Rogue Trader has abandoned tools!

[MuddlingThrough1724]

Hoping someone could give us an idea of what our obligations with respect to tools abandoned by a tradesman in our garden.

His work has been condemned (and is months behind schedule, is a compulsive liar and misappropriation our funds but that is another story) and therefore he has been kicked off the job. We fortunately paid mostly via credit card so are claiming money back via chargeback.

He hasn't been back to site and has left a selection of tools, none of which especially valuable, but still, they are his. They had been here, unused, for weeks before he was finally kicked off the project. We have a cement mixer, a spade, and extension lead, a ladder and a few other small bits and pieces. We asked him to let us know when he wanted to collect them, he told us a time and then didn't turn up and we have heard absolutely nothing since. They will soon be in the way of another contractor picking up the project and we don't have the space (or inclination) to store them.

Can anyone advise how best to approach getting rid of them? Is there a certain process to follow to notify him that if he doesn't get in touch to arrange collection we will dispose of them? We wouldn't sell them for cash as we don't want to profit despite the tradesman being a total cowboy and leaving us out of pocket, but were thinking of giving away in exchange for a charity donation, or just giving them away to anyone who will take them.

Is it fair game to give him 2 weeks/a month or similar and if they aren't gone, get rid of them?

Google the Torts (Interference with goods) Act and follow the procedure in that Act to the letter.

If you know his address one simple solution is just load them in a van and take them over and leave them outside I suppose.

If you know his address one simple solution is just load them in a van and take them over and leave them outside I suppose. A far better suggestion than using the Act I referred to, which is painstaking and full of potential traps for the unwary.

@Collaborate - the Act is not really easy reading for non legal people.

@TheFaerieQueene No it isn’t .

They're probably stolen, in that case. Do they have any identifying markings? If so, I'd ask the police if reported stolen. Tools can be very, very expensive.

Thanks all. We will give notice as per the advice of @Collaborate - I doubt there is much value to the tools - they are well used and things like ladders and a wheelbarrow. More of an inconvenient for us than anything!