Finders Keepers?

[MouseWife]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071213/ap_on_fe_st/odd_house_hidden_money;_ylt=AhCujZAs08q9joZe87_E3. guQE4F

My thought is that the person found it...in someone elses' house.

My nephew who lived with us for a while would pick up money and say 'Hey!! I found this!!' I said 'No, you are in my house. Anything in it is mine.'

What do y'all think?

[Gemini Cricket]

I say it belongs to the person that owns the house. The owner bought the house and everything that goes with it.

[MouseWife]

Thank you, that is what I say.

I can't believe they quote an Ohio law taht states 'Finders Keepers'.

If it goes to court, it would HAVE to be clarified that the owner of the house indeed intend to claim the money.

But aside from the squabble, that must have been exciting to find that.

But ugh,I can't believe the plumber, He is called to do a job, it doesn't make it his house. Even if were to remove a sink that she didnt' want, that doesn't make it his, you know? Everything belongs to the homeowner. Period.

I hope that I don't forget and follow this. :D

[blueerica]

Did P. Dunne have any family? Would they have any claim over it?

[wendybeth]

You know, he could have kept the money and no one would have been the wiser. The nice thing the homeowner should have done was offer a percentage as a finders fee. I would have.

[MouseWife]

Did P. Dunne have any family? Would they have any claim over it?

That is a good point. I wonder if too much time has passed?

wendybeth~ well, it would have been stealing which is what they are bonded against, right? Like housecleaners, carpet cleaners, anyone you hire to do a task in your home? But, I read in there that she offered up a 10% share but he wanted more.

And, they'll lose a percentage of that to lawyers and if blueerica is right, they'll owe lawyers and get nothing!! :eek:

[Alex]

According to the article the guy did offer a 10% finders fee.

Personally, I don't think he is owed anything. Not only did he find it in the guys house but he found it while doing work contracted by the owner.

[Jazzman]

Hmm... I think I need to run over to my neighbor's apartment. Last time I was over there I had a hunch that if I checked their DVDs I would "find" the last season of The Sopranos.



(Haven't seen it BTW! Nobody spoil anything!)

[Moonliner]

Excuse me while I go run a genealogy report....


Dunne, Dunne.... There must be one in there somewhere.....

[Snowflake]

Home-owner's property. The contractor should have been happy with the 10% offer, now with litigation, the only one's holding the money bag in the end will be the attorneys.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Geez, what a dick. Offered 10% of something that wasn't even his, and he'd rather ruin a friendship to get more. :rolleyes:

[katiesue]

I agree it belongs to the homeowner. Possibly some claim by the decendents of the former owner but not the contractor.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I agree it belongs to the homeowner. Possibly some claim by the decendents of the former owner but not the contractor.
If the house was sold, descendants would have a very hard time making any claim on it.

[Morrigoon]

No, because the house was sold with the money in it, and the sellers showed no signs of coming back to retrieve the money, so it will probably be assumed to have been abandoned or sold with the property (though personal property sold with a house really ought to have a separate bill of sale, so probably more like abandoned).

But seriously, the guy was lucky to be offered a 10% finders fee. That was very generous of the homeowner, and probably offered because of their friendship.

[MouseWife]

Thank you guys for your views!

And, thanks, Morri, for your insight on this. It sounds like it is clear cut, could that be different in Ohio? Different real estate laws? If not, what court would accept the case and waste time and money? For the publicity?
For the $$?? They should have shut the guy down right away. Now, this money will be put on hold, right, no way for the owner to sell any of it? I doubt if she would want to have it appraised....

And, the name does sound very familiar...is that the name of a paint or paint company?

[alphabassettgrrl]

Sad. Ruin a friendship over money. True, it was in the course of construction that the money was found, but everything in the home belongs to the homeowner. End of story. Owner offered a finder's fee, which sounds appropriate. The guy's just greedy. Ugh. No leg to stand on at all.

Of course, the downside of this is the next time a contractor finds something they'll just hide it.

I think the paint company is Dunn Edwards. Hard to say if it's related.

[MouseWife]

Of course, the downside of this is the next time a contractor finds something they'll just hide it.

I think the paint company is Dunn Edwards. Hard to say if it's related.

That is true about the hiding it.

Ah, yeah, I guess not. In my head I am seeing it as Dunne.....Dah!

[alphabassettgrrl]

This is one of those times that people disappoint me terribly. There are things that matter more than money, y'know?

[Gemini Cricket]

Money changes people. Totally.
My grandfather died leaving a safe with my grandmother. No one knows the combination but one of my aunts. But it's not hers to open. She won't tell my grandmother what the combination is. They're fighting and my aunts and her sisters are fighting. All for what may or may not be in this safe.
People are freakin' nutz.

[Kevy Baby]

Hmm... I think I need to run over to my neighbor's apartment. Last time I was over there I had a hunch that if I checked their DVDs I would "find" the last season of The Sopranos.



(Haven't seen it BTW! Nobody spoil anything!)The butler did it.

[katiesue]

Money changes people. Totally.
My grandfather died leaving a safe with my grandmother. No one knows the combination but one of my aunts. But it's not hers to open. She won't tell my grandmother what the combination is. They're fighting and my aunts and her sisters are fighting. All for what may or may not be in this safe.
People are freakin' nutz.

Locksmith. That's what I'd do.

When my grandmother died she left a safe deposit box. Of course my Mom and My Aunt couldn't find the key (no fighting over the contents or anything). The day before they were going to have the bank drill it open my Aunt noticed a key on a keychain that had been on the bulletin board by her phone. It was the key. Had been hanging there for like two years.

[Kevy Baby]

Were they going to charge to drill the safe? If so, do you know how much? (I am just curious - I am sure that this happens a lot at banks).

[katiesue]

I'd try checking with the manufacturer as well. Maybe the combination was never changed from the default it was shipped with?

[MouseWife]

Good thinking, katiesue!

What stories!!