Help! Crime Scene Cleaning Co. Aftermath Inc. is asking for $48k

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Help! Crime Scene Cleaning Co. Aftermath Inc. is asking for $48k

Tom Anderson
New York, New York (NY) · Member since 2017 · 13 posts · 2 votes

Hi BiggerPockets!,

I'm hoping someone can give me some solid advice here. The police called me this morning to let me know that a tenant (not on a lease) but living with someone who is on the lease, took his own life this morning with a gun. 

The police told me I should find someone to clean the property as soon as they were done. I did a quick Google search and Aftermath was the first company I called. 

They came by right away and took photos and got back to me with an estimate!  $48,000! 

Their explanation here is that the insurance is going to negotiate this number down so I don't have to worry about it. They even sent me a letter along with the estimate saying they'd give me an additional $2,500 off. The sales person was just so pushy to get me to sign that I knew something wasn't right. 

I then called another company Bio Recovery who's parent company is Prestige WorldWide Industries (http://www.prestigeworldwide.company) which if you've never seen the movie Step Brothers is the name of their "Fake Company" which makes me now question doing business with these guys. They spent a lot of time trashing talking Aftermath and said the bill should never be $48k and that AfterMath has been known to hold business owners personally liable when the Insurance Company refuses to pay. They then put a Mechanical Lien on your property if you don't pay up and try to push you into foreclosure to try to get the property from you. 

I then found a news report on Aftermath which makes them look pretty shady

http://www.abc2news.com/news/local-news/investigat...


Ironically though I was looking through the fine print of the Prestige Worldwide's contract and they specifically highlight mechanical liens in their contract so I feel like they're just as shady. They also ask for family members and friends or descendants with their known addresses and their assets. (Cash, Securities, Artworks, Furs, Sports Equipment, Vehicles, etc.) Like what? You want me to list out the assets you're going to try to come after me for. 

This whole industry just seems so shady. They pray on people are going through something insanely hard. I can't imagine if I was doing this for a family member how much more frustrated I would be. 

Does anyone know of ethical companies that clean up after crime scenes? The property is in Southern Maine 30 minutes from Portland.

I also called ServPro and they immediately sent someone out but he said he couldn't get me an estimate until Monday. 

I have StateFarm Insurance on the property and a really high deductible. ($5k). Which I'm not so worried about compared to getting sued and having a company come after me for $48k because I hastily signed some contract. 

Has anyone been in this situation? Have any advice? These companies all seem so shady to me. 


Thanks in advance!
Tom

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Matt K.
Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y

What about asking your insurance agent if they have recommended companies ? Maybe something like a preferred vendor ?

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  • Harrison Smith
    Real Estate Agent · Biddeford, ME · Member since 2017 · 213 posts · 150 votes
    8y

    @Tom Anderson A good friend of mine started the company Safe Environmental Solutions. They handle all sorts of nasty stuff (PCBs, Asbestos, Lead, etc.) and if they don't do this work I am sure they can tell you who does. Call them and ask for Chris Lewis. 

    You can also contact a local company like Maine Properties that does maintenance and remodel and see if they have a contact or can do any of that type of work. 

    Good luck on this, certainly a situation we all hope to never get a call for. 

    1Reply
  • Deanna McCormick
    Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    And we wonder why our insurance rates are so high...

    I've had several crime scene cleanup's to deal with, but bodies removed within reasonable time frame, and some were just bloody not bodies.. 

    Blood from gun shots,, we let it dry, cut out damaged sheetrock,, flooring carpet & pad cut out and wrapped up like a buritto,, plastic gloves, face masks,,  

    one guy died in bed,, put the mattress in a tarp and rolled it up and out.

     Not much different than someone falling and cutting themselves and bleeding all over..

    wear gloves and properly throw the stuff out. 

    3Reply
  • Patrick Collins
    Real Estate Agent · Stoneham, MA · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 26 votes
    8y

    I second @Ann Bellamy, I personally know the second in command at Crime and Death Scene Cleaning in Ipswich. Honest people who operate in a touchy business. I believe they will travel to your location. Luckily I have never had to use them but I would definitely call them if I had to.

    1Reply
  • Jennifer Slaughter
    Real Estate Agent · Fort Collins, CO · Member since 2016 · 246 posts · 142 votes
    8y

    @Tom Anderson, how terrible, I'm sorry to hear about this.  It sounds like you have gotten some good advice, I think the local PMs and insurance Co.'s would be good resources.  Hopefully Servepro is better than the others, best of luck.

    1Reply
  • Mark Taliercio
    Real Estate Agent · New York, NY · Member since 2017 · 37 posts · 20 votes
    8y

    A $48,000 quote is so ridiculous I am hoping you have a physical copy of it that you can post for us to see.

    2Reply
  • Dan Wickland
    Rental Property Investor · wyoming · Member since 2017 · 76 posts · 73 votes
    8y

    $48,000?!?! Wow! Good reminder for what I have to watch out for when I move to America. 

    1Reply
  • Anastasia Jordan
    Investor · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2016 · 446 posts · 305 votes
    8y

    Get you some bleach and DIY.

    1Reply
  • Chris Purcell
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2010 · 739 posts · 372 votes
    8y

    @Tom Anderson for $48k you could rehab that house to the studs 😂

    2Reply
  • Timothy W.
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Ramsey Blankenship:

    This is a scenario I have never even thought about. Is there no way this clean up is the responsibility of the insurance carried by the person, or the immediate family, or even the person who is the primary lease holder (if not the person committing the suicide).

    It is insane to me that this is your financial responsibility. I understand you are left with the mess and it cant sit - but there must be something you can do I.E put a lein on his remaining belonging (if there are any) bank accounts, cars, ect.

    Ramsey, every policy I know has covered this claim.  Even when a suicide by the insured.  There has been a question of whether or not the damage was an "intentional act" and subject to a denial and the general and I think reasonable consensus concludes that the intent wasn't property damage.  The intent was suicide and property damage was an effect of that.

    0Reply
  • Timothy W.
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Thomas S.:

    @Timothy W.

    "Ummm, no there's a lot of risk with body fluids"

     Nope.

    In my younger years I worked clean up in a emergency dept. at a large hospital. As long as decay is not a issue, which it is not in this case, there is zero risk. We cleaned up all forms of "body fluid" with a mop and a pail. Disinfect and you are ready to go. 

    Aside from possibly brain matter every persons home has all forms of body fluids that home owners clean up regularly without concern.

    This is a "mental" mess not a health risk. 

    Canadian health care huh?  Just get a mop and bucket.  There's nothing to try aboot.  Soory.  :)

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Princeton, TX · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    @Jay Hinrichs  For $48,000 I might fly there to get the day laborers to clean it up.  We are talking suicide not a known Ebola case.

    2Reply
  • Rick Pinney
    Melrose Park, IL · Member since 2017 · 49 posts · 15 votes
    8y
    Tom Anderson if in doubt about a contract or even a bid price, pay a lawyer you trust a few hundred to negotiate the different bids you have received. The lawyer can also read through the contract and negotiate your position and amend the document properly. A few hundred bucks can save you a few thousand on about any kind of ad-box negotiations/insurance claims. Good luck and sorry to hear about the unit and life lost.
    0Reply
  • Rick Pinney
    Melrose Park, IL · Member since 2017 · 49 posts · 15 votes
    8y
    Tom Anderson ad-hoc**
    0Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Jay Hinrichs  For $48,000 I might fly there to get the day laborers to clean it up.  We are talking suicide not a known Ebola case.

     YUp this seems way over the top.. I have had it happen... it sucks but end of the day you just clean it.. I see no reason for anything other than that unless there is some law or something that I am not aware of 

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    0Reply
  • Timothy W.
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Jay Hinrichs  For $48,000 I might fly there to get the day laborers to clean it up.  We are talking suicide not a known Ebola case.

     You wouldn't know what they're infected with.  HIPAA.  A friend of mine had to do an insurance claim involving body fluids where it was disclosed to her that the insured was HIV positive.  This is not the time to roll the dice.  However, 10k is usually pretty reasonable.

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Princeton, TX · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Timothy W.:
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Jay Hinrichs  For $48,000 I might fly there to get the day laborers to clean it up.  We are talking suicide not a known Ebola case.

     You wouldn't know what they're infected with.  HIPAA.  A friend of mine had to do an insurance claim involving body fluids where it was disclosed to her that the insured was HIV positive.  This is not the time to roll the dice.  However, 10k is usually pretty reasonable.

    Anytime bodily fluids have been spread around people should be careful.  BUT toilets are cleaned everyday and the crime scene would not be much worse than that.

    HIV would not be the major concern because it is not stable on surfaces.  Hepatitis would be a much bigger concern.  Considering its normal mode of transmission the toilets are probably much worse than an old crime scene.

    1Reply
  • Kenny Traser
    Member since 2019 · 1 post · 0 votes
    7y

    Hey Tom, I'd go with Suicide Cleanup for this particular situation. For other situations involving other crime scene cleanups you might have in the future, I've heard positive experiences with Crime Scene Cleanup. Best of luck.

    0Reply
  • Rob B.
    Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 546 posts · 227 votes
    6y

    I'm of the same notion as Matt— it might be a solid idea to inquire with your insurance company as I'm sure they'll have a list of preferred contractors. That $48k figure sounds very high. I wouldn't sign anything with either of those companies; again, lean on that insurance company.

    0Reply
  • Tom Anderson
    OP
    New York, New York (NY) · Member since 2017 · 13 posts · 2 votes
    6y

    I ended up using ServPro, who did the job for about $4,000 vs. $48,000. I called around and a bunch of other sketchy companies came out of the woodworks while enquiring. In doing my due diligence with most of them I asked to see the contract and most clearly state they'll try to collect from your insurance company but will put a mechanics lean on the property if they can't collect the full amount from you. One even asked me to list assets like cars, furs, jewelry on the application.  It's very sad but there are a lot of companies looking to prey on people going through what could be the worst time of their lives. Message me if you ever need help here. BP saved me in a lot of ways when this happened to me. 

    0Reply
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