Found this used Mobile home abandoned on my place last week when I came home from work. Had to have Police come out about moving it to were it was located in the picture below since it was parked on a sentimental site (place were I finished planting a garden with my daddy before he passed). The moving company contacted me yesterday about picking up on Saturday (2 days from now) to deliver to the rightful owner. It turned out the moving company owner WAS (stressing WAS at current time) a friend and he had parked the mobile home there. He had assumed it would be OK to drop it were he did without notifying anyone since it was a clean spot out of the way. My dilemma is
1. Should I be there and risk going off on someone while it is being moved.
2. Should I send a representative and wait for them to call me and tell me to come see what damage has been done. I know I will want to go over there then and go off on them.
3. OR Should I just wait until it is all over with and then go see what damage was done and leave it up to the police to document it.

I am thinking go with #3 so I do not get over emotionally evolved and get myself into a situation.
PS it took me a few days to get calmed down about the situation already. Also there is no way they can move it without issues since the access they used is wet now and will result in landscaping damage at minimal. Not to mention they have to remove some post I conveniently put up last week to tear up stuff if the owner came back and tried to leave with it.

Only in Bama ARRGGGGG

That is what I call unique.

Tums, I'd suggest having the police do a civil standby when the owner comes to get it. It will keep the peace AND not let a cop say after the fact, "how do I know that is new damage"? I might also collect storage fees...

I'm guessing that you already have a collection, but take lots of pictures from lots of angles, with lots of close-ups. Also write down dates and pertinent damage info so if it does go to court, you don't have to rely solely on remembering it all, or get caught up in a he said, I said....

Has damage been done? Doesn't look bad in the photo. I guess I would ask myself what has been wounded here, the property or my pride? Not saying what they did was right, just that I might give them a chance to square everything without assuming the worst, right off the bat.

Tums,

I understand your anger. I also get upset when people assume they can violate my property. Spark has a good point though, if possible, step back and think about real, concrete damages.

If a confrontation is inevitable, ditto what Rainman said about having the cops/sheriff out during pickup.

Good luck man.

Cmm

My only thought is to assess the damages as best you can before they move it. The police should be fine with you hanging on to it until you have received the payment. Once it's moved, you've lost your leverage and will probably never be paid.

I would have hooked up to it with the tractor and pulled it out to the bar ditch.......

What about telling them to pay rent/fee or stay off the property. There only remedy would be for them to hire a lawyer and repossess the trailer.

Blow off your steam before moving day. No good will come if you go with a chip or intent.

I think you should go as the property owner.

Additionally, make certain you have a sheriff or deputy there to keep the peace.

Also, consider having someone else there be it a family member or a friend, someone who can keep you in check if you forget to be nice.

Having someone record everything on video is always smart. Or set up a tripod. Often people behave better if they know they are being recorded ...

Just tell the moving guy to bring 1K in cash or a court order stating he can legally retrieve the trailer. Get a big mean dog and have BBQ.
Possession is 90% of the law (not really but sounds good). I'll bet it would be legal to park it in. Don't whack anybody but let the guy understand what a presumptuous ass he is.















aying he is allowed by law to recover trailer.

I'd go with #3 and also #2 so they can document before and after damage. No sense in #1 because you might be owing more in medical fees and legal fees than you can collect.

"But officer, didn't you hear the lightening storm last night? Don't you know that these things attract lightening??"

Thanks. Yes damage has already been done. The pick shown is were It is sitting is OK after it was moved off my fathers remains. The damage was done in other areas when they were bringing it in and the first location were it was parked. In reality physically the damage done is easy for me to repair. The mental side of having my fathers memories in the damaged area (not to mention ashes from cremation run over) is harder to get over.
The Police here do not want to do their job either as County has passed it off to city and city says it is Civil is to be County Jurisdiction. Law enforcement Opinion has to do with who you are speaking to instead of LAW. Basically one deputy said have me a marsh mellow roast while the city cop says I cant even touch it. The lawyers have me put up 6 NO trespassing signs around it and say we will handle it when it is over. Needless to say that lets them get paid.

I think 2 & 3 and a lot of photos and videos are the way for me to go. I will go off if I am there.

Basslover has very good points. Tell them to stay off your property and that they have to pay for the damage before they pick up the trailer. What about blocking the road with a piece of equipment ?

Offenders may damage the equipment in spite or to get it out of the way? Protect anything with a gas tank to prevent them putting stuff in the tank. Would a game camera help document activity?

What is the background of why your (former) friend decided to bring the trailer there? Maybe if you understand the motive it would help you and us know how to react..

Was it his responsibility to remove the trailer from its original place by a certain deadline? And because he couldn't meet the deadline he needed to scramble and place it somewhere (anywhere) to meet the deadline? Did he intend to notify you that he was parking it there temporarily and just couldn't get ahold of you prior to the truck making the delivery?

Was it a practical joke?

Was it an awkward attempt at 'getting you back' for something trivial that inconvenienced him in the past?

Did you say (half heartedly) at some point in casual conversation that if anyone needed a place to go with something that you have plenty of room 'out back' and then he took you up on it?

What did he intend for you to do with it, scrap it?

You don't have to give all the details, but it is strange enough to have someone dump anything on your property without telling you... much less a huge mobile home and all the logistics of getting it hauled and positioned on your property and then left there.

What is it worth in its current condition? Or for scrap value? If you ask to be reimbursed for damages and that is more than the scrap value of the mobile home your friend may just say fine, keep it and then you would be hard pressed to use the actual item for collateral with out an expensive small claims court case.

Delivering company has called and said they have a document everyone is signing stating damages will be taken care of to give me.

Police have told me to call them and they will be there.

Brother has volunteered to be there in my behalf if I want him to be.

According to the Lawyer I hold the upper hand since all I have to do is sign the line to have them charged with multiple charges.

Never ever have gave anyone the idea this would be OK. The delivery was supposed to be made to a neighboring property and their access was not prepared enough to allow entry. So the Delivery company and other Property owner scouted out my place were they made the decision to leave it. Never was consulted or contacted be either party in the months leading up to this. Did not find out the what was going on until the mobile home moving company called me after police investigation had begun. It appears they found out by another company that had been contacted that police were involved and then decided to call me.
Trailer is not in good shape at all and I understand it is supposed to be temporary housing for property owners daughter that husband was arrested and is rehab. With her having a six year old child and these difficulties I will not be preventing the home from being removed from place.

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

.

I agree with Scott...if you think you can't remain calm, personally I would send a trusted friend or relative to be present and take some before/during/after video with a cell phone. Be sure to take video/pictures of the truck, license plates, and driver. The half-wit that did this will see someone filming and it might make him more careful during the removal. Documentation could be your best friend if this turns ugly.

I salute and respect you for this position. IMO Well done!

Bill D.

I couldn't agree more, the right decision for them. At times, I have to remind myself when things occur on my property that I'm fortunate enough to deal with it every now and then.

As long as it's not often

If I'm understanding this correctly it appears that the owner of the trailer, or the renter of the trailer, your ex-friend or the lady with child (etc.), did not tell the moving company to leave the trailer on your property, but that the moving company and the neighboring land owner decided that between themselves. Is this correct?

If so, then perhaps there shouldn't be any anger toward the owner/renter of the trailer, but instead for the moving company and the neighbor?


Also, did any of the involved parties know that the area was a sacred area? IE, was it marked with anything that explicitly or implicitly indicated the remains and/or memories of a loved one are here? IF not, then as unfortunate as "luck" had it, maybe no one had any ill intent, and it was purely bad chance that the trailer rested where it did.

Again, not excusing trespassing or the action of leaving anything on someone's property. But maybe your anger can go away easier if you recognize that no one intentionally disrespected your family's special place?

It was a collaboration between the Trailer Owner / receiving Property owner & Delivering company on the decision to park on my property (the only one that really did not know they were doing wrong was the young child). Together they had no ill intent other than to use my property like they wanted to. They violated the NO TRESPASS / KEEP OFF signs that were there for the specific reason of what is present (originally parked Home between 2 signs of 6 present). They did not knowingly park on top of the emotional involved area, but did knowingly do what they wanted to that resulted in such happening.

I just Know I do not need to be there because if they were to say or do anything else stupid I may get stupid also. I am not near as aggravated as I originally was before I got the trailer moved off the emotional involved area and am trying to keep myself that way.

As far as the home I am thinking of the child and what his mother needs to take care of him. I am just trying to make decisions on what is best for them.


Thanks to everyone for all the advice and support. It is truly welcome.

Take the high road, Tums.

Maybe you can donate some items for the child? Be it an article or two of clothing, a book, crayons, or a toy or two?

WAIT before you say ARE YOU CRAZY!??!?!? LOL I know I know, but it may be that child may be in need of some things to help her along? I'm a sucker for forgiving, moving forward, and trying to do good where good can be of use.

You know yourself better than others, if you know you can't be there without keeping cool then best you're not there. But if you're the only property owner you really should consider that. Unless you can have someone act on your behalf and be in contact via phone or 2-way radio (so that if the trailer turfs the grass or anything you know or can give instructions on what is acceptable or not).

Tums, my condolences to you and your family for having your fathers final resting place disturbed by some idiot.

I'm going to mention this as respectfully and sincerely as I know how, so please know I mean no offense whatsoever. As I understand the situation, it was your father's ashes that were located on the spot the trailer was parked initially?

YES, that is why I flipped out when I first seen it and had the police on the scene. MY little one was 3 and planted a garden with her Gramps in that very spot the weekend before he passed of a heart attack.

Here is a pic of her fishing with him. Notice she had her some little overalls like her gramps. Got a lot of laughs out of here trying to act like she would spit like him when he was chewing. LOL

Thanks to All. Just landscape repair remains to be done.

And Basslover Thanks I did kill them with kindness. The young lady came to talk to me and I told her she needs to take the 6yr old fishing.

Salute to you Tums.

Glad it worked out well for you.

Well done, Tums!

Tums, thanks for posting the pic.

Great pic of your family. Looks like a real nice peaceful place to call home.

And I'll tip my hat that you killed them with kindness. Awesome to hear!