£4000 found when ripping out kitchen

[ElizabethDarcy88]

Today after having old kitchen ripped out our fitter found hidden a box and inside was £4000 in cash. ...we have informed solicitor who managed the sale. (It was a probate house sale) what do you think will happen?

[Fizbosshoes]

@FAQs

I love the way the article has included a random file photo of some money (dollars) and a kitchen renovation in case any reader is struggling to imagine what has happened...🤣🤣🤣

[Rosscameasdoody]

@Furryfeet

This is what I was wondering. The use of the word ‘claiming’ is ambiguous. Are they just saying ‘yeah, we’ll take it’ or ‘We believe there’s a case for us receiving it’?

No. During the conveyancing the seller has the opportunity to declare that he has no interest in any chattels on the property - in other words anything left behind that the buyer might find. If the seller has done this, then the money would legally be the buyers’. If the seller has not done this, then the money is legitimately his and he doesn’t have to prove ownership as it was part of the ‘chattels’ found by the buyer. The law of finders’ theft also applies. If you find money anywhere and you have no reason to believe it belongs to you, or is yours by right, then you have a duty to hand it in to the appropriate authorities to trace the owners. In this case it was the conveyancing solicitor - the rightful owner was easily traced because the house was recently sold.

[lisaj601]

Aww I think it’s wonderful that we still have such honest people in our world - whatever happens - you’ve done the right thing - unless, of course, it’s spent on lawyers dealing with it / good luck 🤞

[Petlover9]

@lifecanbehardattimes

Totally different scenario but years ago a friend found a wallet with cash and cards in it.

It was before mobile phones and the wallet had the owners details in it.

My friend phoned the owner with every intention of sending it back. The owner was really quite rude, told him to post the wallet back and didn't say thank you.

Because of the rudeness, my friend kept the cash (it wasn't a huge amount), cut up the cards and posted the empty wallet back!

Your friend should have included a note on manners

[SewingMum46]

Another different scenario but the wallet story reminded me of it - a really long time ago I found someone’s insurance policy breakdown in a library book - complete with name, address, policy number and a list of jewellery items. It was dated a few months earlier and the address wasn’t far from where I lived. Late 1980s and several listed items of £1000s in value. I put it in an envelope with a short covering letter explaining where I’d found it and that I wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands so was posting it back to them. I sent it First Class and signed for as it was a sensitive document. A couple of weeks later I got a reply saying they’d sold all the stuff anyway. They enclosed one second class stamp and didn’t actually say thank you for my trouble!
Not sure what I’d been expecting but a thank you would have been a nice touch!

[ElizabethDarcy88]

Hey just an update....so the lady who sold us the house came over and handed us an envelope with £500 in which was very kind and I feel karma helped give it back to us.

[Ilikewinter]

Ah that was nice of her !

[ScribblingPixie]

Oh that's really nice. I hope you treat yourself to something lovely, OP. You deserve it!

[RagzRebooted]

Ahhh that's kind, hope you have some lovely treats with that.

[Winkydink]

Brilliant. Thanks for the update!

[TheMagicDeckchair]

Great update! You can enjoy spending that money with a clear conscience.

[SuperCamp]

Lovely update.

[ILoveAllRainbowsx]

Great. I was surprised when they didn't give you anything back in June. Good that they did the right thing at last.

[Blue2021]

Love the update. So great of you guys being so honest in the first place. Enjoy some treats x

[RightMessUp]

What a fantastic update. It makes me think it was genuinely theirs. If they were being shady and falsely claiming the money I suspect they wouldn't be the type to reward your honestly.

I hope you put the money towards something fun!

[Clymene]

Oh what a lovely update

[underneaththeash]

I think that was very kind of you - it will bring you
luck xx

[underneaththeash]

Reverse

[Blossomtoes]

That’s really nice @ElizabethDarcy88. Honesty does pay.

[commonfik]

@ElizabethDarcy88 How strange!! Surely the cash was yours in the first place! 😳You bought the house and it’s contents… ?!

What was the legal position of the ex-owners?

[Enko]

What a nice update :)

[chaosmaker]

@ElizabethDarcy88

Hey just an update....so the lady who sold us the house came over and handed us an envelope with £500 in which was very kind and I feel karma helped give it back to us.

That is lovely of her. :)

[Quia]

@commonfik

@ElizabethDarcy88 How strange!! Surely the cash was yours in the first place! 😳You bought the house and it’s contents… ?!

What was the legal position of the ex-owners?

No, it wasn't OP's. Read the thread.