Saturday, May 07, 2011

More Multi-Unit Building Foreclosures, More Water Shutoffs Leaving Rent-Paying Tenants High & Dry

In West Palm beach, Florida, WPEC-TV Channel 12 reports:
  • They paid their rent, but a group of West Palm Beach residents say they have been without water for days. All the people who had been paying rent to live at the Pine Ridge Apartments on Division Avenue have children, and now a third day of no water is making life tough.
  • The building is apparently in foreclosure. But the residents say there was a man who portrayed himself as the landlord and had been collecting rent on eight of the units. This week the residents say the man disappeared and the city came to turn off the water because the bill was past due.
  • "The water is supposed to be included in our rent, so now we are stuck here with no water," said one resident. CBS 12 spoke with a representative of the building's previous owner, who told us a charity group had purchased the property. The former owner's representative was stunned to learn people are living here. Residents are hoping someone can help them get the water back on, at least until they can find other places to live.

Source: Landlord collects rent, but shuts off H2O.