One phone call can change everything.
While on vacation last month, Susan Hodgson’s neighbor called to find out if she hired someone to tear down a property she owns in Atlanta.
When she said no, her neighbor gave her the news no property owner wants to hear: a hauling company had torn the whole thing down.
A Costly Address Mix-Up
When the neighbor walked over to the site to find out what was happening, the workers told her to “mind her own business,” Hodgson said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Since Hodgson was still out of town, she sent a family member to the property to assess the situation. When they asked to see a demolition permit, the person in charge took a look and admitted they were at the wrong address.
At that point, demolition was already complete, and the house was reduced to a pile of rubble.
Although the house has been vacant and boarded up for about 15 years, Hodgson said the taxes and yard maintenance have been kept up. She filed a report with the police and spoke to lawyers, but they are still in the process of investigating.
“I am furious. I keep waking up thinking, ‘Is this all a joke or something?’ I’m just in shock.”
Silence from Haul Company
Surprisingly, the Atlanta-based company responsible for the devastating mistake, You Call It We Haul It, has yet to reach out to Hodgson. The absence of any communication or apology from the company has left her perplexed and seeking justice for her demolished property.
“It’s just hard to believe someone thinks they have the right to just come and tear something up and walk away from it and didn’t come back and say ‘I’m sorry. What do I need to do to fix this? It was an accident.’ They didn’t give me nothing.”
In a statement to WAGA-TV, the company assured that they are actively investigating the mishap and are committed to resolving the situation.
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