How would you deal with a resident who is a hoarder

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How would you deal with a resident who is a hoarder

Mark Smith
Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes

I'm not asking for advice, I know what to do but thought this would be an interesting real world situation to discuss.

Today at our one of our mobile home parks my manager was collecting resident info we didn't have like phone numbers/email. He knocked on the door of one home (keep in mind, she is an owner) and discovered the following:

  1. Front exterior door was broken, leaning against the opening with a blanket hanging over the opening to close it in.
  2. When he peeked around the blanket, he saw the room to the right filed to the ceiling with full bags of garbage.
  3. He noted a possum in the home with garbage hanging out it's mouth
  4. He noted a trail off to the left between the bags leading to the back room, trail was about 15" wide
  5. He followed her car into the park and knew she was home but she would not come to the door.
  6. She leaves for work every morning and is home by 5
  7. She drives a new (2021) car
  8. She is the owner if this home, not me.  She pays lot rent like clock work.
  9. The home is pre-hud, 12x57 home
  10. Indiana law governs

I'm meeting with the resident tomorrow, what would you say/do?

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Lynnette E.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y
Originally posted by @Mark Smith:
Originally posted by @Lynnette E.:

Ask the County/City Fire Department or Health Department to do a safety check.  Let them deal with it.

This is part of the solution but if I exercise it without a bit of pre-work,  leaves me with an abandon home on my property and with Covid slow courts it may take months to extinguish her rights under the lease and then go through the abandonment process for the home to get title so we can get a permit to haul it off to the dump. 

 I could be wrong, but from what I know, if the Health Department or Fire Department start this as their case, they do not end until it is cleaned out, either by supporting the lady to get her to do it, or by court order and hiring it out.  So you would be left with the empty lot if they condemn the entire home or a shell of a home.  That, I would think, it better for you in either case.

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  • Lynnette E.
    Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    Ask the County/City Fire Department or Health Department to do a safety check.  Let them deal with it.

    0Reply
  • John Teachout
    Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    Personally, if she owns the home and pays the rent, what does it matter to you? I think I would apply my mental energies to other things. I assume the park has a garbage service as part of lot rent? If so, and she wants to live with her garbage, that's weird but her choice.

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  • Mark Smith
    OP
    Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @John Teachout:

    Personally, if she owns the home and pays the rent, what does it matter to you? I think I would apply my mental energies to other things. I assume the park has a garbage service as part of lot rent? If so, and she wants to live with her garbage, that's weird but her choice.

    Trash is included in the rent. All water bill and abandon homes become my issue and she is one phone call away from having her home red tagged by the health department. It is doubtful her furnace works (vents/returns all blocked) so she is using heating sources that greatly increase fire risks in a home stuffed full of Firestarter in those trash bags.  Fire puts the community at risk.  Since she's created a haven for vermin, this also puts the community at risk.

    The situation needs to be dealt with, it's irresponsible not to.

    0Reply
  • Mark Smith
    OP
    Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Lynnette E.:

    Ask the County/City Fire Department or Health Department to do a safety check.  Let them deal with it.

    This is part of the solution but if I exercise it without a bit of pre-work,  leaves me with an abandon home on my property and with Covid slow courts it may take months to extinguish her rights under the lease and then go through the abandonment process for the home to get title so we can get a permit to haul it off to the dump. 

    0Reply
  • Jim K.
    Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    5y

    @Mark Smith

    I feel for you. On the other hand, you bought a trailer park. With great power comes great responsibility, with trailer park comes trailer trash. All of which is to say, this is probably happening in a number of the other mobile homes and you should come up with a unified plan for getting rid of such tenants.

    Just because the courts are slow-moving doesn't mean you don't have to start somewhere.

    0Reply
  • Julie Hartman
    Property Manager · Denver, CO · Member since 2021 · 667 posts · 587 votes
    5y

    I don't think there is anything you can say to her that will "fix" it. This is a mental health issue and until she recognizes she needs severe help, nothing anyone says to her will change her behavior. I would bet that people in her close inner circle/family have tried to help her but she can't control herself. Please keep us updated on this; I would love to know the outcome. Good luck!

    1Reply
  • Lynnette E.
    Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Mark Smith:
    Originally posted by @Lynnette E.:

    Ask the County/City Fire Department or Health Department to do a safety check.  Let them deal with it.

    This is part of the solution but if I exercise it without a bit of pre-work,  leaves me with an abandon home on my property and with Covid slow courts it may take months to extinguish her rights under the lease and then go through the abandonment process for the home to get title so we can get a permit to haul it off to the dump. 

     I could be wrong, but from what I know, if the Health Department or Fire Department start this as their case, they do not end until it is cleaned out, either by supporting the lady to get her to do it, or by court order and hiring it out.  So you would be left with the empty lot if they condemn the entire home or a shell of a home.  That, I would think, it better for you in either case.

    1Reply
  • Mark Smith
    OP
    Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Lynnette E.:
    Originally posted by @Mark Smith:
    Originally posted by @Lynnette E.:

    Ask the County/City Fire Department or Health Department to do a safety check.  Let them deal with it.

    This is part of the solution but if I exercise it without a bit of pre-work,  leaves me with an abandon home on my property and with Covid slow courts it may take months to extinguish her rights under the lease and then go through the abandonment process for the home to get title so we can get a permit to haul it off to the dump. 

     I could be wrong, but from what I know, if the Health Department or Fire Department start this as their case, they do not end until it is cleaned out, either by supporting the lady to get her to do it, or by court order and hiring it out.  So you would be left with the empty lot if they condemn the entire home or a shell of a home.  That, I would think, it better for you in either case.

    Boy, that would be nice, in Indiana, it just prevents them from entering the home and it sits as a big oozing mess on my property until the owner gets it done or I jump through all the legal hoops to get control of the title so I can get a permit to move and have a mover haul it off to the dump.

    1Reply
  • Mark Smith
    OP
    Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Julie Hartman:

    I don't think there is anything you can say to her that will "fix" it. This is a mental health issue and until she recognizes she needs severe help, nothing anyone says to her will change her behavior. I would bet that people in her close inner circle/family have tried to help her but she can't control herself. Please keep us updated on this; I would love to know the outcome. Good luck!

    Agreed!  But most people with this kind of issue don't face rock bottom until their landlord or the health department steps in so if I don't do my part, I'll just enable her mental health issues to continue.

    The plan is a good cop/bad cop approach.  I'm the bad cop.  My park manager the good cop.  The two of us met with her today, I didn't give her any sympathy or wiggle room it was get it done or the health department is my next call and based on the condition of the home, they will redtag it and remove her from the home.  I gave her a week to get the home cleaned out, heat turned on and get that front door fixed so it won't fall on anyone and actually protects and insulates the home.

    My Park manager used to be her neighbor, knows her kids and has enough contacts around her circle to hopefully get things moving.  I told him if he sees an opportunity that a little money will make a big impact, let me know.  We can manage the timelines if she's making progress.  If she continues the pattern then it's time for the health department to step in.  She really is a fire risk, this must get sorted.

    I learned today, she's probably making 30/hr working six days a week.  She has the means to clean this up, we just need to help her re-prioritize and get it done.

    1Reply
  • Mark Smith
    OP
    Member since 2018 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    5y

    Update:  Resident has decided to not renew her lease which I agreed too provided she also removed the home from the park which she agreed too.

    I told her I'll hold off calling the health department if she shows me a move permit from the county and a paid invoice from the moving company with a scheduled date of the first week of March and that she shows me her final water bill statement and that the account has a zero balance.  I need to see the permit and paid invoice by Monday.

    1Reply
  • Dennis Wayne
    Member since 2020 · 339 posts · 356 votes
    5y

    @Mark Smith

    If she owns her trailer and she pays lot rent on time I’m failing to find the issue here .

    0Reply
  • Rachel H.
    San Antonio, TX · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @Mark Smith Yes, this situation should be dealt with. Otherwise, it could get worse. 

    Just follow the guidelines in your park's rules and regulations. Put everything in writing and start sending notices. Give this resident time to fix the necessary items. Though, set a deadline. If the items are not fixed by the deadline, then you can start imposing fines. 

    If that doesen't work, you can either involve the health or fire department (if rules are broken) and/or take it to court. 

    Best of luck with everything! 

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