When they called, that would have been the time to arrange to deliver the
items to the person. However, since you know the party's address, you could
have the items sent via a courier or a carrier, insured, with a signed
receipt requested or make a signature request of the UPS delivery. I'm sure
the other national carriers also have this provision.
Although legally you could call them abandon property, you are right that it
would not be a good thing. In this instance in particular, it would be best
to find a way to deliver the objects to the party. If they refuse to accept
them, that would then, I think, clear you to regard them as abandon property
with less fear of ill will.
I can see this problem from both sides. Had I left an employer with bad
feelings, I would be rather leery of receiving a letter from that employer
that required my signature. As a collections staff person, I know how
frustrating it is when people do not claim their loans whether they were
items for consideration or items for an exhibit.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cynthia Hoover" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 12:10 PM
Subject: Unclaimed Loans
> OK, here's the dilemma: A staff member loaned the museum items to use in
a 1995 exhibit, and the employee resigned (not under the best of terms)
before the exhibit ended. However, the museum was allowed to keep the items
for the duration of the exhibit. We have contacted this person numerous
times and they won't come to pick up their stuff. We sent a registered
letter stating that we had the property and they had 90 days to acknowledge
that they wanted it, or we would assume the property was abandoned and deal
with it at our discretion. The person received the letter, but refused to
sign for it, thus returning it to us. They then called asking about the
contents of the letter, which we told them. They were upset (go figure),
and we have had no further contact with them.
>
> Has anyone else had an experience like this? We do not want to be
'Grandma's Attic' for unclaimed property, but we don't want to risk bad
publicity if we don't have to (and this person would be vengeful). Any help
would be appreciated.
>
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