{"id":4488,"date":"2026-07-23T17:08:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4488"},"modified":"2026-07-23T17:08:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:08:26","slug":"she-inherited-her-childhood-home-then-a-228000-water-bill-appeared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4488","title":{"rendered":"She inherited her childhood home, then a $228,000 water bill appeared"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132582948,imgsize-303360,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/the-debt-has-placed-a-lien-on-the-house-preventing-its-sale-representational-ai-photo.jpg\" alt=\"She inherited her childhood home, then a $228,000 water bill appeared\" title=\"The debt has placed a lien on the house, preventing its sale. (Representational AI photo)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"The debt has placed a lien on the house, preventing its sale. (Representational AI photo)\">The debt has placed a lien on the house, preventing its sale. (Representational AI photo)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A woman from Baltimore, Maryland in United States, inherited her late father&#8217;s home but soon found a $228,000 water bill attached to the property.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"1\"\/>The unexpected bill has left Kristina Moore unable to sell the property until the issue is resolved. <!-- -->She says she was shocked to learn that the debt was linked to her father&#8217;s home.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"5\"\/>Moore told WBFF that she believed dealing with her father&#8217;s home would be the easy part while settling his estate. However, she said she found a notice taped to the front door showing an outstanding water bill of $228,000.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>After contacting the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW), Moore was told that the property was responsible for the bill. <!-- -->According to her, the department said the outstanding balance would have to be cleared before the house could be sold.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>One meter for whole community<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>The house is located in Springwood Estates, where there is only one water meter serving the entire housing community. That single meter is attached to Moore&#8217;s late father&#8217;s property.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>Regina Johnson, president of the Springwood Estates Homeowners Association (HOA), told WBFF she did not know exactly how the bill had grown to more than $228,000. According to Johnson, the HOA collects water payments from individual residents every month.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>&#8220;We provided the covenants and restrictions,&#8221; Ciofani said, referring to documents that outline how the community operates. She questioned why Moore was being held responsible for water charges connected to multiple homes. &#8220;I don&#8217;t understand how they can hold her liable for 37 properties,&#8221; Ciofani said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>According to WBFF, a senior adviser to the Baltimore City Council president said that &#8220;the lien will remain in place until the balance is paid.&#8221; <!-- -->That means the legal claim against the property will continue unless the payment issue is settled. It has not yet been decided who will ultimately be responsible for paying the $228,000.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"26\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\".\" msid=\"132584227\" width=\"\" title=\".\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132584227\/.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/>Moore believes her father&#8217;s property may have been left carrying charges linked to more than 30 homes in the neighbourhood because the community&#8217;s only water meter is connected to that address.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Lisa Ciofani, the realtor helping Moore with the inheritance process and sale of the house, said they submitted documents to the Department of Public Works to explain that water payments are the responsibility of the homeowners association.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>What is a <keyword id=\"37762423\" type=\"Denny\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"property-lien\" source=\"keywords\">property lien<\/keyword><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>A lien is a legal claim placed on a property because of an unpaid debt. When a lien exists, it becomes part of the public record. In many cases, the property cannot be sold or transferred until the debt is cleared or the dispute is resolved.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>If the debt remains unpaid, the creditor may have the legal right to force the sale of the property to recover the money owed.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/>According to the report, liens related to unpaid water bills, however, are not common. The most common type is a mortgage lien. This is created when someone borrows money to buy a house. The lender keeps the lien in place until the loan has been fully repaid.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/>Tax liens are also common. These can be placed on a property by federal, state or local authorities if the owner fails to pay taxes.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/us\/she-inherited-her-childhood-home-then-a-228000-water-bill-appeared\/articleshow\/132582241.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The debt has placed a lien on the house, preventing its sale. (Representational AI photo) A woman from Baltimore, Maryland in United States, inherited her late father&#8217;s home but soon found a $228,000 water bill attached to the property.The unexpected bill has left Kristina Moore unable to sell the property until the issue is resolved. 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(Representational AI photo) A woman from Baltimore, Maryland in United States, inherited her late father&#8217;s home but soon found a $228,000 water bill attached to the property.The unexpected bill has left Kristina Moore unable to sell the property until the issue is resolved. 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