Contractor wants money he found on job

[Don]

File this one under the heading of, "You've got to be kidding me!"

Read in the paper today - An Ohio homeowner is having their bathroom remodeled, the contractor finds money inside the wall. $182,000 in cash. Most likely left there by the previous owner. The contractor wants the cash claiming, "finders keepers." Everybody had a lawyer now and it's going to court.

Why is it that, if it's an asset, everybody wants it or feels they are entitled to it? But, if it's a liability, Buddy, you are on your own. Case in point, what if the contractor had found termites instead of cash. Would he have wanted them, or at least half of them? Heck no, it'd be, "Guess what, you've got termites, it's going to cost more." But instead it's, "I found money in your house, so it belongs to me."

If you buy a property, you own everything on that property. Assets and liabilities. Of course, that's the way it should be. If I was that homeowner, I would have settled out of court. I would have told the contractor that he could happily take a small finder's fee or I would find someone who wanted the same amount to make him disappear. But, that's just me - I'm a little rough and I'm going to therapy to be kinder and gentler. "But, I'm trying hard, I'm trying real hard." (Samuel Jackson's voice, Pulp Fiction)

dawjr

(present company of contractors excluded of course):D

[Terry Mac]

This reminds me of the thief that broke his leg robbing a house and then sued the homeowner for damages while serving his sentence in prison.


If I was the homeowner, I would tell the contractor to go fly a kite. Would love to know the theory that the contractor is using to keep the money. "finders keepers" is not a legal term. Also, why hasn't the contractor been arrested for larceny? He stole from someone elses home.


This deserves a double. :mad::mad:

[woodman43]

I agree with you Don. I would have threw the guy out on his ear, after I took my money from him. Then I would have said YOUR FIRED! How does this guy think he has any claim. OK that means when I go to my next clients home and see a gold watch that had fallen behind the couch that means its mine to keep right. Come on is this guy that desperate that he has to claim something that he has no right to? You know the sad thing is he probably find some sympathetic judge that will give him at least half of it.

[bogydave]

If a contractor is hired to refinish an old painted table & finds out it's a 16th century english antique worth $300K. Would he get to take the table.
Come on, owners property. Owners money!

[Don]

It's easy to see the silliness of something like this when you break it down. And the court may rule in favor of the homeowner because it is so foolish. The problem is more basic than that. The fact that people would think they are entitled. The fact that lawyers would take these cases and convince clients they might have a shot; they'll get paid regardless. The fact that us taxpayers are subsidizing the judicial system for this nonsense. The fact that it makes the "news" perpetuates more of the same.

People . . . they're the worst! (present company excluded of course) ;)

dawjr

[c.demille]

I saw this healine on the news also and I'm pretty sure that the owner offered the contractor 10%, but he wanted more and is going to court.