Sarah Hodgson Atlanta woman returns from vacation only to find home mistakenly demolished. Property demolished without her permission by ‘We call it We Haul it,’ outlet. Home owner demands answers and justice.
In search of her missing home…. An Atlanta woman has told of her longtime family property being ‘mistakenly’ demolished while away on vacation. The home was reduced to rubble due to an error by a local hauling and demolition company.
Sarah Hodgson said she was alerted to the unsanctioned destruction by a neighbor, who called to ask if she had hired a company to tear down the vacant house in southwest Atlanta.
‘I said ‘no’ and she said, ‘Well there’s someone over here who just demolished the whole house and tore it all down,” Hodgson said in an interview with AP Saturday.
Site supervisor admits razing wrong home after confrontation
When the neighbor questioned the workers, Hodgson said they told her to ‘shut up and mind her own business.’
Hodgson said she then called a family member to go to the property to see what was happening. The family member asked to see the workers’ permit.
When a site supervisor checked the permit, Hodgson said he admitted they were at the wrong address.
The work crew then packed up their equipment and left the property, leaving the house in ruins, Hodgson said.
Although the house had been boarded up for about 15 years, Hodgson said the lawn was maintained and all taxes were current on the property.
‘How do people just go up and tear somebody’s property down and then just drive off? How can they think that’s OK?’ she said, expressing concern about any gas or water lines that could have been damaged in the incident.
‘I demand answers’
Hodgson said the company responsible for the mishap, Atlanta-based You Call It We Haul It, has yet to contact her. She said she’s filed a police report and has spoken to attorneys.
‘I think he owes us an apology, and he needs to fix the problem. He needs to fix the problem,’ Hodgson said. ‘I’m just left with a big ole mess.’
‘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,’ Hodgson added.
In a statement sent to Fox 5 Atlanta, You Call It We Haul It said they are working to resolve the matter.
Calls placed to the company on Sunday were sent straight to a voicemail box which was full.
