Further information. I asked in the shop next door to his if they had a contact address for him, and they had not. They did have his mobile number. They also had a list of people who had paid him for furniture which was never delivered. They also knew that the electricity company had been trying to contact him, had arranged a meeting at the property with him, which he had not attended, and had had to effect an entry in order to disconnect the supply as he was in large debt to them.

That was when I decided to end the arrangement.

Odd addition. I was getting rid of some veneered chipboard and had it by my front door ready to go to the dump when he called for some money, and he said he could use it in mending his stable and would collect it in his Land Rover. I agreed. Weeks later, it was still there.

Reason for not asking a solicitor - cost exceeds value of goods. Hugely. As far as I am concerned they are mostly useless, and I'm trying to declutter.

It seems from the above that the position is what I suspected. I can't get rid of the stuff. Unless, possibly, when the decorators are about the current location so that I don't have to deal with him alone, I issue via text (if still active) an invitation to collect from the front of the property by a certain date, and he comes and gets everything. Or not.

Penny