Need to get rid of my loveseat couch in a bind. Suggestions?
August 15, 2020 10:53 AM Subscribe
I've found a new place, and plan to move tomorrow. I have communicated this with the summer sublet tenant earlier this week, and offered to leave her my loveseat leather couch for free, which she accepted. However, plans has changed and I'm in a bind. Am I missing any options?
Today, I'm cleaning the apartment up and getting it ready for the tenant to return. I texted her and gave her an update, offering a few free items if she was interested. She said her plans had changed, and that she might not return to the apartment, so to remove as many items as I could.
I felt thrown off, as this was last minute, and she did not communicate with me about this until I proactively reached out to her. She did not say specifically that I had to remove the couch itself, but I do feel it was implied.
So, right now, I have the following options:
a) Post/sell the couch on Freecycle/Craigslist/FB Marketplace for pickup, for free. (Done)
b) Donate it to Goodwill if they accept it (need a vehicle).
c) Tried Vietnam Veterans of America in DC for a pickup; no go until September, so no good.
d) Break it down myself using a power saw or something from Home Depot (which I live right next to). Not sure how, however, and the couch is a loveseat leather couch; the upholstery is binded, and there's a lot of metal as well, so not sure if a power saw is a good idea. Also don't want to cause any damage to the apartment, I'm not good with tools.
e) My building only accepts bulk pickup appointments, which is not an option because I won't be here, so that option seems out.
I've tried offering it to a few people in the apartment building that I know, with no luck, and I'm fearful things will take even longer to give away/sell because of COVID-19. I just feel stuck. I have no car, and the couch is pretty heavy.
When I initially communicated with the tenant this morning (telling her I'd turn in the keys tomorrow after move out, and asking that she hold any mail that comes for me so we can coordinate a pickup), her response was a simple "thank you, dubious_dude." It was only when I offered her the free items (a shoe rack and pillow I had) that she said her plans had changed and to remove as many items as possible. So, I feel this was a bit "sneaky" on her end, especially when earlier this week, I communicated with her with my decision to move out and that I'd leave the couch for her, explicitly said, and she was fine with it/did not contest it.
So, morally/ethically, would I be in the right to just leave the couch behind if I truly have no choice? Technically, my sublease goes on through the end of August, but I wanted to move out ASAP because then I'd get a prorated refund from her (that's what she said, anyway), and I have plans to move to the new place tomorrow.
Am I missing something? Any other options? Or recommendations on how to break down the couch if truly stuck? Picture of the couch
Today, I'm cleaning the apartment up and getting it ready for the tenant to return. I texted her and gave her an update, offering a few free items if she was interested. She said her plans had changed, and that she might not return to the apartment, so to remove as many items as I could.
I felt thrown off, as this was last minute, and she did not communicate with me about this until I proactively reached out to her. She did not say specifically that I had to remove the couch itself, but I do feel it was implied.
So, right now, I have the following options:
a) Post/sell the couch on Freecycle/Craigslist/FB Marketplace for pickup, for free. (Done)
b) Donate it to Goodwill if they accept it (need a vehicle).
c) Tried Vietnam Veterans of America in DC for a pickup; no go until September, so no good.
d) Break it down myself using a power saw or something from Home Depot (which I live right next to). Not sure how, however, and the couch is a loveseat leather couch; the upholstery is binded, and there's a lot of metal as well, so not sure if a power saw is a good idea. Also don't want to cause any damage to the apartment, I'm not good with tools.
e) My building only accepts bulk pickup appointments, which is not an option because I won't be here, so that option seems out.
I've tried offering it to a few people in the apartment building that I know, with no luck, and I'm fearful things will take even longer to give away/sell because of COVID-19. I just feel stuck. I have no car, and the couch is pretty heavy.
When I initially communicated with the tenant this morning (telling her I'd turn in the keys tomorrow after move out, and asking that she hold any mail that comes for me so we can coordinate a pickup), her response was a simple "thank you, dubious_dude." It was only when I offered her the free items (a shoe rack and pillow I had) that she said her plans had changed and to remove as many items as possible. So, I feel this was a bit "sneaky" on her end, especially when earlier this week, I communicated with her with my decision to move out and that I'd leave the couch for her, explicitly said, and she was fine with it/did not contest it.
So, morally/ethically, would I be in the right to just leave the couch behind if I truly have no choice? Technically, my sublease goes on through the end of August, but I wanted to move out ASAP because then I'd get a prorated refund from her (that's what she said, anyway), and I have plans to move to the new place tomorrow.
Am I missing something? Any other options? Or recommendations on how to break down the couch if truly stuck? Picture of the couch
You previously offered to leave her the couch and she said that was fine. If it was very important to her that you not leave the couch, she would have specifically asked you not to leave it. She would probably appreciate it if you got rid of the couch but you shouldn't feel any obligation to take care of it.
If there is anyone who can help you carry it outside and any place near the street where you could set it with a "free" sign, I bet it would be gone by the end of the day. But if it would take a lot of effort to make that happen, I wouldn't bother.
posted by Redstart at 11:03 AM on August 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
If there is anyone who can help you carry it outside and any place near the street where you could set it with a "free" sign, I bet it would be gone by the end of the day. But if it would take a lot of effort to make that happen, I wouldn't bother.
posted by Redstart at 11:03 AM on August 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'm confused who actually owns the apartment you're moving out of. This actually affects my answer.
* If you are the main tenant and you were subletting TO the other person, I am inclined to think that the loveseat is your problem. They've probably been trying to find another place to live themselves, and the sudden change may be because they finally found something but they realized that the loveseat won't fit, and the short notice is because they literally didn't know until just now that they got the new place. I'd be inclined to cut them some slack in that instance.
* If the other person is the main tenant and you were subletting FROM them, I would leave the couch behind and just say that you thought they'd said they wanted it if they reach out to you and that you were confused.
Either way - seconding the notion to just set it out on the curb with a "free" sign. If you belong to a local freecycle group you could also post the information to the group that you've put it out for free (my own "Buy Nothing" group on facebook often has "curb alert" posts from people who are putting large items out that are free for the taking).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:05 AM on August 15, 2020
* If you are the main tenant and you were subletting TO the other person, I am inclined to think that the loveseat is your problem. They've probably been trying to find another place to live themselves, and the sudden change may be because they finally found something but they realized that the loveseat won't fit, and the short notice is because they literally didn't know until just now that they got the new place. I'd be inclined to cut them some slack in that instance.
* If the other person is the main tenant and you were subletting FROM them, I would leave the couch behind and just say that you thought they'd said they wanted it if they reach out to you and that you were confused.
Either way - seconding the notion to just set it out on the curb with a "free" sign. If you belong to a local freecycle group you could also post the information to the group that you've put it out for free (my own "Buy Nothing" group on facebook often has "curb alert" posts from people who are putting large items out that are free for the taking).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:05 AM on August 15, 2020
I would not spend any more effort on this. If someone responds to your Craigslist ad, fine, if not, fine. She's not being sneaky and you're not in a bind. It's really not a big deal- if she ends up moving out of the apartment, it'll be trivial for her to dispose of the couch then.
posted by acidic at 11:12 AM on August 15, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by acidic at 11:12 AM on August 15, 2020 [5 favorites]
If the apartment is full of her furniture, I'd just leave it. One extra item if she's "moving out my entire apartment worth of stuff" is not a big deal.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:23 AM on August 15, 2020
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:23 AM on August 15, 2020
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers. A follow up and questions - I'm subletting for her; she's the main tenant, not me.
As for the answers, thanks; that helps. My questions are:
a) As technically I have until August 31 on the sublease, would it be possible for her to 'blame' me for leaving the couch behind? (ie, I'm leaving tomorrow, and turning in the keys, but technically I could wait and get rid of the couch, so my responsibility?)
b) Should I communicate clearly with her that I have gotten rid of everything of mine, except the couch itself? Or should I just tell her I have moved all the possessions I could out of the apartment, and not mention the couch? My concern is that if I share with her explicitly I have moved everything except for the couch, she would get mad, or insist I get rid of it, OR if I don't mention it, get mad at me down the road when she comes back, and try to make me pay for the removal?
The bedroom is full of her furniture, the living room has her (moved out) roommate's couch as well. The roommate is also in the same situation as me, as she had initially offered the tenant the couch, but was told the same and is trying to get rid of it as well.
Leaving the couch outside on the curb in this community isn't possible; it's a big, corporately-owned complex, and dumping is also illegal in DC, but if it was a neighborhood, that might be a good idea.
I just want a clean exit from this living situation, without any problems or complications down the road, and no hard feelings as well.
posted by dubious_dude at 11:38 AM on August 15, 2020
As for the answers, thanks; that helps. My questions are:
a) As technically I have until August 31 on the sublease, would it be possible for her to 'blame' me for leaving the couch behind? (ie, I'm leaving tomorrow, and turning in the keys, but technically I could wait and get rid of the couch, so my responsibility?)
b) Should I communicate clearly with her that I have gotten rid of everything of mine, except the couch itself? Or should I just tell her I have moved all the possessions I could out of the apartment, and not mention the couch? My concern is that if I share with her explicitly I have moved everything except for the couch, she would get mad, or insist I get rid of it, OR if I don't mention it, get mad at me down the road when she comes back, and try to make me pay for the removal?
The bedroom is full of her furniture, the living room has her (moved out) roommate's couch as well. The roommate is also in the same situation as me, as she had initially offered the tenant the couch, but was told the same and is trying to get rid of it as well.
Leaving the couch outside on the curb in this community isn't possible; it's a big, corporately-owned complex, and dumping is also illegal in DC, but if it was a neighborhood, that might be a good idea.
I just want a clean exit from this living situation, without any problems or complications down the road, and no hard feelings as well.
posted by dubious_dude at 11:38 AM on August 15, 2020
She asked you to remove as many items as possible. The couch is an item that it's not possible for you to remove.
Also: Given that you'd had a conversation explicitly about the couch just a few days earlier and that couches are obviously problematic to move without assistance, if she didn't mention it specifically today, she is quite likely expecting that it will remain. "Please remove as many things as possible" may have been intended as: of the six things you listed to me just now, please remove as many as possible.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 11:59 AM on August 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
Also: Given that you'd had a conversation explicitly about the couch just a few days earlier and that couches are obviously problematic to move without assistance, if she didn't mention it specifically today, she is quite likely expecting that it will remain. "Please remove as many things as possible" may have been intended as: of the six things you listed to me just now, please remove as many as possible.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 11:59 AM on August 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
Oh, and regarding (b), you should let her know that you've cleared the apartment of your possessions except for the couch. (I'd probably say something like "as discussed on Tuesday - hope that's still OK".) If she *did* expect you to remove it after all, wouldn't you rather find that out ASAP rather than have the worry hanging over your head for an indefinite period?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 12:08 PM on August 15, 2020
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 12:08 PM on August 15, 2020
She said to remove as many items as possible. That wording strongly implies that she realizes it may not be possible to remove everything and isn't expecting or requiring you to remove everything. She didn't tell you even this much until you asked about leaving some additional items. If you hadn't asked about leaving the shoe rack and pillow she never even would have brought up the fact that her plans had changed and you would have left the couch as planned without any worries. She clearly didn't feel it was important to get you to remove the couch. You've probably already put ten times as much thought and effort into this as was necessary. Send her a message saying you've gotten all your stuff out except for the couch she had previously said you could leave behind. I would specifically mention the couch because if she doesn't say anything about it at that point (and she's not likely to) then you can relax and stop worrying about it.
posted by Redstart at 12:25 PM on August 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 12:25 PM on August 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: What do you think of this script, provided everything goes smoothly with the move out tomorrow, and nothing is said about the couch on her end?
"Thanks again for letting me sublet this summer, [Tenant]. As discussed last week and yesterday, I have vacated the apartment, taking all of my possessions with me. Your room has been returned to the condition and layout it was left to me, and the couch is in the living room for your use. I have turned in the key to the apartment to the front desk, and we can discuss any mail that comes, as well as prorating this month's rent whenever you're ready. I enjoyed being a sublet, and your apartment was very nice and met my needs. Take care."
posted by dubious_dude at 1:39 PM on August 15, 2020 [4 favorites]
"Thanks again for letting me sublet this summer, [Tenant]. As discussed last week and yesterday, I have vacated the apartment, taking all of my possessions with me. Your room has been returned to the condition and layout it was left to me, and the couch is in the living room for your use. I have turned in the key to the apartment to the front desk, and we can discuss any mail that comes, as well as prorating this month's rent whenever you're ready. I enjoyed being a sublet, and your apartment was very nice and met my needs. Take care."
posted by dubious_dude at 1:39 PM on August 15, 2020 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Good news — someone bit on my OfferUp offer for the (free) couch, and took it. So, that is no longer a problem, it seems! Whew.
posted by dubious_dude at 4:18 PM on August 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by dubious_dude at 4:18 PM on August 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
Took it like it is gone or took it like they said they wanted it? Until it is out of the apartment, that person can back out too
posted by AugustWest at 6:43 PM on August 15, 2020
posted by AugustWest at 6:43 PM on August 15, 2020
Response by poster: Gone, taken. They hitched it to their car and left. It's 100% out. (Phewwwww)
posted by dubious_dude at 6:55 PM on August 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by dubious_dude at 6:55 PM on August 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:58 AM on August 15, 2020 [22 favorites]