Returning Items

[Patches]

So I termed a family the end of January and it wasn't very well received Anyway, DCM did not come to pick up her children's belongings when she said she would and never tried to set up another time to do so. She DID, however, threaten to sue me for the $ amount of the items.

My point being, I've been staring at this bag of stuff for 2 months now and want it gone. I do not think she will come get the items, but I don't know how long I should hold onto this stuff. I don't have anything in writing as far as how long they have before I trash their things, so that's why I haven't done it yet.

So, what would you ladies and gentlemen do?

Trash them?
Send them to the address on file?
Contact her? (prefer not to do this one)
Something else?

[NoMoreJuice!]

Send them!

Send them UPS with tracking so that you have proof they were delivered.

CYA!

[Starburst]

I would probably call or e-mail her once and since it has already been 2 months ,I would tell her she has until a certain date to pick them up (if this was a storage unit, they would have already sold her stuff). If she didn't pick it up by a certain date it would be considered daycare property.

If you don't have it in your policies already, I would write in it that the family child care home and the owner/provider is not responsible for any missing, lost, stolen, or otherwise forgotten personal items that belong to the daycare parents, the children, or anyone dropping off and/or picking up the child(ren) and that if after termination of contract, the client does not pick up any left behind items after a certain amount of time that it becomes the daycare property.

[Lucy]

I would drive by her house and set them on the porch, then ding-dong-ditch. happyface

[Play Care]

I would mail the items with a certified return receipt so you know she received them. I wouldn't leave them on her porch because she would probably claim she never got them. I thought there was a thread a while back where the provider was told not to leave items on her porch for pick up for similar reasons - if the items are lost or stolen the provider would have been responsible.

[coolconfidentme]

I had the same problem. I send a text to exDCM giving her a two week deadline to pick up the items or they will be considered abandoned. The text is a written communication in our court system if she tried to sue for the value.

[Naptime yet?]

I would drive by her house and set them on the porch, then ding-dong-ditch. happyface

Along with a flaming bag of poop...

[Great Beginnings]

I would just donate or toss them. By now I doubt she is coming for them. When you evict someone from your home you only need to hold onto their stuff for 30 days. That could vary by state though. And also technically, how can she proove she never picked up the items or you never returned them?

[cheerfuldom]

Send certified mail or UPS for confirmation of delivery. Don't contact her in any other way.

I hate how parents are so concerned for one blanket and stained onesie, threatening to sue and then never come to pickup items. BTDT it is nothing new......very annoying but it is something that parents think they invented that we all have seen a thousand times before.

[Blackcat31]

Pack it up and send it C.O.D. with a tracking number.

That way the parent is responsible for the shipping costs but you still have proof you returned it.

[llpa]

Along with a flaming bag of poop...

::happyface

[NightOwl]

I would send a letter by certified mail so that she can't say she never received your email. She will have to sign for a certified letter and it will be way cheaper than paying to ship her a package.

[Lucy]

Along with a flaming bag of poop...

Right!

[MarinaVanessa]

I had the same problem. I send a text to exDCM giving her a two week deadline to pick up the items or they will be considered abandoned. The text is a written communication in our court system if she tried to sue for the value.

This or email/certified letter is how I would go. I wouldn't pay a nickel of postage to mail the stuff. Her stuff, her responsibility. I'd give her a deadline and then keep a copy of the letter.

Dear Flakey Fran,

This letter is my last attempt to contact you for the pick up of the items that you have left belonging to your child. We had previously agreed that on DATE you would come to pick the items up but failed to do so. I have received no further contact with a date or time of when you will pick these items up. If these items are not picked up by DATE I will consider these items abandoned and will discard them.

Please contact me via text, email or postal mail before the DATE stated with a date and time of pick up. The items will be left on the porch. No further contact will be accepted other than in writing. Telephone calls or in-person conversation will not be answered.

I-so-want-to-throw-your-stuff-away Provider

[Patches]

Thank you for all the advice. The items are going to be gone soon one way or another! I am so ready to completely erase this dcm from my life once and for all.