Foreclosed Landlord's Failure To Pay Utility Bill Results In Gas Shut-Off, Leaving Tenants In 10-Unit Building Facing Eviction

In Battle Creek, Michigan, the Battle Creek Enquirer reports:

• Residents of a 10-unit apartment house on Capital Avenue, Northeast, are facing forcible eviction [...] because the property owner is not providing heat for the building.

• Henry Turner, owner of the house [...] said Tuesday he had gotten a personal loan through his credit union to help cover the months-old, unpaid $4,800 natural gas bill that led to the service being cut off. [...] But the house has other code violations that may keep it condemned even after the gas is back on, said Marcie Gillette, neighborhood services director for the city of Battle Creek.

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• A city housing inspector went to the house on Oct. 20 and 22 and found that it did not meet safety standards because it lacked central heat. "He found tenants heating their homes with their oven doors open," Gillette said, "which is a huge fire and safety concern." [...] Turner said he owns four rental properties and has been struggling with finances at all of them.

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• City tax records show that the home, owned by Turner and his wife, Rhonda, was foreclosed upon this year. It was purchased Oct. 9 by its previous owners, Carl and Barbara Dennis, in a sheriff's foreclosure sale, the records show. The Turners remain responsible for the property during the six months they have to try to pay off what's owed on the house and retain ownership.(1)

For more, see Gas cut, tenants may be evicted.

See also: Court hearing set on unheated apartment building.

(1) Michigan law gives foreclosed property owners a six month redemption period after a foreclosure sale to come up with the amount needed to pay off the amount owed and keep their property. BetaTenantRentSkimming