Getting rid of landlord's property

[Proactivity]

When I moved into my unfurnished flat, the landlord had left a double bed, 2 sofas, and 3 tables, which he said he'd remove if I didn't need them. At the time (1.5 years ago) I didn't have a lot of furniture of my own, so hung onto it. The sofas are ok, the tables are ugly, the bed was creaky and nasty but just about good enough until I replaced it, when moved it into the 2nd bedroom as a guest bed until it broke. I've now replaced the tables and have a child on the way that needs the bedroom. I called the letting agent who then called my landlord to ask about taking the furniture away. I was told that the landlord doesn't have anywhere to put it, and suggested I prop up the double mattress against a wall! I now have a lovely flat with new furniture and the remnants of a skanky bed and tables cluttering it up. The rental agreement says I can't sell or store anything of his anywhere outside the flat, but that anything the flat came with should be in an item list, which they aren't, so officially they don't exist. Any suggestions or ideas on where I stand?

[funnywebsite]

Nobody is going to put up with an old mattress pushed up against the wall. Tell your landlord firmly, either he shifts it or you will get it shifted. Tell the letting agency the same thing, they cannot treat you like this.

[stanleyman]

It was part of your original unfurnished agreement that he remove furniture if you didn't need it. You are perfectly entitled to charge him storage if he doesn't shift it. If he doesn't pay then you are perfectly entitled to dispose of it after letting him know what you are going to do. In reality if you just got rid of worthless, unlisted and unidentifiable furniture because they were worn out, nothing would actually happen, you rented it unfurnished.

[joko]

does the landlord realise the items are ruined? if he knew, i doubt he'd want to keep them anyway - what would be the point - he cant re-use a broken bed and wrecked furniture!

i would suggest wrecking them a bit more and then show him a photo - once he sees its now junk he will probably give you permission to bin it.

if he comes to see for himself make sure the mattress stinks and the furniture looks rotten - cover it in a thin layer of flour to look like mould and loosen the legs

[Proactivity]

funnywebsite: I agree, and that's much the stance I'm taking, e.g. I don't want them, does he want them? If so, they're waiting for him to pick up, if not I'm prepared to dispose of them for him. Them staying here is not an option.

In A Pickle: There's an inventory mentioned in the contract, but if it exists, I've never seen it!

stanleyman: I'm reserving the big guns for after taking the reasonable approach. I don't want to go in too heavy this close to my contract renewal and risk a "coincidental" hike in rent.

joko: The sabotage method is amusing, but impractical. I've never seen or spoken to my landlord; everything goes through the letting agent. The bed is now dismantled but in the way, the tables might even look quite trendy in a flat nothing like mine.

I'm speaking to the letting agent tomorrow, and wanted some 2nd, 3rd, and 4th opinions as a sanity check. Thanks everyone!