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Isaac-1 · 05-12-2025, 07:12 AM

I am asking this here as it is somewhat RV related, a relative is dealing with this sort of situation now, and I would like your thoughts on what you would do, assuming you ever got yourself into such a situation.

The short version, the guy is in his 40's lives alone on about 8-10 acres or rural property, someone he knows as a casual acquaintance buys a cheap travel trailer (think 15 year old travel trailer with some duct tape visible, but maybe not a complete junker). They needed a place to keep it "temporarily", so the offer was extended to let them park it on his property for a month or two. (this is where we get into perhaps poor judgement). Fast forward that month or two has now turned into over a year, and that casual acquaintance has disappeared, does not respond the texts or phone calls, etc.

I am not sure what his legal options might be, most would probably end up costing him more to deal with now than letting the trailer keep sitting for now. Mechanics leans may not work since there is no unpaid storage fee, not sure about declaring it abandoned and towing it off as he gave permission for them to put it there. Eventually though something will need to be done before the tires rot, etc.

Bigceasar · 05-12-2025, 07:40 AM

Two courses of action stand out to me.
One: send a certified letter to the last known address demanding removal within a certain time frame. They should contact an attorney to find out the specifics for their state, city and county.

Two: Rent an excavator and a dump trailer, smash the thing to pieces and haul it to the landfill. In the very unlikely event they come to claim it, tell them you just assumed they came and picked it up while you were out.

I actually have had a lot of experience with abandoned rigs at parks I have bought and renovated. Option two is quicker, easier and a lot more fun since smashing things with an excavator in the best thing this side of the bedroom Olympics.
Never in 20+ years had anyone shown up looking for those missing abandoned rigs.

SafariBen · 05-12-2025, 07:54 AM

They could talk to the local sheriff to see if they have any suggestions, this is a common problem and they might offer some advice.

The other option is to document the texts and calls telling him to remove it, then sell it and send the guy a check for the sale price. If he never gets the check and cashes it, not anybody's fault. That would be much more defensible if you have his phone number AND email address or address. Just losing a phone is easy to do, but ignoring email and phone texts and physical mail would be viewed with zero sympathy if the camper owner was to try to go to court.

Gooma · 05-12-2025, 08:14 AM

Whatever you do,it's going to cost you. It's worth less than zero. I like the excavator idea. Dig a hole, bury it and it's gone. If anyone asked, you don't know 'nuthin.
Remember, "No good dead goes unpunished."

Bigceasar · 05-12-2025, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SafariBen

They could talk to the local sheriff to see if they have any suggestions, this is a common problem and they might offer some advice.

The other option is to document the texts and calls telling him to remove it, then sell it and send the guy a check for the sale price. If he never gets the check and cashes it, not anybody's fault. That would be much more defensible if you have his phone number AND email address or address. Just losing a phone is easy to do, but ignoring email and phone texts and physical mail would be viewed with zero sympathy if the camper owner was to try to go to court.

Selling would likely be illegal since they are not the owner and it would place the innocent buyer in a bad situation. Without a title it can’t be licensed or insured . So taking on the highways is a big no.
Either taking all the long, expensive and often frustrating steps to actually get it legally declared abandoned or just making it disappear without a trace are the two best options.

Isaac-1 · 05-12-2025, 08:21 AM

I suspect it is probably cheaper and easier to haul it off and leave it safely on the side of the highway somewhere to let the police impound deal with it maybe in a construction pull off, etc.. Then if they come looking for it, tell them it was gone one day when I got home, and I assumed you came and got it. For bonus points have text documentation where you asked if they had came to get it.

p.s. lack of registration may be a legal issue here, but chances of being stopped in the 5-10 minutes this is going on is low, as to insurance in my state as long as the tow vehicle has insurance the trailer is covered for liability.

MRUSA14 · 05-12-2025, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

I suspect it is probably cheaper and easier to haul it off and leave it safely on the side of the highway somewhere to let the police impound deal with it maybe in a construction pull off, etc.. Then if they come looking for it, tell them it was gone one day when I got home, and I assumed you came and got it. For bonus points have text documentation where you asked if they had came to get it.

So you are saying to illegally abandon it on a roadway and then lie to the authorities about it. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?

Isaac-1 · 05-12-2025, 08:34 AM

Who is lying to authorities, at most you are leaving a misleading text for the owner? As to it being abandoned on the side of the road, this sounds like an issue for the owner of the trailer to deal with. There is considerable plausible deniability on how it got there. Note I said leave it somewhere safely so it is not a hazard to drivers.

p.s. Note people abandon vehicles on the side of the road with no legal consequences to them all the time, I have a friend who owns a tow truck business and he ends up filing for the title on 10-15 such vehicles every year that he gets as a result of police abandoned vehicle calls for ones left on the side of the road. Most are junkers, but occasionally he gets a good one, some years ago he got a then 3-4 year old Honda CRV that simply had low transmission fluid, the owner was behind on the note, so when it stopped going they simply left it on the side of I-10. He filed for title after it sat in his impound lot for 6 months running up storage fees, the finance company did not want to pay to get a non-running car back, and his wife ended up driving it for several years afterward.

Papa Foxtrot · 05-12-2025, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooma

Whatever you do,it's going to cost you. It's worth less than zero. I like the excavator idea. Dig a hole, bury it and it's gone. If anyone asked, you don't know 'nuthin.
Remember, "No good dead goes unpunished."

I agree, he's got 8-10 acres so surely there's a low spot that he'd like to level out. Probably already knows someone with a backhoe...

rk911 · 05-12-2025, 03:11 PM

Send a registered letter (return receipt)to the last known good address infiorming the owner he has 30-days from receipt to remove RV and all associated items or the RV will be removed by you. You should be able to find a junk hauler willing to remove it and hold it for a short period before applying for a salvage title (different names in different states).

If notice is returned undeliverable I'd follow thru and have it removed. It's no different if a stanger abandoned a vehicle on your property.

dons2346 · 05-13-2025, 01:36 PM

Advertise it "FREE" on fakebook or one of the other sites.

JohnLoves2Sk · 05-13-2025, 01:53 PM

If 'someone' were to pull it out and leave it on the shoulder of the road in the middle of the might, sooner or later the county will remove it.

Bigceasar · 05-13-2025, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rk911

Send a registered letter (return receipt)to the last known good address infiorming the owner he has 30-days from receipt to remove RV and all associated items or the RV will be removed by you. You should be able to find a junk hauler willing to remove it and hold it for a short period before applying for a salvage title (different names in different states).

If notice is returned undeliverable I'd follow thru and have it removed. It's no different if a stanger abandoned a vehicle on your property.

That works if there is any value to the rig. Usually there isn’t. I tried that approach early in my park owning career. It was difficult to even get someone out to take a look. I got several “ you have got to be kidding” responses. One guy set me straight by outlining the steps required to first get it legally declared abandoned. Only then would he remove it and only if I paid him a disposal fee. That fee was over $1000 20+ years ago. In the meantime those ugly abandoned rigs would be in the way of renovations taking up valuable space.
An hour or so with the excavator, on the other hand, left not a trace.