Belongings Left Behind
MCA 70-24-430 — stored with reasonable care, and a notice at least 10 days before disposal
After a court ordered end of tenancy, belongings left are considered abandoned. Otherwise the landlord needs clear and convincing evidence of abandonment, and 48 hours after getting it may remove the property and throw out only trash and hazardous, perishable or valueless items.
Who handles this in Montana: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Montana directory.
- The landlord inventories and stores property reasonably believed valuable, with reasonable care, and may charge reasonable storage and moving costs.
- The landlord mails the tenant a notice that the property will be disposed of at a stated time not less than 10 days after mailing.
- Personal photos, jewelry and small irreplaceable items are never valueless.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCA 70-24-430 — Disposition of personal property abandoned by tenant after termination
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Montana attorney.