A woman from Baltimore, Maryland in the United States inherited her late father’s house, but soon found herself with a $228,000 water bill attached to the property.The unexpected bill has left Christina Moore unable to sell the property until the problem is resolved. She says she was shocked to learn that the debt was linked to her father’s house.Moore told WBFF that he believed dealing with his father’s house would be the easy part when settling his estate. However, she said she found a notice posted on the front door showing an outstanding water bill of $228,000.After contacting the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW), Moore was told that the property was responsible for the bill. According to him, the department said that the outstanding amount will have to be paid before selling the house.
One meter for the entire community
This house is located in Springwood Estates, where there is only one water meter serving the entire housing community. That single meter is linked to Moore’s late father’s estate.Regina Johnson, president of the Springwood Estates Homeowners Association (HOA), told WBFF she doesn’t know exactly how the bill exceeded $228,000. According to Johnson, the HOA collects water payments from individual residents every month.“We provided contracts and restrictions,” Ciofani said, citing documents that outline how the community operates. He questioned why Moore was being held responsible for water charges associated with multiple homes. “I don’t understand how they can hold him liable for 37 properties,” Ciofani said.According to WBFF, a senior advisor to the Baltimore City Council President said that “the lien will remain in place until the remaining amount is paid.” This means that the legal claim against the property will continue until the payment issue is resolved. It has not yet been decided who will be ultimately responsible for paying the $228,000.
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Moore believes his father’s estate may have been left with charges connected to more than 30 homes in the neighborhood because the community’s only water meter is tied to that address.Realtor Lisa Ciofani, who helped Moore with the home inheritance process and sale, said she submitted documents to the Department of Public Works to explain that paying for water is the responsibility of the homeowners association.
what is a property lien
A lien is a legal claim placed on property because of an unpaid debt. When a lien exists, it becomes part of the public record. In many cases, the property cannot be sold or transferred until the debt is repaid or the dispute is resolved.If the loan remains unpaid, the lender may have the legal right to force a sale of the property to recover the money owed.However, liens related to unpaid water bills are not common, according to the report. The most common type is the mortgage lien. It is created when someone borrows money to buy a house. The lender retains the lien until the loan is repaid in full.Tax liens are also common. These can be levied on the property by federal, state, or local authorities if the owner fails to pay taxes.