Property

[mrbelvetron]

I had a question I hope I can get some help with regarding a property dispute. First some background. My girlfriends' mom attends a karate school near their house. About a year ago the school out-grew the space it was in and one of the students offered to renovate a building next to his house that would be large enough for the school. The school has been up and operating for several months now. Well, about two weeks ago, there was a falling out between the school and this particular student and the instructor and students were going to remove the schools property from the building. They were about to head over there and remove the eqiupment when another student called and said that they had been by for class and the gate was closed and a sign that said Karate School Closed. The instructor called my g/f dad and I, and wanted to know if we might talk to him and see what was up, since neither of us was involved with the school or the dispute. We went over there and spoke to the man about retrieving the items(there is over $10,000.00 worth of equipment) to which he responded by claiming that he had no knowledge of any property in the studio which was not his, and that if it was within his property then he owned it. Obviously this is ludricous, but that's his stance. He then stated that he had some "men" come and do some "serious cleaning" in the studio, so he couldn't guaranty that there was anything in the studio, or if there ever was. He also claims that he is owed $6,000.00 in back rent, plus utilities for 6 months.

1. There is no lease agreement for rent or anything, just a verbal that his family could attend free of charge.
2. We have the newspaper articles that quote him taking credit for giving the school use of the building as a gift from a "loyal student."
3. The instructor/owner of the school has the receipts and cancelled checks showing payment for all of equipment.


We've already started legal action, but if anyone has any insight as to how this might go down, that would be appreciated.

P.S. I suspect that he's already moved or destroyed the equipment.

[mcsap]

Is definitely civil , perhaps criminal depending on your state law. At least in my state, a person cannot hold property hostage due to back rent or any other kind of debt. They have an obligation to care for the property and are responsible for it's well being unless abandoned by the owner.

Someone should learn from this fiasco to do everything on PAPER with finite legal terms and responsibilities, including but not limited to " what happens if the property owner dies suddenly ?" does the karate person just walk in there and take everything ? Borrowing a ladder can be done on a handshake but NOT real estate.

Somebody needs to call a lawyer SOON.

[mrbelvetron]

They've already got a lawyer working on a temporary injunction to halt any movement of the property, if it's still there, and both my g/f's dad and myself have gotten on the owner/instructor about not having anything written. It's cut and dried that the property inside is hers and there are other students personal property inside as well, he's just being an *** and denying access to it. He just says he has no knowledge that ever was anything in the place. I mentioned that he and his family are students there so they have unquestionably been inside and there are photos of them with all the equipment.
We're in Texas by the way.

by photos of them with the equipment I mean all the students, with them in the shots as well.