What do you do if your tenant leaves behind personal belongings after they move out?

Whether a tenant moves out because their lease expired or other means, personal items, including furniture, may be left behind. Before you throw out the items left behind, viewing them as abandoned or unwanted, it’s best to check to see what Nevada law states! As a matter of fact, Nevada law discusses this type of situation clearly under Nevada Revised Statute 118A.460 with the heading “Procedure for disposal of personal property abandoned or left on premises.”

The law states:

1.  The landlord may dispose of personal property abandoned on the premises by a former tenant or left on the premises after eviction of the tenant without incurring civil or criminal liability in the following manner:

(a) The landlord shall reasonably provide for the safe storage of the property for 30 days after the abandonment or eviction or the end of the rental period and may charge and collect the reasonable and actual costs of inventory, moving and storage before releasing the property to the tenant or his or her authorized representative rightfully claiming the property within that period. The landlord is liable to the tenant only for the landlord’s negligent or wrongful acts in storing the property.

(b) After the expiration of the 30-day period, the landlord may dispose of the property and recover his or her reasonable costs out of the property or the value thereof if the landlord has made reasonable efforts to locate the tenant, has notified the tenant in writing of his or her intention to dispose of the property and 14 days have elapsed since the notice was given to the tenant. The notice must be mailed to the tenant at the tenant’s present address, and if that address is unknown, then at the tenant’s last known address.

This process allows for sufficient time for a tenant to claim their items.  The appropriate time allowance and notice of disposal needs to be provided by the landlord. So, be sure to follow Nevada law and save yourself from liability!

NRS source: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-118A.html#NRS118ASec450

Contributed by Nicklin Property Management.