Tennessee house in ashes after homeowner 'forgot' to pay $75 fee (Oak Ridge: for rent, insurance)

[kar]

This is pretty sad. What in the world was the county thinking.

No pay, no spray: Firefighters let home burn - U.S. news - Life - msnbc.com

[DonCorleone]

That is crazy. While I understand, on some level, the county's point that no one would pay the fee until their house is on fire, to stand by and refuse to help seems beyond comprehension. What if their data was wrong? What if there were children trapped inside? "Oh well, shoulda paid your $75"?!?

Maybe they should think of increasing the county property taxes by $75 per home so that doesn't happen again.

[JordanJP]

I waas just reading this on MSN, I thought it was pretty disgraceful.. if his water had been cut off or somethng and they refused to turn it back on it would be one thing, but to let his house burn while saving the neighbor's house (because the neighbor paid the fee) is pretty ridiculous..

I'm not usually one for frivolous lawsuits but would a lawsuit hold up in court?

[Ketabcha]

I'd be interested to know if the homeowner paid the fee in any of the years he lived in the house.

No amount of insurance can ever replace the pets.

[peppermint]

It's the same in our area. We pay our $75 every year. Being more libertarian in thought (and at the risk of being very unpopular), I have little sympathy for people who gamble. I, like Ketabcha, would be interested in knowing if the homeowner paid this fee in previous years. Most people in our area just assume nothing will happen and keep their $75. It's my understanding that people who don't pay in our area will be billed by the fire department for time and equipment. Of course, in this economic environment maybe things have changed.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Ketabcha

I'd be interested to know if the homeowner paid the fee in any of the years he lived in the house.

Good question. The guy says in the video says it's not the first time his family has expected the fire department to respond to a fire when their fees hadn't been paid. Earlier the fire department had let his son pay their fee the day after responding to a small fire. Sounds like he was expecting to pay as you go. I think there 's more to this story than we're being told.
I also wonder how difficult it would be to 'forget' something like that. The home warranty company I once used has been sending me reminders for almost a year that I let my coverage lapse, not a chance they'd let me forget. They want my money too badly! Wonder if the fire department sent out multiple notices like private businesses do?

[peppermint]

Interesting point, DubbleT. Our department sent out one reminder after we moved in. That's when I paid it.

[LauraC]

That fire department charges the fee for outside the city.

Totally made up example: It would be like the City of Oak Ridge residents paying for their fire department but the people in Clinton expecting the Oak Ridge City Fire Department to respond to their fires. It would be like Oak Ridge saying to them, if you want our city's fire department to come out and support you in Clinton, the fee is $75 per year because you don't pay taxes to the City of Oak Ridge like our residents do.

It's the same as what happened in the incident reported. The man gambled that he wouldn't have a fire and he lost. If the fire department let them pay at the scene of the fire, then nobody outside of the city would pay the $75 fee.

[ShelbyCop]

Maybe next time he'll pay his fees. Sounds like he was trying to beat the system when everyone is paying their share.

[beachmouse]

The fee's nothing new in that area. I can remember being shocked hearing about that same policy when we went to apply for renter's insurance in Weakley County in 1996, and it was one of the questions the insurance agent asked us about and then explained how if our landlord didn't pay the fee, the fire department would let our house burn down.

One of many things that genuinely suck about the western part of the state.