How long should you keep abandoned items?

Questioner

Electrician has not completed the job and has not collected materials left behind for over 10 months. How long is the retention period?

Lawyer

In Dutch law, there is no general legal regulation for the storage of abandoned items. This means that there is no fixed period in which you are obliged to store the items. What is important is that you give the owner of the items sufficient opportunity to collect the goods. It is wise to inform the electrician in writing (for example by letter or email) that you want him to collect the items. Give a reasonable period within which the items can be collected, for example two weeks or a month. Make sure you have proof of this communication (keep your sent email or send the letter by registered mail) in case it ever comes to a dispute or lawsuit. If the electrician has not collected the items after this period and has not responded, you could argue that he has given up his items. You could then throw them away, sell them or reuse them. However, it is always wise to seek legal advice for such actions to avoid any risks. Non-legal action can in some cases lead to disputes or even legal liability. The same applies if the items have value or if you are not sure what the value is. --------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.