  Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 111 Registered: 08-2006 |
Background: The home next to ours is in foreclosure but not yet for sale. Last night it was broken into, we called the police, they arrived in less than 5 minutes, thieves took off on foot, police towed away their car and contents. Problem is: the property is still not really secure, water is leaking out flooding the basement out a broken pipe--Can't get a hold of live person at the Water Commission. DTE can tell me that the gas is on, but won't turn it off since I don't own the home--my argument that it endangers my home five feet away didn't fly with them. Can't even report it as a dangerous vacant building to Building and Safety Engineering as they're not open either, the eviction notice on the front of the house doesn't list a bank or contact at all. Point being, anyone have advice for anyone to call, trying to protect this house, our own house, and our neighborhood but feeling helpless until business resumes Monday. | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 623 Registered: 06-2005 |
If you can't get a hold of anyone try running a cheap trouble light from your house to the vacant home. Hang it on the front porch and plug it in at sunset, that will probably convince 90% of the would be scrappers to pass on by. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3563 Registered: 12-2005 |
Broken_main, paging Broken_main. quote: | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 112 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll get a light out there tonight, we already had reinforced the door jamb after someone previously kicked it in, now we added a big lock to the front door and gate on the alley. The silly thing is the thieves were stealing (among other things) the oldest nastiest kitchen cabinets you can imagine with gross grimy green laminate counters, yuck! | ||
Detroitsfirstson Member Username: Detroitsfirstson Post Number: 47 Registered: 01-2007 |
If you know a realtor, have them look up the address. It is probably for sale, just not actively marketed. The will at least be able to tell you the bank that owns the home. Or look up the owners on the county/city website (Message edited by detroitsfirstson on October 21, 2007) | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 113 Registered: 08-2006 |
I spoke to a realtor last week that was being considered by the bank to list it, couldn't get a hold of him during the weekend. I guess it'll have to wait until tomorrow. We did padlock all the entrances and put a bright light on the porch. By the way, it is a beautiful old house with all the original unpainted woodwork, minus the original fireplace surround that is currently in the trunk of a stolen car at the police impound lot. The house has 4+ bedrooms, very large attic. Kitchen and bathroom need updating, also needs a new roof. If anyone's interested in this project let me know and I can direct you to the realtor. The mackcreatives care a great deal about seeing this house rehabilitated. | ||
Zimm Member Username: Zimm Post Number: 33 Registered: 10-2006 |
the gas should be easy enough to turn off. there is typically a valve under the meter that can be turned with a few taps with a hammer. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1442 Registered: 04-2006 |
Interesting Mack, I did a similar sort of thing yesterday. I looked out the front door and saw that the house across the street had its door wide-open. Being that I know it is vacant, I approached it with caution, then secured it. This is not the first time this has happened. I have had limited success in contacting the agency who is trying to sell the property, finding out where they are, and putting them on notice that they are representing an unsafe and open structure. I've included in the letter a reminder that children live in the area and that if they do not take care of the problem I will hold them liable for the loss in my property values. | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 509 Registered: 02-2007 |
Quote: " if they do not take care of the problem I will hold them liable for the loss in my property values." If that holds up in court, there are a whole lot of litigation opportunities being overlooked. Thats between the city and the property owner. | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1953 Registered: 11-2003 |
This is pretty much an epidemic in the city right now, probably happening with thousands of homes. Here is one other solution that works: http://amazon.com/gp/product/B 0003I92RG http://amazon.com/gp/product/B 000165F26 | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1955 Registered: 11-2003 |
In this thread we talked a little about how to shut off water at a house. Sometimes a handyman type person in your neighborhood might have a street key which can be used to shut off the water supply at the street. The only "problem" with doing this is that apparently if you shut off the water yourself, the city doesn't know that it has been shut off, so the owner (bank) has to keep paying the water bill. That would be a real shame. | ||
Mackcreative Member Username: Mackcreative Post Number: 114 Registered: 08-2006 |
We tried to turn the water off ourselves, and with the assistance of a contractor working on our house, it's broken in such a way that makes that impossible. The whole situation is really frustrating, sorry to hear you're forced into vigilante duty too detroitplanner! | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1443 Registered: 04-2006 |
I know it won't hold up, but they have been put on notice. The problem is that so many of these are between owners. I don't know how the banks can track them all. Maybe you can get the city to stop by with one of those keys and turn it off in the yard? | ||
Granmontrules Member Username: Granmontrules Post Number: 224 Registered: 01-2007 |
We are in the same boat in our block. We as a group haved secured the houses in a similar way as mentioned above. Glad for DPD that they impounded the SOBs car who were gutting the house! We called the mayor's office for a contact and they connected us with someone at Water. Try that. I forget the number but we got it off the city web site. | ||
Pete Member Username: Pete Post Number: 98 Registered: 10-2003 |
The situation is bad. Our block has four vacant homes...we've chased scrappers away from one on three different occasions. We've almost given up on the others, because there is only so many times you can secure the homes. We can't even figure out who owns two of them, and they sit open and empty. It sucks, and I'm sick of it. It's really depressing and I don't see much hope for our neighborhood. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 450 Registered: 07-2007 |
get out the 12 ga. buckshot and chase them away. |
