Leaving stuff behind for next tenant- is it wrong?

moonstone

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 1:00 am

Please don't feel bad. It was very considerate of you to think of the new tenants. If I found a garbage can, hangers, and new cleaning supplies in an otherwise clean and empty apartment, I'd be thrilled. Don't make a special trip, just tell the landlord to throw them out.

I wonder if it's hard to throw out a garbage can. Do the trash collectors realize they're supposed to take it? 😂

imaima

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 1:08 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

we were renting for the past few years and just moved to a diff state
the landlord called me today that I left behind some cleaning supplies under the sink, a garbage bin, and hangers.

I did that on purpose for the next tenant. I remember when I moved in there werent any hangers or a garbage bin and I figured to just leave them bc I dont need it where we moved to

im feeling really stupid and inconsiderate that I didnt check with the landlord first.

when u moved, did u leave hangers in the closet?

You only leave something if you check with the new tenants or landlord if it will be needed.
Otherwise noone wants an extra task of disposing of other people's trash.
Anyway just explain to the landlord that that was an misunderstanding.

LovesHashem

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 1:58 am

In our apartment the previous people left behind cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, fabric softener, sponja sticks, etc - all were super helpful. It all happened to be the brands we prefer to use.

amother

Quince

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 2:20 am

When we bought our house, the sellers video called us the day before they left and showed us each thing they didn't plan on taking and asked if we wanted it or they should toss it. It was so helpful having soap, paper towels, and toilet paper there already!

zaq

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 5:47 am

Renters who vacate are supposed to leave the place stripped clean. Though you meant well, leaving things behind gives the impression that you did a khap-lap job of cleaning up after yourself. The next tenant may be utterly repulsed by the idea of using anything of yours and throw it all out. However, expecting you to return to pick it up is unreasonable. Now you know for next time, whether you rent or buy, when you move out you take everything with you (or, if you're selling, you have an agreement with the buyer about what you will leave behind).

Ema of 5 ↓

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 7:12 am

amother [ Thistle ] wrote:

When I moved in (2x, 2 different places) I really didn't appreciate anything being left by previous tenants/owners. It felt like someone was too lazy to actually take all their "junk" with them, even if the stuff wasn't actually junk.

Neh... I really don't want your old garbage bin, hangers or bits of cleaning supplies. You can tell the landlord to toss the stuff if you don't wanna bother picking it up.

Exactly. Unless it was discussed with me before I moved in, I would think you just had enough of packing and left me the stuff you didn’t want. I wouldn’t appreciate that. When I moved and all my clothes were packed up, I had a box (multiple boxes actually) just of hangers. I mean, what do you do with all your hangers, you just give them away and buy new in your next place? That’s a waste. I also wouldn’t want your old garbage can. Who said it’s one that I want? When I moved into my current house, I had a two year old and wanted a specific type of garbage can.
I think if you ran it by the landlord or new tenant that’s fine, but don’t just leave stuff.

SixOfWands ↓

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 7:17 am

amother [ Bluebonnet ] wrote:

Only on imamother are hangers and clorox considered disgusting. What

Why do I want someone else's garbage?

Obviously I lived somewhere, and had hangers for the clothes that needed hanging. I don't need someone else's discards.

And I don't need or want their half-used cleaning supplies.

What did I appreciate the former owner leaving? An extra roll of wallpaper from the dining room, in case we needed to replace a panel.

The clicker for the building's garage. (They stopped offering them between the time he bought and the time he sold, so it could not be replaced.)

That's it.

amother

Maroon

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 7:54 am

OMG.

If a tenant left something behind I didn’t want I’d just toss it without drama.

People are really overreacting as if she did some gross disgusting thing.

And it’s completely ridiculous to expect anyone to drive 2 hours just to remove some hangers and cleaning supplies. Let them put all the unwanted stuff in the garbage can and leave it on the curb.

amother

Amaranthus

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 8:10 am

I appreciated the cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels etc. especially since I moved in the height of Covid when it was hard to find these basic supplies 😉

I wouldn’t want a bunch of hangers but wouldn’t mind if there were a couple of plastic ones I guess. I definitely wouldn’t want the metal ones though lol

watergirl

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 8:23 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Seriously! I once moved out of a place and the landlord had an issue with a few things we "left behind" and sent us pictures of them. What were the things? One post it note on the inside of a kitchen cabinet. One was a small (seriously tiny) pile of sweeping in a corner we missed. When we moved into that rental, it was so dirty, the landlord actually paid for a cleaning service. We left it perfect other than those two "issues". Some people love to make a small thing into a big thing.

↑ Ema of 5

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 8:27 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Of course you toss it without drama if you don’t want it. But that’s from the tenants perspective. She is posting from the previous tenants perspective, which is what people are responding to.
No, I don’t want people leaving things behind for me (either I a place I am buying, or in a place that I own and will be renting to someone else) that’s not such a big deal. Obviously if someone did leave something behind I would just toss it, but that wasn’t the question.

↑ SixOfWands

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 8:28 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

No drama.

But don't pretend you're doing me a favor by leaving your trash behind. You're not.

↑ kenz

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 10:03 am

SixOfWands wrote:

She said they were full cleaning supplies. She was being thoughtful. You don't see it that way, doesn't make it untrue.

amother

Turquoise

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 11:26 am

Another thing to consider, what if the new tenants are not entirely sure you left it for them? Then in their minds it isn't theirs and then what?
Twice I have moved and have had to deal with others junk that they have left behind. The last time I was finding things for a full month after, hidden in all sorts of corners. And this was after they brought in professional cleaners. Of course I wanted to throw out everything I found but I first had to put it past the previous tenants because these items weren't mind. And a couple things they did want back.

Eta its ridiculous though for you to go 2 hours just to throw it out. Tell the landlady she can throw it if it isn't too inconvenient.

amother

↑ OP

Wed, Oct 13 2021, 2:37 pm

Geulanow wrote:

Hope the landlord gave you your deposit back.

im so embarassed reading these responses I really didnt think I left behind trash
it was a clean garbage bin, almost full 2 bottles of windex, and hangers in the coat closet

and yes im an anxious person and she made a comment she would put everything on the side for me to come get it so ill drive in one night. ill schlep hubby along and leave the kids with a sitter we can have a date night lol.

I kind of wish I could tell her to just throw it out. its literlaly just 2 windex bottles, garbage bin and hangers

re the deposit... she never cashed it in. do I still get it back? I remember I had to give one months rent