AIBU to sell works laptop?

[sweetttooth]

I left my last job back in March. I took voluntary redundancy after the company merged. My manager and whole team left, but I stayed for another year. I really didn’t like it and asked for voluntary redundancy when they announced more layoffs.

I kept asking how they were going to pick up my laptop (I worked from home) but no one ever replied. I reached out to my manager, the HR manager and colleague. They all ignored me and never arranged a pickup. I refused to drop it off myself because the nearest office was 2 hours away and I knew they wouldn’t reimburse me for the trip. So, it’s just been sitting in my cupboard since then because I don’t use it.

Would it be unreasonable for me to wipe it and sell it? Or considered theft? I don’t want it anymore, and I think I’ve given them more than enough time to come and get it. Boyfriend works in IT so could do it for me.

Don’t do that. Post it?

If you are going to sell it, I wouldn’t ask for opinions on Mumsnet! 😂

if it were me I’d send one last email asking them to pick it up within 30 days. If I still had it after that then I’d sell it tbh.

No of course you can't sell property that doesn't belong to you.

I don't know why this is such an issue. Stick it in a box and send it recorded delivery to the office. It'll cost you a tenner but there's no comeback on you then.

Legally it's not your property so don't have the right to sell it.

Just email them asking them to send a prepaid label to return it to them.

It’s risky - doubt they will ever ask for it back now, but what if there is some data your boyfriend doesn’t wipe properly? You would almost certainly be liable for any kind of data breach.

What if they eventually ask for it back? As pp said, post it back or leave it in the cupboard. Selling it is risky in multiple ways.

I'd also write to them, giving them a time-frame in which to collect it and stating that if it has not been collected by that date, you will dispose of it accordingly. If it has an asset number on it, quote that in your email.

Husband also works in IT and there is rarely any kit that they actually want back as it become obsolete quote quickly these days. The residual value is probably not worth it for them to collect it.

I remember your thread in March and you were going to ask to keep the lap top!!

I don't see why I should have to pay for that tbh. They won't reimburse me for it. But that’s probably petty of me. They treated me like shit, so perhaps that's clouding my judgement. I asked them 3 times to arrange delivery so I did try. I know another colleague (who left in January) still has hers. She also tried. It's clear they don't mind losing money, which is odd considering all the redundancies they made.

This is the first time I’ve posted about this. Why would I ask to keep it when I’ve tried to give it back 3 times, doesn’t make any sense.

You are not required to store it indefinitely but cannot profit from selling it. So if you sell it you have to turn over the proceeds to your ex-employer. The only exception would be if they tell you that you can keep it. I would keep pursuing them to collect it, give them a deadline and tell them if it isn't collected by then you will dispose of it.

When you 'reached out' to your manager, the HR manager and colleague, did you actually do it by telephone?

You need to speak to someone, make arrangements and then firm them up in an email so you have proof of the conversation.

Handing a work laptop to your boyfriend and allowing him access, could get you in a whole heap of trouble.

You need to be told you can keep it before you sell it. Also it may not be as simple as being able to be ‘wiped’ because depending on your company only people with administrative access would be able to do that

I sent an email to my manager and the HR manager and then a WhatsApp message from my work phone to my colleague. She read it but didn’t respond. I wasn’t keen on talking to my manager over the phone as we didn’t really get on.

Yes me too!!!

Blatantly the same Op

she was told at the time - you’re totally taking the piss op!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5328969-what-have-been-your-grief-stages-of-being-made-redundant?page=3&reply=144082376

The most I'd do is pop it in a cereal box, post it without a stamp and let them pay the unpayed postage on it. No way would I waste the money on sending something recorded delivery to a company that made me redundant.

That isn’t me. As I said, this is the first time I’ve posted about this. Why would I try to arrange delivery multiple times if I wanted to keep it? Why would I lie? I’ve not even used the bloody thing, it’s been sitting in my cupboard since March 🤣

I also applied for voluntary redundancy, and I certainly felt no grief because of it. I was pleased to leave!

I don't think it is. A lot of the details are different!

You have been looking after it for long enough. Create a burner account and flog the thing on Marketplace for cash in hand.

I think you should see if you can get a half hour free legal advice. It reminds me of when tradesmen leave their tools at customers houses and don’t respond to messages to collect. I was surprised at how careful you have to be getting rid of someone else’s stuff and believe it or not just asking them a few times is normally not enough. There’s an etiquette to it which I’d look into it especially where company and personal data is involved (albeit you said you’d wipe it).

I would post it but if you do decide to sell i would give them one last chance with a timescale. Also keep all the emails and messages to show you did try just incase they suddenly want it back years down the line

You have plenty of excuses about things you don't want to do and aren't keen on.

If you just want to keep it, I don't know why you started this thread?

Hand it to your boyfriend/sell it at your own risk but if you get found out, your excuses are unlikely to wash with the company.

Well that's up to you, but I'd rather cover my arse and prove I sent it back.

If the company goes under and a liquidator is called in they'll be combing through the asset register to raise funds. I wouldn't like to be the OP at that point if I couldn't prove I'd sent it back.

Huh? How is that an excuse? You asked me a question, so I gave you an answer. Isn’t that how this works?

Also, I’m not really sure why I should be the one to do all the chasing here, or even more than I’ve already done.

They’re a large company based in multiple countries so I can’t imagine them going under anytime soon. But I see your point.