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Thread: Moral dilemma regarding found games, opinions needed

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    Default Moral dilemma regarding found games, opinions needed

    Okay, so here's the story:

    My dad and his mom own the house that's right behind my dad's house. This one guy had been living there for about 8 years, and he's had all sorts of issues. In the last couple years (maybe longer), he's been REALLY bad about paying his rent. We're not talking a little late now and then, I mean not paying at all for long periods of time. My dad and grandma don't rent as a business; they just own a couple houses. They're more than nice to their renters, and they gave this guy PLENTY of time. Enough was enough, though, so my dad had to post an eviction notice. Of course this guy hollers like hell, and he's still in the place long after he's supposed to be out. My dad is understanding, though, and he lets the guy take his sweet ass time. My dad sees that he's just moving all his stuff into his garage, and finally when my dad sees that the guy's mail has been there for a couple days and there are no signs of life, my dad assumes that he's gone. He didn't talk to my dad about anything, didn't hand over the key, nothing, AND he left garbage everywhere.

    When my dad sees the place, it's a MESS, absolutely destroyed inside and out. The last time I was in the house, it was beautiful and flawless; now it's unlivable. To make things worse, there is STILL crap everywhere, and there isn't even any power in the house. Goodness knows what the hell this guy's been doing over the years. My dad says that the guy didn't even appear to be there half the time.

    Now I'm involved in all this because, one, my dad calls it my house and unless they decide to sell it someday (unlikely) it will eventually be mine, and two, because my dad wants me and my boyfriend to help him clean it up (nice little summer job). My grandma recently had a heart attack, and since she can't go upstairs now, she'll either going to have to move in there which has a bathroom with a shower and tub on the first floor or move into a home, that is if she doesn't improve soon. If all goes well, though, we'll just be renting again.

    That brings us to today. We went over to see if there was anything to do, and my dad said that the guy showed up today. It's trespassing at this point, but since the guy wanted to take more of his stuff, my dad was happy to have him take it rather than pay hundreds of dollars to drop it off at the dump himself. He's leaving the lock the same until all the crap is out of the house.

    After looking around, I notice in the little girl's room a few games in an entertainment cabinet. Just some common, popular stuff; nothing too amazing. Super Mario World, Killer Instinct, Tetris (GB), Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye, a Spyro game, and a few others. I already have most everything there except for Goldeneye, Spyro, and a couple others. Nonetheless, I have a great urge to just take the stuff, keep the games I don't have, and sell off the rest to buy games I don't have.

    What do you guys think? Taking into consideration all the crap we've been through with this guy, I wouldn't feel too bad about it in that regards. I wouldn't worry about this little girl either. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't been there in years, there were no systems to be found, the little girl may never see the games regardless even if the guy did take them, and as far as I know, he may see no use for them and chuck them. Very likely, no one would ever even know they were missing. Since starting tomorrow morning we're going to be packing this guy's stuff up in boxes and taking them outside, no one would be able to notice that any particular thing had been removed from anything. The guy should be glad to get any of this crap back. He should be fortunate if those were the only things lost in the move considering he abandoned so much stuff that we could have legally thrown away a long time ago had we desired to do such.

    One thing I'm not going to do is ask the guy, if he shows up; that would be just too weird, so no one suggest that. o_O I suppose my options are:

    1. Don't take the games.
    2. Take them outright.
    3. Try to hide them in some other type of box that he might consider junk and leave behind.
    4. Put them in a box with the other stuff the girl had.
    5. Put them in their own separate box and tuck them away in a corner.
    6. Or something else. O_o

    So thanks to whoever bothers to read this long story, and thanks for any and all opinions. :)

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    Peach (Level 3)
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    from what im reading, the guy basically abandoned the house, and previously didnt pay the rest as he was supposed to.


    my friend has a similar situation, his dad buys and sels/rents houses, and has had a few dead beat occupants.

    posession is 9/10ths the law, the dude left, technically, everything therein is yours/your dad's

    as i read it the guy wants his stuff, and you guys are letting him come get what he wants.

    the way i see it, if a few things turn up missing, thats less that he has to remove and less your dad throws away, there is still a chance that he wont get the games, and even so if his daughter asks where they are he prolly will brush it off as that they were misplaced and he never got them from the house.


    problem solved, enjoy your find.

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    Great Puma (Level 12) -hellvin-'s Avatar
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    Just take em. I don't think he'll notice at all. Even if he did come across em, it sounds like he'd just toss em anyways.

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    another thing


    hes been there 8 years

    64 is a few years old now, how old was the girl? maybe shes out of gaming now and could care less? the 64's gone but games are left?



    jack em and be merry

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    I wouldn't take them offically they do not belong to you. Besides they are common and eaily availible. You'll feel better leaving them there anyways.
    (Oo (xxx) oO) (Oo (xxx) oO)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nez
    I wouldn't take them offically they do not belong to you.
    your right, they belong to his dad and grandma seeing as how they own the house.


    you may have missed the part were he said the guy basically abandoned the house and left it in a mess

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    Pac-Man (Level 10) Nez's Avatar
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    No I read that. I think it would be best for her to leave the games there. It is obviously bugging her moral values, becouse she asked for advice. So My Opinion is that if she feels any doubt in her mind that it's not worth taking.
    (Oo (xxx) oO) (Oo (xxx) oO)
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    a suggestion: if you're on speaking terms with the soon to be former tenant, ASK him if you can have the games, and perhaps discuss this with your dad first. this would solve any issues right away. if you feel "weird" about it, it's not necessarily guilt or anything bad, it could be you've never been in this position before. human response to new situations can take on quite interesting forms.

    ages ago, when i was living with a girlfriend and we were sharing rent, she had to go back to paris for about 8 months and i had a number of roomates move in and out during then. one guy who stayed for about 3 months left a box of clothes, an old 486 computer and a N64 with 6 boxed games and said his friend was coming to pick the stuff up. 3 weeks later, no one came by, and that's how i got my '64...

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    You technically own everything he left behind, from what I can tell. He was evicted and left stuff there. The only moral violations are on his part, not yours. Letting him take anything is being too kind to a person you've apparently been too kind to already. Take whatever you need. It's your house!

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    I personally would not let him get any of his stuff back and would press legal proceedings to gain back rent and damages and secure his (obviously abandoned) property against that. Change the locks and let him get his stuff when he repairs the damage or wait 2 months or so then sell everything he left of the slightest value. Consult a lawyer if your parents even consider that as what the heck do I know?

    As for the games, I don't see it as a moral issue myself. You told him to get out on certain date and his stuff should have all been removed. Take what you want. You aren't his personal storage facility.
    AlanD

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    Legally, it's not YOUR house and therefore you have no claims on the tenants property. Punishing a child for the sins of the father is pretty reprehensible. I feel sorry for the daughter, her life sounds tough enough without anyone else piling on to her woes.
    If you value the games, and it sounds as if you do, save them. But remember, that obliges you to actively search for the rightful owner to return them. Playing the games while searching for the owner would do no harm and seem fair compensation for your troubles.

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    Take whatever you want.
    Egbert, I miss you...

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    I wonder how old you are and where you are from. I can not imagine having these thoughts. I would have taken them immediatly with no remorse or guilt. You must be a VERY innocent and kind person to think such things.

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    I vote take them. Don't even bother to ask, except your dad. Make sure it's cool with your dad, the RIGHTFUL owner of everything in the house. Legally everything is his so you need his permission. Other than that...screw the tenant, he has NO rights in this case. If they don't like it, there's nothing they can do. Screw this compassion crap. They're obviously not people that deserve it. Kids can be jerks too you know.
    scooterb: "I once shot a man in Catan, just to watch him die."

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    The guy owes your dad ~$5000 in unpaid rent. In other words, he's a THIEF stealing from your family. So just take whatever you want...consider it rent payment.

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    Starman (Level 23) punkoffgirl's Avatar
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    Renters rights vary from state to state, but I'm pretty sure his property is his property until legally declared otherwise. He's been a shitty ass tenant, but I'd talk to your dad first, just in case.

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    Quote Originally Posted by punkoffgirl
    Renters rights vary from state to state, but I'm pretty sure his property is his property until legally declared otherwise. He's been a shitty ass tenant, but I'd talk to your dad first, just in case.
    Exactly. I see alot of people telling you it's "your property" without any legal backing to what they are saying. Contact your local tenants association and find out what you can legally do in this case. As an aside, whoever said that punishing the girl for the sins of her father was dead right. Even if it becomes your father's legal property, I'd check with the girl herself before taking the games if possible. Taking the property of her deadbeat father is one thing, but she didn't do anything to rip you guys off. Give that poor girl a chance to get her games back if she wants 'em.

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    Personally, i would try to speak with someone before taking them, be it the tenant or your dad or the girl or whatever. I'd feel pretty guilty taking them unless I had some sort of permission.
    "First, we have aspirin. A common cure for things that aspirin cures. Leads to.....rabies."

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    I wouldn't outright take them. Find out what the renters laws are in your state.. As stated previously, they can vary quite widely from state to state.

    Depending on how long the guy has been evicted, etc etc, they may very well be your [dads] property. Then again, they may very well not be.

    Actually, I imagine that there will be an impending lawsuit anyway (initiated by your father), so that might be another reason to wait.

    I wouldn't straight up ask the guy. From what it sounds like, he'll just blow up in your face.

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    I don't know if all of you read ths story, but it sounded to me like the guy has been evicted for quite some time, and it was stated that it's long past the day he was supposed to have gotten out of there.

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