(Written in mid-September)
We had a weird experience. A couple requested a showing of the house and after seeing it, they wanted to return with their "contractor", to get pricing on some renovations. According to their agent, they all returned (couple, agent and contractor) the next day. That was on a Friday.
I had been going there every day or two, to check on the pool and do the maintenance on it, but I was lazy that weekend, and I didn't go to the house. I went on the following Monday, and found one of the back doors standing wide open, with the storm door unlocked. I carefully checked the house for intruders, but I was too leery of going upstairs by myself - so I did the pool maintenance and left. Of course, I closed and locked the doors and checked all the others before I left. Calling our Realtor, I asked her to call the other agent and report this, in case there were problems later on.
I returned to the house 2-3 times that week, but the pool water level was good, and I didn't have any reason to turn on the water in the house. Mr. Kenju and I went back the next week to meet with a wood floor installer, and while he was measuring, I went out to check the pool. I turned the hose on, but the water only trickled out. I turned the faucet harder, but it was still only a trickle. Going back in the house to check all the faucets and then checking under the house for a leak, I told Mr. kenju and the floor guy about the water. They suggested I check to see if a toilet was running.
In our guest bathroom, I found the toilet bowl full of grit and only a little water. I lifted the top off the tank and saw that a plastic Lysol gizmo (one that hangs on the side of the bowl) was wedged into the area where the rubber gasket keeps the water in the tank after flushing. (Am I making that clear?) There is NO way that could have been an accident. Something that hangs on the rim of a toilet bowl does not jump into the closed toilet tank without help.
Our question is: WHO would do such a thing and WHY would they do it? We are "bumfuzzled" and perplexed.
It could have been a child; perhaps he knocked the plastic gizmo off the bowl and having no waste basket to put it in, he lifted the lid and tossed it in the tank. It is reaching a bit to propose that scenario and I cannot imagine an adult doing that. Unless....
Someone in our family suggested that the contractor may have thought that would be a way he could make more money in the long run. Our water comes from a well. If the well runs dry, you need to turn off the power to it, so that the pump motor doesn't burn out. We were extremely lucky that didn't happen! Can you imagine how upset we were? Replacing a well pump is neither an easy task nor an inexpensive one.
Another thought is that during the several days that the back of the house was open and accessible to anyone who ventured around the back of the property (and knowing there was a pool there), perhaps someone entered the house and that was their method of vandalism. I realize that any vandalism could have taken a much worse tack; this was hidden from view and a very subtle thing - until I turned the water on.
I emailed our Realtor a detailed description of what I found. She was perplexed too. She changed the lock box (with our house key in it) so that no one who had shown the house before would have access to it again, without making another appointment with her office. That was somewhat of a relief, but of course, it didn't bring total piece of mind.
What do you think happened?
6 comments:
I haven't got a clue. It is most bizarre. But it would seem that THAT had to be done by a person---for what reason though? Your idea of the contractor sounds like it could be a real possibility...!
What happened with those people who were possible buyers? Did they never come back? OR, are the the ones who bought the house?
Other than the contractor (who seems likely)... Potential buyer...they damage some stuff, things they can easily repair, they get you to drop the price of the house.
First of all I never knew you were on a well. How the heck did you fill a pool? Second, now I'm really glad I have surveillance cameras all around my property:) Third, some of the Realtors showing the property don't sound very trustworthy.
Yikes. The door being left open is scary enough, but someone tampering with toilets and water is creepy. I wouldn't be surprised if it was done intentionally. Good thing your agent changed the lock box.
Could it have fallen down if the contractor was inspecting the toilet and lifted the lid off the tank and then put it back, jarring the thing loose?
No, oklhdan,
The thing was hanging on the side of the toilet bowl, below the tank. Removing the tank lid would have no bearing on the toilet bowl.
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