What would you do?

[Bald1]

I’m actually not sure there is anything to be done. Back in September I sold a canoe that I had on Craigslist. Guy bought it over the phone and said I’ll come by with work truck to pick it up. Well he showed up right on time and paid me $200. Said he couldn’t take it now because work truck ( ford pickup) was full of stuff. We carried it out to front yard where he was supposed to pick it up that evening. Long story short. He never came back. I text him a few times and called once but VM was full. In one text I even offered to deliver it to him if he wasn’t to far away. Still no response. My wife and I are thinking he may have had a medical situation or worse. I’d gladly give him back the money…,.. my question is at what point would you resell the canoe? And does he have any legal right to expect a refund after 4 months should he come calling?

 

[waffles]

Look into abandoned property laws in your state. That said, you waited four months after he was supposed to pick it up that evening. I'd feel fine reselling it at this point, he failed to uphold part of the deal (retrieving the canoe) and you're not obligated to store it for him. If he comes back and asks for the canoe, I'd explain that to him, and if he makes a fuss I'd just refund the $200 (or whatever lesser price you get from the resale) just to have it done.

 

[Countrycuz]

I don't know how he could reasonably expect it to still be there after that length of time. Looks like a nice canoe for 200 bucks.

 

[CalifEd]

It would be interesting to know why/where this guy is; maybe a guest of a state facility for some reason.

Maybe one last series of attempts to contact him, keep documentation, but then go ahead on - you are not a storage facility.
Maybe a call to the local PD telling them what you intend to do just cover some of the bases.

I think that after 4 months you would be well within bounds of reason to re-list it.
A legal right? I could make a case for both sides but for $200, it is not worth it; I would give the $200 back, wish him good luck and be done with it.

 

[Eric300]

You just got yourself $200. Sell it again for another $200. If he eventually shows up just give him his $200 back. That would be the decent thing to do. No reasonable person could expect you to hold on to the canoe indefinitely until the buyer picks it up.

 

[Maddog 521]

Maybe he has lost his way and won't come back. Do as you would like to be treated.

 

[SmithNut]

If you know his name and location (city/state), could you contact the Police to see if anything happened to him (car accident as an example).

Just a suggestion, this is a weird situation for sure...

 

[Rule3]

You just got yourself $200. Sell it again for another $200. If he eventually shows up just give him his $200 back. That would be the decent thing to do. No reasonable person could expect you to hold on to the canoe indefinitely until the buyer picks it up.

Sounds like the thing to do.

 

[Bald1]

I don't know how he could reasonably expect it to still be there after that length of time. Looks like a nice canoe for 200 bucks.

Thanks cuz, it was bright yellow when I bought it. It came with a mint old 1964 3hp Johnson. That is why I bought it. I figured with square back someone might want a duck canoe. So I sprayed it and put the Ducks Unlimited stickers on it lol. If I didn’t have 3 other canoes I’d have kept it.

 

[Breakaway500]

I sold a truck bed for $500 to a guy from the chity who answered a Craigslist ad. Paid me cash and said his buddy would pick it up the next weekend. 6 months went by and nuffin. I sold it again..only this time I gave the buyer (a young kid) $100 off

 

[Doug627]

Check for an obituary?

 

[Papa32129]

Bought a canoe.
Then had a boating accident and lost all his guns.

It could be just the First Part of the story.

Papa

 

[llowry61]

Just sell it and if he shows back up just refund his money. If he isn't ok with that well, so be it. I think waiting 4 months is beyond reasonable. You tried to contact him etc. You might try a text as well. I am assuming it was a cell phone.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

I'd take good care of his canoe for him until he came for it.
People give receipts for a various number of good reasons.

 

[llowry61]

Around here you can't hardly give them away unless they are one of the wooden ones.

 

[MRB1]

I'd find a safe area out of your way and keep it for him. A year from the date of sale would then convince me that he abandoned the purchase. Like said previously, he might have had a situation arise that prevented picking up the canoe.

 

[rwsmith]

That canoe wouldn't......

...last one minute in my front yard.

So I guess it's ok to sell it and if he comes back tell him it was stolen.

 

[Rotorhead1026]

Thread title reminds me of Karl Malden selling traveler’s checks.