guest left his personal belongings, no answer

[Eric1103]

in UK: what is the legal background for me to do??

guest left all his personal belongings, does not reply to airbnb or me, flat full with his stuff. we packed it together.

but can I throw it? If yes, when? thing like TV, computer, playstation, games, expensive wine bottles, doesn't feel right to throw it, but can not store it forever, too.

are the costs covered by AirBnB hosting garuantee?

can I charge for storing?

what is the agreement with AirBnB in a case like this?

[Donna240]

Did he leave at the end of his term/booking? Personally, I'd contact the police to see if any John Does have been reported in your area. John Doe is the name used for persons who are unidentified by name in my country. Leaving valuables like that is not normal or usual. 

[Eric1103]

he wrote me once he is in scotland, but not telling me when he is back. I saw some action yesterday on his airbnb profile, as he has removed his picture, so he is alive and not arrested I guess.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Eric1103 

If his booking is over then you can't see his profile picture anymore. So it doesn't mean anything.

Do you know his full name? I would contact the police and maybe hospitals to see if he was arrested or ended up in a hospital or something.

I always ask for photo ID of all my guests and register them, it is useful in such situations too.

[Sandra126]

This is highly unusual. I am thinking he might have had an accident, could be in hospital. So you have been in touch with Airbnb and they are trying to reach the guest as well? I would maybe ring a hospital as well as the police, as @Donna240 says.

[Eric1103]

@Sandra0, thanks, see my reply to Donna

[Jeff158]

@Eric1103 Low value items you keep for 3 months and high value items you hand over to the police.

https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/luggage-and-belongings

[Eric1103]

thanks, but would that apply to me a "normal" person, as I am not a hotel or a business? felt very hotel related. but somebody also told me hand it over to the police.

[Alon1]

@Eric1103 

I've only skimmed Jeff's link which seems exclusively for Hotels.

In any case, unclaimed valuables handed to police normally end up at Police Auctions.

Another alternative is FREECYCLE. Very popular around the UK. Everything you have will be snapped up in no time.

[Eric1103]

thanks Alon,

this link is the best I could find so far: https://helix-law.co.uk/property-law-blogs/what-can-i-do-if-my-tenant-leaves-belongings-at-the-prope...

[Eric1103]

they recommend to keep it 21 days...

[Alon1]

@Eric1103

The link you posted is evidently related to longer term tenants.

You keep posing the question re. Airbnb Guarantee?

No one has specifically replied with an answer, so best contact Airbnb and if it's an initial phone call, just make sure to get a follow up written confirmation.

If Airbnb don't provide a concrete answer,  and it seems odd that he replied once, but doesn't seem he specifically responded to this issue -. If that's the case, I would send a couple of reminders through the messaging system.

  If still no reply, after that, do as you please. 

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[Eric1103]

If I would have had a normal AST agreement items can be removed if so agreed in the contract.

But I do not know, if such thing is in any agreement with Airbnb.

[Quincy]

Hi @Eric1103, 

Welcome to the Community Center. 

I have also had guests forgetting items but luckily they've reached out to me to get their items back. I think in your case I'd wait for a little bit longer. As you've posted on Monday I was wondering if you've heard back from your guest? Have you also reached out to Airbnb to let them know about the situation? 

[Cormac0]

@Eric1103 

In Ireland you'd be obliged to keep it indefinitely, there was a court case over a bicycle left behind by a tenant and after a year he came looking for it, the judge decided that the landlord should buy the tenant a new bike and additionally pay him compensation for his loss.

I presume it something similar in the UK

The host guarantee in more honoured in the breach than the observance.