NSW When to Safely Get Rid of Abandoned Property?

[Pzero]

So here's the situation.

We are owners of a unit in Sydney and just found out we have a storage cage. Apparently this cage was unlabelled earlier and used by someone without authorisation. It's now been labelled by the strata management and we've noticed goods in our cage. We've tried to find the possible owner of the goods on the Facebook page of the building, by putting a note on the cage, and also by putting a note into all mailboxes. 2 weeks have passed and nobody has claimed the goods.

Strata management is unable to help.

I read that if goods are unclaimed and owners are unknown we can dispose of them as abandoned property without waiting. Is that true? If I should wait, then for how long until I can dispose?

Thanks.

 

[Rod]

How long have you had the unit?

Have you been in contact about this with the previous owners?

 

[Pzero]

How long have you had the unit?

Have you been in contact about this with the previous owners?

I haven't actually checked with previous owners. I'll have to check if I have their contact details.

We've had the unit for 5 years now.

 

[Rod]

Hmm, was expecting answer of less than 5 months, not 5 years.

You do need to be careful. You can be accused and charged with theft if you do not do things the right way.

Recommend you:

1. Contact the former owners to see what they know.
2. Go through the goods to see if the owner can be identified
3. Report this matter to the police.
4. Put a lock on the cage if there isn't one. Might encourage whoever it is to contact you.

 

[Pzero]

Hmm, was expecting answer of less than 5 months, not 5 years.

You do need to be careful. You can be accused and charged with theft if you do not do things the right way.

Recommend you:

1. Contact the former owners to see what they know.
2. Go through the goods to see if the owner can be identified
3. Report this matter to the police.
4. Put a lock on the cage if there isn't one. Might encourage whoever it is to contact you.

Thanks for the help. I'll go through the steps. Will do 1,2,4 first.

If no owner found, then will do #3.