My stuff is missing

[albiagirl]

Jurisdiction

Iowa

Was staying with friends a little over a month. Paid rent on a weekly basis. Was not on the lease and their landlord did not know we were there. Had a disagreement and they put us on the street last Saturday night with only the clothes on our back. The next day they claimed to have dropped all our stuff at my husband's bosses house up the street, but a lot of things are missing. What can I do about this? Who is liable? I do not have receipts showing payment of rent only a personal log book but I do have an envelope with my name and address on it showing I was staying there.

 

[army judge]

You can report the incident to the police.
The cops may tell you its a civil matter.
That means your remedy lies in a small claims court room in or near Jasper County, Iowa.
More than likely, if you do file a small claims lawsuit the defendants will say you weren't a tenant, and they know nothing about your stuff.
That leaves your mates from whom you rented a place to sleep free to run their little scam again and again.
Be smarter, don't rent rooms from so called "friends".

Think about this, "Why did you leave home when you cam of age?"
Is being someone's roommate any better than living with mom and dad?


More than likely, they'll deny you, your existence, and say you weren't a tenant.
If they don't, you might prevail, but they're probably deadbeats.
People rarely collect anything from deadbeats.

 

[albiagirl]

Are they liable for my stuff...isn't that pretty much theft?

 

[Betty3]

The problem is proving you were a tenant there & that they didn't return all of your stuff. As noted above, you can notify the police. If they say it is a civil matter, then you would have to sue in small claims court but even if you win, the problem is collecting. Good luck.