Posted by PegiT_MN on 12/15/12 11:37am
Msg #446632

The Stench In That House Was So Bad......

.....I almost vomited! I pulled up into the driveway this morning for my 9:00 a.m. signing and I knew right away it was not going to be a good one just by looking at the outside of the home. The home was in disrepair, and the driveway and walks had not yet been shoveled from last Sunday's snow storm. The home looked very dark inside as I quickly glanced up to the window and noticed the stacks of paperback books with their brown pages piled high in the front window. This was not going to be a good one.....I already knew it. I was here though and I had to make the best of it.

The borrower was waiting at the front door for me when I got there and the moment I stepped inside the front door into the very dimly lit entryway, the very strong smell of cat urine immediately permeiated my nostrils. I quickly looked around and knew right away that I was either in a hoarder's home, or perhaps just a very junky, smelly, garbage house. I wasn't sure what to do. My very first instinct was to run......run back to my car.......get in and drive away very quickly.....back home to my sweet smelling home that had no cat urine smells. I would just deal with the fallout later. The title company couldn't be too mad at me for escaping from this gigantic litter box.....could they? Against my better judgment, I very cautiously walked up the few steps into the living room hoping that the smell of cat urine and garbage was contained to the lower level of the home and that the upstairs living room and kitchen might be a little better. I was sadly mistaken. The darkened living room was filled with garbage, a bag of empty smelly cat food cans, and the floor was filthy and there was a fold out couch with no sheets on it that obviously someone spent a lot of time sleeping in and a recliner next to it and an old television. Other than that, all I could see was a lot of what appeared to be trash. Why on earth didn't I go with my first instinct of running out of the house back to car? It was too late so I had to make the best of this situation. Just get the signing done and get back to the fresh air as quickly as I could. If I could just make it through the next 20 minutes....all would be well. I wanted to tell them that their house smelled so bad that I was going to have to leave, but I just couldn't be rude, I am a professional, it would not be nice to hurt their feelings.

The borrowers lead me to the kitchen table where it appears to be a little cleaner, but that cat urine smell, it won't go away, it's getting stronger and my stomach is starting to turn. I don't know if I can do this I keep thinking. I don't think I can last 20 minutes. I have never smelled cat urine so strong in my life. How many cats live here I keep thinking? We make it through the first two disclosures as I am trying everything in my power to conduct this signing in the most professional manner I can and all of a sudden it happens......my worst fears have come true........I started gagging....and gagging....and coughing......and my eyes are watering.....I couldn't stop.....and then I almost threw up......right there at the signing table.....it was terrible. I didn't know what to do so I just picked up all the papers and said something really stupid "I think I'm allergic to your cats....I'm going to throw up.....you're just gonna have to reschedule this for another time at a coffee shop or something....we can't close here" as I ran out of their house gagging and coughing my eyes watering as I am trying to maneuver my way through the garbage in the living room down the dark steps to the outside where I need to start breathing the fresh air again because I know that at any moment I am going to vomit.

On my way out the door I could hear the wife saying something like "I'm sorry you're allergic to cats....do you have some Benadryl......should we go to the McDonalds down the street......we will go now.....we can close there". OMG.....she didn't have a clue. She seriously thought I was allergic to cats. Didn't she know she was living in a gigantic litterbox/trash dumpster. The worst part about the whole thing......she is a nurse at the VA hospital.

We got the closing done at the McDonalds. The wife kept saying "I smell food". All I kept thinking was at this point I would gladly take the smell of some greasy McDonalds sausages and pancakes, but unfortunately my poor nostrils were still processing the cat urine and garbage smells from her house.

I really didn't post this to gross all of you out, but I posted this to say that I will never again enter a hoarder/garbage/litter box house, and neither should any of you. It is one thing for us to provide a professional service to the lender, title company, and borrowers, but it is another thing to enter a home that is a potential health hazard to us. I will never ever do that again and I hope that none of you ever have to do that either.

Thanks for listening to my story.

Reply by snowflake/PA on 12/15/12 11:54am
Msg #446636

I've had a couple of those closings, too. Went to one borrower's home (it looked deplorable from the outside) and literally the front door was open, furniture was turned on its side as they were "flea bombing" the rat's nest they lived in. I told them I could not come in and sign under those conditions. We started signing some docs outside on a table, and then names were wrong on title docs. I adjourned per title, and I never took the reschedule on that one!

Reply by roseIN on 12/15/12 1:23pm
Msg #446641

just go home as there is no requirement for you to stay under those circumstances, why did you even go inside? as you state that you are a professional, they are rank amateurs, do you really think it was worth the Fee? again, make a u-turn

Reply by Michael Scoglietti on 12/15/12 1:46pm
Msg #446643

Many many year ago I was a telephone installer. I had to go into a basement to do some work. The basement was flooded in one corner, and there were dog dropping floating there, in addition a lot of clothes there and were wet and moldy. There was a window near where I was working, of course it wouldn't open, so I busted the glass to get some fresh air. Fortunately it was only a 10 minute job. I reported my "accident" and a adjuster came out and paid for a new window. The adjuster and my foreman had a good idea what happened since they had to go into the basement. Nothing was ever said to me. Life as an installer is similar to being a NSA. Never sure what you will run into. 99.9999% okay to great but we always remember that .0001

Reply by pat/WA on 12/15/12 2:20pm
Msg #446645

dress code

Had an email recently stating that male notaries were to wear coat and tie and female notaries suits or pant suits.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/15/12 3:36pm
Msg #446650

Haha. Show up at a dairy farm in a suit/heels? Pffft. n/m

Reply by Barb25 on 12/15/12 2:43pm
Msg #446646

Wow. Peggy

I was feeling sorry myself over my experience the other night until I read this. Who'd have thought you'd need hazardous duty pay for this line of work. I think it is about setting boundaries with borrowers and SS and TCs. I guess we just get so caught off guard and are basically nice people, professionals as you say trying to do a "great" job. There are limits and no one should expect more than those limits especially not ourselves. A plumber isn't expected to put a roof on the house because there is a leak in the ceiling in the room he is fixing the faucet.

I have read here that people have fallen because borrowers have not shoveled their walks when they knew someone was coming with paperwork to sign. What? That is a lawsuit. We apologize and go on with the signing.

No lights on outside so you have no idea which house you are looking for. Heaven forbid they make it easy for you to find them. Whose signing is this anyhow?

And your case tonight. I am sure you didn't want to embarrass the borrower. And have you would wonder if the SS/TC would understand (maybe). They should understand. They should apologize. Maybe they do. The good ones do.

I guess I am still venting. Hope you have a better weekend.

Reply by Budman on 12/15/12 2:49pm
Msg #446648

Re: Were you dressed professionaly? n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/15/12 3:39pm
Msg #446651

Odd question, Budman. n/m

Reply by Budman on 12/15/12 3:57pm
Msg #446653

Re: Were you dressed professionaly?

it's a joke

Reply by PegiT_MN on 12/15/12 4:16pm
Msg #446656

Unfortunately, my hazmat suit was at the cleaners! n/m

Reply by Karla/OR on 12/15/12 4:33pm
Msg #446660

LOL Pegi!! n/m

Reply by Shan/CA on 12/15/12 6:58pm
Msg #446678

Re: LOL Pegi!!

The comments read like a story! Then the hazmat comment, I've enjoyed the forum today!

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 12/15/12 5:16pm
Msg #446665

Good one, Budman. LOL! n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/17/12 9:56am
Msg #446775

Sorry, Budman, my bad. n/m

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 12/15/12 3:21pm
Msg #446649

You should put this narrative in your Notary Memoirs . . . this HAS to be every notary's (and neighborhood's) WORST NIGHTMARE!

From now on, I plan to very extremely observant while traveling to homes to take notice of public places along the way - libraries, coffee shops, fast food, banks - for potential (more sanitary signing spots) should the need arise. My immune system went into major overdrive several years ago - and was on the attack. Absolutely NO WAY my endocrine system could have tolerated something like this.

Not sure when this sort of health hazard would become an issue for Dept of Health & Human Services (and a VA nurse??!!)

So glad I wasn't eating when I read this one . . .

Reply by Shan/CA on 12/15/12 4:17pm
Msg #446657

I am sorry Ms. Peggy, but I am over here falling on my floor! I will say you did better than me, because there is no way I could have stood that. Laughing my tail off!

Reply by Karla/OR on 12/15/12 4:31pm
Msg #446659

Sorry for your experience Pegi. We never know what our next signing is going to be like - I am giddy with joy when it turns out to be the ideal: an easy to find home, a clean and comfortable home, and BO's that are pleasant and ready to sign. You unfortunately hit the Mother Load of what we as notaries fear. It is so hard for us to imagine that these types of situations even exist out there until we are placed directly inside it. With our minds running crazy about what we should do as a professional, we have to make a split decision as to stay or run. I admire you for removing yourself from that nasty place and sharing your experience with us. I have not yet had such a horrific situation but when and if I do, I will surely remember how you handled yours.

Reply by 101livescan on 12/15/12 5:07pm
Msg #446664

This is, when hazmat jumper suit mask a.d head cover is appropriate

Reply by desktopfull on 12/15/12 5:31pm
Msg #446667

Only had one that bad and moved it to the front porch without ever entering the house, the smell was gut wrenching at the front door. 85 degrees with 90% humidity was better than being in that house with a combination of cat urine, frying fish and moth balls.

Reply by CentralNY on 12/15/12 6:37pm
Msg #446676

I think I lost a TC client because I

missed a date on a mortgage and i viewed a current license but in the chaos they copied an old one, it's the only company that requires a date on the mortgage and their daughter had a fire and there were at least 10 caged animals, including birds in the house and little ones; total chaos. the wife bo was on the phone screaming with relatives the whole signing and the hubby kept printing his name. this was a resign and they had big cash out so we had to git er done. this is rare but i really don't think the cos. we close for have a clue what can go down.

Reply by Frank/NC on 12/15/12 8:34pm
Msg #446685

You didn't state whether or not there were children in the house. The only reason I mention children being there is that some time ago I encountered a very similiar situation with 3 small children in the house. I was not as courteous as you were and told the borrower I wouldn't do the signing because the place was filthy and stunk of urine. My shoes were actually sticking to the urine on the wooden floors.

Without belaboring a point, I told them I would do the closing at a local fast food restaurant. They agreed but never showed up there.
Next day I reported this to the Dept. of Health in the County. By the way, the borrower was an investigator for the Dept. of Health.

Reply by CentralNY on 12/16/12 9:42am
Msg #446717

A bit off topic...

i have closed for nurses in which the houses were pigstys, the animal urine, etc. . i guess i can be naive because i was really shocked by that. i just always think of them as clean florence nightingales. and i was really grossed out that they are touching and caring for others.

Reply by PegiT_MN on 12/16/12 11:22am
Msg #446732

Re: A bit off topic...

I was thinking the exact same thing. I told one of my friends about it yesterday after my totally grossed out experience and I said I couldn't believe this woman goes to a hospital every day and touches sick people. It still makes me sick just thinking about it.

Reply by HisHughness on 12/16/12 3:16pm
Msg #446746

Re: A bit off topic...

My preggo daughter has developed a mild and easily controlled case of gestational diabetes. The other day, I watched as she took her glucose reading. She swabbed the puncture site before drawing a drop of blood. When I questioned why the swab -- it seemed a bit of overkill -- she explained that hospitals are hotbeds of the vicious MRSA virus, so she is extremely cautious about <any> penetration of the protective barrier of the skin. She is concerned about picking up the MRSA big at work she's an ER charge nurse -- and carrying it around with her.

You maybe should have bathed in alcohol after that signing.

Reply by BossLadyMD on 12/17/12 12:39pm
Msg #446798

I do not work in filthy houses, my company's policy. n/m