adverse weather conditions.

[datasuspect]

6. Let's Lynch the Landlord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo46V3Y8auE


"Let's Lynch The Landlord"

The Landlord's here to visit
They're blasting disco down below
Sez, "I'm doubling up the rent
Cos the building's condemned
You're gonna help me buy City Hall"

But we can, you know we can
But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord man

I tell them 'turn on the water'
I tell 'em 'turn on the heat'
Tells me 'All you ever do is complain'
Then they search the place when I'm not here

But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord
Let's lynch the landlord
Let's lynch the landlord man

There's rats chewin' up the kitchen
Roaches up to my knees
Turn the oven on, it smells like Dachau, yeah
Til the rain pours thru the ceiling

But we can, you know we can
Let's lynch the landlord man