Locked out
Imagine this: you’re on a two-week vacation. You come back, and find a notice on your door: Entry by unauthorized persons prohibited.
Your key in the lock – it doesn’t fit. You peek through the windows and see that everything you left behind is gone – your furniture, your clothes, your photographs – everything.
You’ve been a victim of your mortgage.
Most mortgages that allows the bank to “protect its interest” in the “security” pledged for the loan – in other words, your home. If the bank, or its inspectors, decide at any point that you’ve “abandoned” the home, they claim the mortgage gives them the right to change the locks, board the windows, drain the pipes, and clean out any trash- your stuff.
Here’s the language most commonly used in many Florida mortgages:
9. Protection of Lender’s Interest in the Property and Rights Under this Security
Instrument. If (a) Borrower fails to perform the covenants and agreements contained in this Security Instrument, (b) there is a legal proceeding that might significantly affect Lender’s interest in the Property and/or rights under this Security Instrument (such as a proceeding in bankruptcy, probate, for condemnation or forfeiture, for enforcement of a lien which may attain priority over this Security Instrument or to enforce laws or regulations), or (c) Borrower has abandoned the Property, then Lender may do and pay for whatever is reasonable or appropriate to protect Lender’s interest in the Property and rights under this Security Instrument, including protecting and/or assessing the value of the Property, and securing and/or repairing the Property.
…
Securing the Property includes, but is not limited to, entering the Property to make repairs, change locks, replace or board up doors and windows, drain water from pipes, eliminate building or other code violations or dangerous conditions, and have utilities turned on or off. Although Lender may take action under this Section 9, Lender does not have to do so and is not under any duty or obligation to do so. It is agreed that Lender incurs no liability for not taking any or all actions authorized under this Section 9.
What does this mean? It means that the bank decides you’ve “abandoned” your home they can come in and take complete possession of your home, without foreclosing or even giving you prior notice.
The police will not help you- they will tell you it is a civil matter to higher an attorney.
Clearwater Bankruptcy, 28870 U.S. Hwy 19 #361, Hodusa Towers, Clearwater, FL 33761,
Phone: (727) 330-1627 email: carollawsonesq@gmail.com