Mistaken Apartment Clean-Out Leaves Florida Family Homeless

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• Victoria Swearinger and her family were shocked to find their belongings missing from their New Port Richey rental home in Florida.
• The family is suing Sylvan Homes for over $10,000 in damages after a clean-out company hired by Sylvan Homes mistakenly emptied their apartment.
• Sylvan Homes claims no liability, stating the mistake was made by its vendor, and has filed a motion for case dismissal.

Victoria Swearinger, a 58-year-old Florida resident, along with her son and daughter-in-law, faced a distressing situation when they discovered their rental home in New Port Richey completely emptied of their possessions.

The family had just begun moving into the property on June 8, the day their lease started. However, upon returning on June 10, they found their home barren, with the locks changed and some of their belongings discarded on the roadside.

The incident unfolded when a clean-out company, hired by Sylvan Homes, the rental company, erroneously cleared out the wrong apartment. Swearinger, deeply affected by the loss, reported the incident to the police, initially suspecting a burglary. The family managed to recover some items from the side of the road, but many valuable and sentimental belongings were lost. This included heirlooms such as Britanny Cromer’s (Swearinger's daughter-in-law) grandmother's ring and grandfather's dog tags.

The family has taken legal action against Sylvan Homes, seeking compensation for their losses exceeding $10,000. Sylvan Homes has responded by denying liability for the incident, attributing the mistake to their vendor. The company has requested the court to dismiss the case. Meanwhile, a mediation session has been scheduled for February 13th. The lawsuit centers around the alleged violation of Florida Statutes 83.67, which prohibits landlords from removing tenants' belongings without due process. The family's ordeal highlights the emotional and legal complexities arising from property management errors.

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