What happens to property a tenant leaves behind after moving out?
Short Answer
In NL a landlord must store a tenant's left-behind property safely for at least 30 days and give the Director an inventory; it can be disposed of only with the Director's authorization, or sold after 30 days on the Director's terms.
The landlord must store it safely, either by removing it to safe storage or storing it on the premises, and must keep it for at least 30 days. An inventory goes to the director at the earliest reasonable opportunity, and to the tenant if the tenant can be located.
The landlord cannot simply dispose of it: that requires the director's authorization, which is given where the property has no monetary value, where storage or sale would cost more than it is worth, or where storing it would be unsanitary or unsafe. A tenant who reclaims the property within the 30 days pays the landlord's reasonable removal and storage costs.
If it is not claimed within the 30 days, the landlord may sell it on terms set by the director, keep the reasonable costs of removal, storage and sale (and any amount needed to satisfy a director's order for compensation) from the proceeds, and send the rest to the director with a written statement of account (s.32(9)–(10)).
None of this applies where the landlord and tenant have a written agreement about storing the property (s.32(5)).
- Section 32, Residential Tenancies Act, 2018 (Newfoundland and Labrador)