What are the laws regarding the abandonment of rental property?
In Wisconsin, a tenant is legally considered to have abandoned a rental property when they have either failed to pay rent or given written notice they are leaving the property. This must be accompanied by some other sign that the tenant has relinquished the property and vacated it, such as taking all possessions, canceling utilities, or returning the keys to the landlord. If a tenant has abandoned the rental property, the landlord is obligated to take certain steps to protect the property and their interests. First, the landlord must make a reasonable attempt to contact the tenant to confirm if the tenant has abandoned the rental property. The landlord may be able to enter the property if the tenant is not present and take an inventory of what is left behind. They must then give the tenant the right to reclaim abandoned property within a reasonable amount of time. If the tenant has not reclaimed their property, Wisconsin law requires the landlord to properly store the abandoned property and attempt to contact the tenant again. If after an additional, reasonable period of time, the tenant has still not reclaimed the property, the landlord is free to dispose of it as they see fit. The landlord may use the proceeds from the sale to cover any unpaid rent or damage to the property, and they must return anything that is left over.
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