To throw away the landlord's shit in the loft?

[MuttonWasAGoose]

We've just moved in to a nice house. The landlady mentioned that the loft was partly boarded out and that they'd left "a couple of boxes in the very back that we couldn't reach."

I just went to stow some things and pretty most of the boarded out space is full of their stuff. It's about a dozen or so cartons of crap. Mostly toys and holiday decorations.

None of this is on the inventory. I'd like to use that space for our empty suitcases, camping gear, etc. There's already a large shed full of their stuff that I grudgingly accept we can't use. But the loft situation annoys me.

DH feels it would be wrong to empty the loft. I have been in this situation before (previous landlord was much, much worse and I did throw everything away.) I just have no patience for this. I think it's infantile to be unable to take responsibility for your belongings. If they can't be bothered to move it, or even inventory it, then they clearly can't really care about it.

The first carton I looked in had what was clearly a well-loved child's teddy. Even I don't have the heart to toss that. But what about the other stuff?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Yabu to call her things shit and crap.

[ThatsHowYouGetAnts]

If you really need the space surely the thing to do is ask the landlady to move the stuff or allow you to dispose of it. You can't just chuck out her possessions

[MeMyMine]

Of course you can't!!!

You are renting a property from her, it's still her property...

[MuttonWasAGoose]

The loft isn't locked. We were specifically told that the loft was usable and that there were "a couple" of things in the back that were too hard to reach. We're expected to use it. But it's crammed full.

[BlueJug]

No. It is there and she told you it was there. By all means ask her to remove it but if you rented the place with the knowledge that stuff was stored there and that you did not have use of the shed or the loft then that is fair enough.

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

So you went through her stuff (that you knew was there when you decided to rent the place) and now you want to throw it out?!

Yes. Yabu. Totally unreasonable.

[MilkTwoSugarsThanks]

If it's not in the inventory you can just say "what stuff?" Can't you?

[BlueJug]

Is an agent involved?

And you can't say "what stuff?" as she discussed it with you. You could steal it and then lie about knowing it was there - but why would anyone do that? Just ask her.

[nuttybananas]

YABU - especially as you seem to want to chuck it out rather than do the normal thing and talk to the landlady.

Oh and if I was the landlady and found out you'd thrown my stuff out like this I would start eviction proceedings as soon as it came about. If it didn't come about till the end of the tenancy there is no way I'd be letting you have any deposit back.

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

No! It's her house and her things! She told you they were there. if you threw them away and then she came back for them would you just say "well they weren't in the inventory"? That would be cruel.
Why not ring her and ask her to move them?

[MuttonWasAGoose]

I didn't know it was there when I rented it. We were told that there was plenty of space for our use. Had to bring our ladder (after moving) to see it.
I didn't go through the stuff, just looked in the nearest carton. What I can see are toys and Christmas lights.

I think I'll ask her verbally to remove the bulk of it. Because there's no written record of it as it is, so why establish one?

[DinosaursRoar]

You cna't just throw it. You can, however, act like a reasonable, none crazy person and call or e-mail her to say that actually it's a lot more than a few boxes at the back, but is full, and had she forgotten to clear it? If it includes Christmas decorations, it could well be they meant to take them with them!

Act like you are sane and reasonable and ask her if she could move them so that you can use the loft.

[SevenOfNineTrue]

YABVU It is the landlord's property and her belongings. Imagine if someone came into your property and threw away the stuff they didn't think was important. How would you feel with mementos etc gone forever? You have no idea what sentimental value those items have. Tat to you might be precious to her.

The landlady was clear that there were boxes there and you should respect that. Your fault for not checking the property did not have enough storage space in the first place for all your possessions.

[wigglylines]

YABU and totally disrespectful.

YANBU to be annoyed she wasn't clear.

YABVU calling her infantile etc.

Just talk to her about it - politely.

If I was LL and you binned my things i'd be binning your tenancy agreement at the first available opportunity.

[VicWillia]

omg I cant believe that there are people in the world who think they can just toss someone else's stuff

What if it has real or sentimental value to her? Its her house, you are just renting! I rent too, and our landlord has loads of stuff in the loft. I just put up with it!

If you ask her nicely maybe she'll have it moved for you.

[MuttonWasAGoose]

It may be her house, but it's my home.

I'm just so tired of renting houses and always having to battle for the space. The previous landlord literally left every drawer and cupboard crammed with things like expired medication and their deceased parent's clothing. In that case, I asked, they refused (kept saying "but it's a furnished house!") and I eventually pitched most of it.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Just talk to her.

[NewLife4Me]

Ha Ha, is this for real?
What on earth makes you think you can just throw somebodies belongings away?

[BlueJug]

She told you it was there. The dispute seems to be over how much of the loft each of you needs. She probably thought you might also need to put the odd box and Xmas lights up there not suitcases and camping gear. You thought she had two small boxes whereas to her "a couple" meant four or five. Easy to sort out if you talk to her.

[MuttonWasAGoose]

OK. I'll talk to her. It's not a big deal that things are up there. It's just that there's very little usable space.

And my things would absolutely be "shit and crap" to anybody else. I wouldn't expect anyone else to accommodate it.

[MediumBox]

yabu to just toss stuff
the LL ibvvu not to remove any possessions out

What if it has real or sentimental value to her? Its her house, you are just renting! I rent too, and our landlord has loads of stuff in the loft. I just put up with it!

if it's of sentimental value to the LL they should have taken it with them.

will the LL expect access to retrieve stuff from loft/shed?

[Utterlyclueless]

This is one of the cheekiest posts I've seen on here!

Of course you can't get rid of it, it's not yours to get rid of!

[TheTigerIsOut]

The new landlord is not your last landlord, you may be tired of dealing with the other but that doesn't mean that you should treat this problem as if it was a continuation of your last one.

Just be polite and tell them you need the space.

[Bumshkawahwah]

But why on earth would you rent out a house with your stuff still in it? OP, of course you can't just chick it, but I get where you're coming from.