Indianapolis Tenant-Couple Face The Boot After Finding Out Premises Was In Foreclosure; Phony Landlord Was Homeowner's Ex-Hubby

In Indianapolis, Indiana, WISH-TV Channel 8 reports:

• An Indianapolis couple is scrambling to find a new place to live after accidentally finding out their house is in foreclosure. It only took a minute for panic to fill Claudia Mason's chest.
  
  "First was who are you?" A man was taking pictures of her house.
  
  "i Came on out and asked him what he was doing and found out that he was putting notices up on our house for a sheriff eviction," said Claudia.
  
  Just days prior, Claudia and her husband Craig signed their second year's lease. They thought it must be a mistake but after a quick check by the man with the camera. "Not only was the house completely foreclosed, but who we had been paying rent to didn't own the house now or ever," said Claudia.
  
  Turns out, the landlord had been taking the Mason's rent checks while they lived in a house owned by his ex-wife. Meanwhile, the house was falling into foreclosure.

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• A simple search of public records revealed a long history of financial problems for the landlord; a handful of lawsuits, over $30,000 in property taxes due and he filed for bankruptcy in 2002.
  
  "We've had to completely drain our savings. We've had to scrap and scrounge so that we can get first months and deposit on a new property plus moving expenses," said Craig. "We found out that in 26 days we are basically going to be homeless," said Claudia.

For the story, see Couple finds landlord doesn't own house.