Update, i.e. roommate, if anyone interested...

[Monica]

My mother has offered to buy her end of the house, though she wants more than double... Roommate said that she wanted $20,000 then in a letter typed that she wante $25. We were served today (papers from court) stating that she wants $20.

The court papers state that the roommate is part of the county and state, however she has moved, and is living in California (did I miss something??? I mean, is California now part of Nevada??? Did the county take over parts of Cali???). Add to that, she believes that since she has moved out she no longer has to pay the debt for the house payments (though my mother let her borrow money to put on a house downpayment, which is not included in house payments here so therefore she still owes my mother money). And again, supposedly my mother owes for half of the gas bill (propane... roommate has a relative in the propane business so therefore we got a discount on the price of propane... now she wants that discount of money back to her?!?!?!?!)

This whole case sounds ridiculous, and I guess the roommate doesn't know about the taxes of selling a house within two years (half the houses taxes must be paid if the house is sold within two years, which I think amounts to $14,000 or something like that). I don't even know for sure, but the roommate must be brainwashed or something because she's doing some ridiculous things...

PS, she says that she was forced out of the house. Around March 16th, she decided to move out and made the decision final. Then somewhere out of the blue, she said that we were forcing her out (she planned on moving out to begin with, so we didn't understand why she was still staying even though she couldn't live in the 'conditions'). Well, after an arguement, my mother did give the roommate a letter stating that she would pay roommate 10,000 minus what she owes for the house (as she never came up with a lump sum of money to pay off house bills) and/or to get out of the house by the end of the month (May). We didn't force her out, nor deny her access to anything (didn't take away cellphone, she gave it back, didn't deny internet access, she owed a wireless internet card to mother in due payment for one borrowed by roommates daughter, we didn't deny her access to tv, nor did we keep her from coming or going from or to the house, i.e. we didn't leave her outside with the doors locked).

So as guessed, we haven't heard or seen the last of her, and my mother has to reply to the court papers within 20 days or the judge favors roommate and rules her rightfull... of course we'll fight her since she broke the contract first made when buying the house


PPS, I was 'recommended' for a part time job working on a website (adding details etc to the site)

[Monica]

P.P.P.S., supposedly my mother wasn't paying for half of the gas bill, whatever that meant... To any degree, we no longer have hot water, nor propane for the gas, or anything else that might need heating... Ex-roommate is trying to still force us out of the house that she no longer lives in, and is doing so physically (i.e. removing our heating for the house, water, and for food). She knew that she was no longer welcomed here but we have never steeped as low as denying her anything accept internet in due payment for a wireless internet card her daughter owes us...

Just to add a bit to that, my mother just recently paid the FULL BILL (no discounts or anything) for our propane. It was only shut off yesterday while no one was home, and we found out this morning...

[Rue]

Sounds like you are living a nightmare...hang in there...hopefully it will all resolve itself in your mother's favour before long...

[Crebain]

Sounds like it's getting ugly. Your mom has a lawyer on this right? He needs to send a letter to the ex-roomie threatening counter-suits, etc.

[Vega]

You might want to contact you're local county building about that. Granted, it isn't winter, but with your mom's age to consider, shutting off heat could be illegal. I know here we weren't allowed to shut off our renters heat, even though they hadn't paid the bill and my family was getting stuck paying it and not getting paid rent to boot. Because they have 3 small children in the home legally, all we could do was let the bill sit or pay it ourselves, then add it on to what the renters owed.
And have your mom take a copy of her payment with her.

[Crebain]

I agree, something very fishy is going on with having the utilities shut off without official (written) warning. I think the ex-roomie-from-hell must've lied in order to get this done.

[Monica]

Her shutting off the propane is near illegal, though I guess it was after all in her name... it's just that she gave us no notice that she was getting it shut off. My mother has switched to another propane company though we wont be able to get any propane until Monday when they bring in a new tank and take the old one out...

I am only 17 however, so that makes my mother in her mid-late 40s, and yes it is summer so we don't really need it all that much except for warm showers and cooking food. My mother has been keeping records of payments and stuff like that (ever heard of Quicken Software???). Today however, we received another letter from roommates attorney or whoever, stating that what she owes will be paid if the reasons for the unpaid bills were for the maintenance, upkeep, and remodeling of the property that have not been subjected to being reimbursed (as to which all the bills were for that type of stuff, mainly before she moved in).

As far as my mother having her own attorney, I don't think she has one yet... She has talked to two attorneys to get legal advice as to what she should do, and one will seek further advice on claiming bankruptcy or even if its possible for my mother to apply for a loan (with as bad of credit as she has)

[The Outlaw]

Monica:

You mother should contact the public defender and make known her predicament. Many lawyers will work pro bono for deserving clients. Where is your father in all of this? I really don't think a 17 year old girl should have to worry about this stuff. I realize you are more mature than some, but you are in no way an adult.

THE OUTLAW

[Monica]

My father lives with his mother in Sacramento. He has not lived in the 'family' since I was around 5 or 6 years old (due to alcohol problems). We've been better off with him living away from us (even if he may no longer have alcohol problems). He cannot help us however because he is unable to get a good paying job (due to dropping out of highschool) and now he might have some health problems too...

Most the time it was just my mother, sister, and I living together in our own home (which was rented). It was only a couple years ago however that my sister moved out and went to New Zealand to be with her Fiancee which she will be marrying next month. Before she had moved however, it was then that we got the house that we are in now...

So to say the least, since I can remember, I've always felt alone or had been alone, until I had moved where we are now and I had made friends after 4 months. The reason why I love my birds so dearly is because they were there when no one else was, and now that I have friends and actually a life for a change, I still love them the same and more since they have also gone through a lot, especially Noel and Smurf.

I don't want to loose this place as it feels like home finally, because I finally feel at home 'in the heart'. So, in short version, that's my life story!

[Crebain]

Contact local TV news reporters, ask about consumer advocate reporting and human interest ... it's worth a shot.