Wednesday, September 11, 2013

TIP - Change the locks when you buy a house.

Yesterday I was copied on a letter from a woman who purchased a house recently.  Title insurance doesn't cover this type of loss.  I'm not certain that she can hold the agents responsible. It's a good reminder to take control of your property upon purchase by changing the locks.  You never know who has keys and should not rely upon and statement from the seller.  Just change the locks.

"I will also be contacting you in another email requesting restitution from
Ms. redacted and Mr. redacted for not appropriately providing a completed
disclosure state for this property and also, allowing keys to the property
to remain with individuals whom I did/do not know.  

This was my home as of redacted 2013, which was accessed by individuals
without my authorization, with items being removed from the house after my
father and I did a walk through on redacted 2013.  The carpet in the bedroom
upstairs was urinated on; furniture left in the home was removed or changed
out, light fixtures were removed and replaced with others; the hot water
valve on the hot water tank was broken after we tested it; the refrigerator
portion of the refrigerator no longer works; cables were taken out of the
house; there was a self and holy water holder in the hallway upstairs.

This is completely unacceptable.  On Monday, redacted 2013, someone whom I did
not know, nor my parents', brought keys over to the property and would not
leave their name because individuals had been coming and going from my home.
If the family of Mr. redacted wanted items out of the home, I should have
been contacted to set up a time when I was on-site. This was unethical and
against the law.

 I do believe I paid for and purchased the home, all of the utilities and
homeowners insurance is in my name along with the responsibility. Now, my
family can identify this(these) individual(s).

 And, I will be seeking damages and restitution based upon the Pennsylvania
Code of Real Estate from both estate agents, Ms. redacted and Mr. redacted."

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