If you haven't moved out, the servicer (on behalf of the lender or subsequent loan owner) can't drain the pipes and otherwise winterize your home while it's in foreclosure.
Question
I'm behind in my mortgage payments, and the bank started a foreclosure on my home a few weeks ago. I went out of town for a while and came home to find notices on my home that the place has been "winterized."
Can the bank do this to my house while it's in foreclosure even though I still live there? What should I do?
Answer
No. While the bank has the legal right to winterize the home if you've abandoned the place (you've permanently moved out), it shouldn't winterize the house if you still live there.
Call your mortgage servicer and let it know that you still live in the home. The servicer handles property preservation matters, like winterizing the property, on behalf of the bank that owns the loan. The servicer should arrange to have someone come out to de-winterize the home, but this might take some time.
If you can't wait for the servicer to send someone out, you can hire a company to de-winterize the home, or you can do it yourself. Look online to find step-by-step instructions on how to de-winterize a house.
What Does a Property Being Winterized Mean?
By winterizing, the servicer makes sure that a vacant, abandoned home's plumbing can endure a winter freeze. Typically, this means:
- draining the water from the pipes and the hot-water heater
- putting "do not use" notices on the sinks, toilets, and other conspicuous areas of the home, and
- adding anti-freeze to the drains.
What Happens If You Don't Winterize Your Home?
If winterization steps aren't taken, the pipes could freeze when temperatures dip, causing them to split. When the ice in the pipes later thaws, the pipes will leak.
What Gives the Bank the Right to Winterize the Home?
You signed a mortgage or deed of trust contract when you took out your loan. That contract gives the bank the right to protect its interest in the home.
So, if you permanently move out of the house, the bank will do things like changing the locks to secure the home, making necessary repairs, and, if needed, winterizing the home. Though, the servicer handles the details.
Why Did the Bank Winterize My Home?
During foreclosure, the servicer usually hires an inspector to do a drive-by inspection to see if you're still living in the property. In your case, it's likely that the inspector incorrectly thought you had moved out because you've been away.
You're Still Responsible for Maintaining the Home During Foreclosure
Keep in mind that, even during a foreclosure, you're still responsible for maintaining the home and making sure that it doesn't get damaged. If you're planning on being out of town for a while and cold weather is expected, you should probably leave the heat turned on and the faucets dripping to prevent pipes from freezing or take steps to winterize the home yourself.
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