Homeowners Facing Eviction Trash Properties

[Retire Soon]

Homeowners in Las Vegas are doing major vandalism to their homes after the banks foreclose and eviction notices are delivered. They even remove major appliances from the walls and then advertise them in the newspaper to get the highest price. The worst crime is when they vacate the premises and then lock their dogs or cats in to do further damage to the property while showing no sympathy at all for the innocent animals. Banks are now paying the tenants anywhere from $300 to $2,800 to leave their house peacefully without destroying it first. It seems that some consumers have lost any sense of morality. Financial institutions rarely attempt to have the former homeowners prosecuted because it's simply too much trouble. With 1.9% of houses now in foreclosure in Las Vegas, banks are increasingly paying the piper for succumbing to such liberal standards on subprime loans in their greedy quest to increase profits.

Buyers' Revenge: Trash the House After Foreclosure - WSJ.com

 

[JPatrick]

The most interesting I've heard about is the old cement in every drain trick.
These folks prove there is no limit to stupidity.....

 

[maddythebeagle]

No doubt people strip places of anything that can be sold...on the point about banks being greedy...maybe stupid to think that people with poor credit will suddenly take an ownership stake...

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Ya because you know its everyone else's fault why they cant pay their own mortgage.


DOWN WITH THE MAN

 

[A854321]

What charges can be brought up against them?

I think a criminal conviction for fraud and vandalism at least, maybe animal cruelty, too. Dirt bags like this should not be able to rent again.

 

[JPatrick]

maybe animal cruelty, too. Dirt bags like this should not be able to rent again.

Roommates for Michael Vick?

 

[brewer12345]

I thought this sort of thing was traditional, no?

The only foreclosure I have seen go down in my 'hood thus far was perhaps the nicest property in the cul-de-sac. Apparently the idiots who defaulted on the loan completely trashed it before decamping: took every light fixture, toilets, cracked the marble countertops when they yanked the dishwasher out, etc. Fortunately, the new owner is one of my neighbors who has been an HVAC contractor for years, so he knew what he was buying and has all the connections to get things done right. It'll be a trophy when he is done (but I won't even ask what the RE taxes will be).

 

[sarahsays]

That's disgusting.
I understand banks don't want to go through the effort of prosecuting, but doesn't that just mean more people will do it because they can get away with it?

 

[Walt34]

What charges can be brought up against them?

I think a criminal conviction for fraud and vandalism at least, maybe animal cruelty, too. Dirt bags like this should not be able to rent again.

Sure they can (and should) be criminally charged with vandalism and animal cruelty. But banks make business decisions, not moral ones.

Charging these vermin would take resources and gain what for the bank's shareholders?

 

[ziggy29]

Charging these vermin would take resources and gain what for the bank's shareholders?

Maybe fewer people doing this in the future?

 

[CCdaCE]

I don't get it. What's so hard about calling the cops? How much of the banks resources does that take?

-CC

 

[dmpi]

Seem like the people that can't manage their own finances are the very same one that don't know right from wrong. There's a old saying: "When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose".

 

[Texas Proud]

What charges can be brought up against them?

I think a criminal conviction for fraud and vandalism at least, maybe animal cruelty, too. Dirt bags like this should not be able to rent again.

Well, it is theft!!! They do not own it anymore, so when that 'sell' the stuff, they are not selling their own stuff...

I have gone to a number of repos hoping to find a good bargain.... one was missing all the built in appliances and the inside doors.... What are you going to do with a bunch of doors?

And they SHOULD call the police and have them prosecuted.... but I bet the DA would say it is a 'civil matter'.... even though I do not think it is...

 

[Robert the Red]

but I bet the DA would say it is a 'civil matter'.... even though I do not think it is...

Whether it was a civil or criminal matter would probably depend on the point in time at which they removed the appliances -- before or after the notice of default, for example. But that would be hard to prove. Similarly with trashing the place -- while they 'own' the house, they can trash it if they want.

This timing issue is one reason the DA/police would probably want to stay away from these cases -- it would be about as much investigation work as a major felony for something a lot lot less consequential. They'd have to interview neighbors, get sworn statements about the interior condition of the house at various time points, and so forth.

-- did you notice I like to use dashes? --

 

[Walt34]

I don't get it. What's so hard about calling the cops? How much of the banks resources does that take?

-CC

A lot, surprisingly. The police charge the vandals and a court date is set:

That's when the bank's expenses begin, because they have to pay someone to come to court and prove that the bank owns the property, and did so on the date(s) that the vandalism occurred, that the bank did not authorize the people to be in the house, that the occupants weren't allowed to take anything, establish exactly when the house was last known to be in good condition (which may be impossible), get estimates of the exact dollar amounts of damage to establish felony or misdemeanor, and so on. The level of detail required is exacting. No mistakes, no matter how small, are allowed because that throws into question everything else that is presented as evidence, at least if the defense attorney has any more sense than a box of rocks.

There will likely be four to eight or more court appearances for the bank employee(s) perhaps more if the defendants hire an attorney.

This to prove the charges beyond all reasonable doubt, the standard of proof in criminal court.

All this, and there's no guarantee that the bank will get back a nickel of the damages or restitution for their consequential losses. So the sound business decision may be to eat the vandalism losses, forego prosecution and get on with their primary business.

Welcome to the criminal justice system, brought to you courtesy of the United States Constitution.

 

[clifp]

Part of the reason that polices and the DA prosecute minor crimes (speeding, jaywalk, shoplifting, soliciting prostitution etc.) is to act as a deterrence

I think a few stories that start like this would help reduce the number of incident.

Jack and Jill were angry at being sold a high interest loan with the cheap teaser rate. So when they found themselves in foreclosure, that tried to get even. First the sold the appliances, and cabinets, then the week before the eviction they had trash the house party.. Now Jack and Jill face 5 year prison sentence and $50,000 fine on charges relating to their conduct

 

[bambambam]

I wonder is the traditional approach to have one's kids moved out of the house before doing this? Or do the kids actually know what's going on? I can picture for every kid that grows up figuring this was the fault of the big evil bank, there's a kid who grows up to realize the moral and intellectual midgets he had for parents. I can only imagine that if you get told to wipe your feet upon entering the house every day of your life, and then see Mom or Dad pouring motor oil on the carpet before moving out, that cannot do good things to one's psyche.

 

[chinaco]

Well it just goes to show you the character of them.

Losers in the beginning, acting like losers when they lose, and they will be losers in life.

Too bad the bank could not press charges.

 

[Texas Proud]

-- did you notice I like to use dashes? --

Yes.... did you notice I like to use periods??

 

[UncleHoney]

I think what we are seeing in this story is the ugly side of human nature. These people are on the brink of financial ruin and they are striking out anyway they can. Either they got duped by the mortgage lenders or they duped themselves it doesn't make any difference, they are losing the game and they have to fight back.

Maybe it's just total frustration with the helplessness of their situation that causes this kind of retaliation. Destruction of property is common when renters get evicted or people are about to have their cars repossessed. People in long standing marriages turn vindictive at a moments notice when faced with a divorce. All reason seems to go out the window and they revert to some hidden instinct to strike out and fight their way out of the problem.

On thing in all this mortgage mess that I haven't seen is any physical retaliation against the people who sold the mortgages. One would think if the wrong person got screwed they would be going after some fast talking salesman with intention of inflicting at least a bloody nose and a black eye. That hasn't happened yet so I think most of the guilty homeowners know what happened.

As for the damaged houses, they will be on the market at a discount price and someone will get a job fixing them up. If nothing else, the demolition companies will make some money.

 

[nepo]

Sure they can (and should) be criminally charged with vandalism and animal cruelty. But banks make business decisions, not moral ones.

So called banks did make a bad business decision when they, assuming house prices would continue in a bubble forever, made the bad loans.

Now the business decisions have to do with how to handle the large number of foreclosures that are coming. It's a costly process, even without any sort of vandalism to their property. There is no question in my mind that the lenders would like a bailout and they will get some relief at the tax payer expense.

 

[Spanky]

There is no question in my mind that the lenders would like a bailout ..

So do the borrowers.

 

[CCdaCE]

A lot, surprisingly. The police charge the vandals and a court date is set:

That's when the bank's expenses begin, because they have to pay someone to come to court and prove that the bank owns the property, and did so on the date(s) that the vandalism occurred, that the bank did not authorize the people to be in the house, that the occupants weren't allowed to take anything, establish exactly when the house was last known to be in good condition (which may be impossible), get estimates of the exact dollar amounts of damage to establish felony or misdemeanor, and so on. The level of detail required is exacting. No mistakes, no matter how small, are allowed because that throws into question everything else that is presented as evidence, at least if the defense attorney has any more sense than a box of rocks.

There will likely be four to eight or more court appearances for the bank employee(s) perhaps more if the defendants hire an attorney.

This to prove the charges beyond all reasonable doubt, the standard of proof in criminal court.

All this, and there's no guarantee that the bank will get back a nickel of the damages or restitution for their consequential losses. So the sound business decision may be to eat the vandalism losses, forego prosecution and get on with their primary business.

Welcome to the criminal justice system, brought to you courtesy of the United States Constitution.

I still don't see how that would cost more than $10k or whatever number you wanna pick as the decrease in value of the house due to vandalism. Wouldn't the cops do a lot of the leg work? If my truck gets vandalized, I don't hire people to file the report. The insurance co. gives me a free estimate, etc. Not enough cops for this type of work?

Good thing I don't run a bank then, I guess. Sorry, I'm an engineer who just likes to know how everything actually works.

-CC

 

[Zoocat]

Animal abandonment happens all the time in our society and no one is charged, much less convicted. It says a lot about a society that would tolerate without reprecussion the abandonment of pets in a house to slowly starve to death. Those former home/pet owners should be prosecuted.

 

[Khan]

Animal abandonment happens all the time in our society and no one is charged, much less convicted. It says a lot about a society that would tolerate without reprecussion the abandonment of pets in a house to slowly starve to death. Those former home/pet owners should be prosecuted.

Local TV (WHIO) had a report on property clean up companies finding abandoned animals in foreclosures. If you can't take care of the animal, at the very least call the authorities before you cut and run.