Avoiding
Insurance Nightmares With Vacant HomesAfter Jeff and Cynthia (not their
real names) built a new home a few years ago, they kept their
original home as a rental property. They learned quickly that
keeping good tenants in a rental home can be a challenge. Last
year they had to evict their problem tenants, and they spent
several weekends cleaning the house and repairing their tenants'
damage. Full of hope, they finished the work, and set up an
appointment to sign a lease with new tenants.
The house burned to the ground the
night before that appointment. They watched the firefighters
fight hopelessly against the blaze. They saw their investment go
up in smoke, and they felt the gut-wrenching emotions of seeing
their first home destroyed.
House fires are always
investigated, and the inspectors found traces of gasoline and a
gas can in a closet. They interviewed Jeff and Cynthia, although
they had no evidence that they had set the fire themselves. They
investigated the former tenants and the neighbors, but were
unable to determine the arsonist. Read remaining article
|