Neighbour dispute about outdoor cupboard

[confused1999]

Hi

Wondering if someone can give me some advice. I bought a flat 3 years ago in a block of 6 flats. The flats have a garage and a storage cupboard for which I was given a key to. Been using the storage cupboard to store things since I bought it. Tried to access it last week and my key won't work. Had new neighbours downstairs so thought they may have changed lock in error but wasn't them. Checked with other downstairs neighbour, but couldn't get in the touch with the other 3. Had to break into cupboard as needed some stuff, but found all my stuff was gone and someone has put their stuff in (kids toys). I could have thrown the items away but as they were kids toys, didn't think it was fair until I had spoken to everyone in the flat. Turns out the neighbour on the same floor as me had changed the lock as the was advised it was hers. She had thrown all my stuff away (hadn't even bothered to ask anyone). She told landlord who has referred this back to mgt company with a copy of their deeds. Issue is that on both of our plans, 6 cupboards have been drawn, but in reality only 5 were built (first downstairs was not allocated one). Depending on which side you count from, we're both right. Upon looking at the diagram in detail, I have a feeling that it may be her cupboard so now am stuck as to what to do.

- In order to resolve things amicably, I told her there was only 1 item I wanted to be recompensed for as I was holding it for a friend. I would overlook everything else.
- I had to break the new lock when I thought it was my cupboard – am I liable to replace it? I thought it was my cupboard!
- These were the keys that my vendor gave me and I had been using for 3 years. Was she entitled to throw away my stuff without consultation?

Please help as don't know what to do now....

 

[Michael Wechsler]

I'm confused about who owns what. I'm assuming that you own a unit and so does a neighbor who is renting it out. Correct?

1) The person who threw your stuff out had no right to do so if this is a shared storage - Is it?

2) If she replaced the lock and so did the other tenant without notifying you, I'd argue to say that they must replace it. How could they do so without providing all the other joint owners a key?

3) If you're saying that the storage unit was vendor owned, you might be liable for breaking it. However, the other tenant as well as the owner of the unit would likely bear responsibility.

This is the way I see it and would approach the problem. I'd probably write a written letter to give them notice and a short explanation of the items, their value and a polite but firm demand for payment. You might want to express some surprise that someone in your own floor would throw away items that obviously were the property of someone else and very likely in the building, but hope this can be resolved amicably.

Some people are rather unbelievable. Good luck and let us know how it goes.