Right to Return of Personal Property

The Right to Return of Personal Property is a legal protection that ensures tenants can retrieve their belongings from a rental unit after moving out or being evicted. This right is based on the principle that tenants have a property interest in their personal possessions and should not be deprived of them without due process. In most cases, landlords must provide tenants with reasonable access to the rental unit to remove their personal property, even if the tenant owes outstanding rent or damages. If a landlord wrongfully withholds or disposes of a tenant’s personal property, the tenant may have grounds for a legal claim against the landlord. Some jurisdictions have specific laws that regulate the handling of abandoned tenant property and the timeframes for tenants to claim their belongings.