Things Left Behind
Wis. Stat. 704.05 — what a landlord may do with a tenant's property after the tenant leaves
When a Wisconsin tenant moves out or is evicted and leaves personal property behind, the landlord may presume it abandoned, unless a written agreement says otherwise, and dispose of it in any manner the landlord decides is appropriate.
Medication and medical equipment: 7 days. Prescription medication and prescription medical equipment are held for 7 days from the day the landlord discovers them, and returned promptly if the tenant asks before the landlord disposes of them.
- A landlord who will not store property left behind gives the tenant written notice of that when the tenant signs or renews the agreement. Without that notice, the older rules for property left behind apply.
- A manufactured or mobile home or a titled vehicle is disposed of only after notice to the tenant and any secured party the landlord knows of.
- The tenant or a secured party may redeem the property any time before disposal, or a contract for it, by paying the landlord's expenses.
Fixtures the tenant installed may be removed at the end of the tenancy if the tenant restores the premises or pays for the restoration; fixtures that replaced originals which cannot be restored come out only if the tenant puts in comparable ones.
Sources for this section (1)
- Wis. Stat. 704.05 — Rights and duties of landlord and tenant in absence of written agreement to contrary
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Wisconsin attorney.