I requested an immediate service disconnection and final bill settlement effective Monday morning.
Third, I canled the automatic tax escrow authorization that had been covering the property’s hefty annual municipal taxes out of my personal account.
By Monday morning, the reality of my departure hit the old household with devastating force.
While Vanessa was trying to set up her ring lights in the master bedroom, the electricity abruptly cut off. Seconds later, the water pressure dropped to zero and the high-speed internet went dead.
Panic broke out immediately.
Richard tried calling the utility companies, only to be informed that the primary account holder, Alicia Gibson, had closed all active accounts and cleared the balances.
The customer service representative informed him that to restore power and water under his own name, he would need to provide proof of property ownership or a certified lease agreement signed by the legal owner, along with the $1,500 deposit.
Richard froze.
He knew he didn’t own the house, and he certainly didn’t have a lease agreement.
When Richard frantically tried to access the online property tax portal to resolve the issue, he discovered something far worse.
A $6,000 municipal tax lean notice was pending, and the property owner listed on the official Travis County land records was solely Alicia Gibson.
While Brenda was throwing a hysterical tantrum in the dark, pitch black living room, screaming about how I was sabotaging them, a process server pulled up into the driveway in a white sedan.
The process server walked up the stone path, rang the manual doorbell, and handed Richard a thick manila envelope containing a formal 30-day notice to vacate, along with a legal demand for back rent totaling $24,000 for their unauthorized occupancy over the past 2 years.
Richard’s face drained of color as he read the legal documents.