Another Life Lesson Learned

[BIG MAC]

[COLOR=#000000] Good Stormy Saturday, something to read over while stuck inside. understand this isn't a Session of feel sorry for me moment, this is to pass along to the Members of our Fish Ontario Community so this doesn't happen to you or someone you
Know, also don't see how anyone can turn this into Politics Also if you feel you have something that I need to know
personally send me a Private Message.

I'm sending this along so HOPEFULLY NOBODY EVER finds themselves in the same situation my Wife and I found ourselves in this past Winter, chances are these same set of cirumstances will never happen to you but you never know. I have a brother-in-law and his wife and 2 kids who we DON'T SPEAK TO ( for past 10 years or so) and my other Brother-in-law who
was like a Brother to me living on the same lake up North. he is the one that lived on the island and we rented from.

So my BIL who was a widower lived on a island on this lake, he had built a (Highrise 1 bedroom apt. ) above his boathouse which we have rented for The past 6 seasons ( First week of May until end of Oct.) we Paid rent for the 6 months we occupied the place ( we also had a completely seperate storage room down below in the boathouse roughly 16' X 10' ) so our transportation to the island was a pontoon boat and 14' tinny, Pontoon boat was taken out Oct. 14th. I was up starting
Wed, Oct. 18th and staying to close up until Sat. Oct. 28th. And some fishing mixed in. During this time Frame my BIL
died, I found him Wed. Oct. 25th got his body removed and the next day I'm cleaning up and other BIL shows up to get something, see's me cleaning up comes over and tells me to leave ALL of our stuff there and get in the Springtime. I said okay, wife receives a phone call Sat. 28th from her Neice and she and told my wife that place had been left to BIL 2 kids and they would talk to us in the winter time about getting our Possesions off the Island in the spring. Below is the first email exactly 91 days after the end of Oct. in essence an eviction notice. Pretty easy to see they didn't plan On giving us ALL OF OUR STUFF. I Called the OPP that afternoon and basically found out that without a lease and Anything in writing we where at their mercy to get all of our stuff. If this had of been a drive In cottage we would have been there to the next weekend to remove everything , we did have a few Bigger items to remove.
This is the email

As I am sure you are aware we have been going through items on the island. We are going to be sorting through the boathouse soon to complete some repairs and upgrades and we would like to meet with you at the marina one weekend in Feb so you can pick up the items we have for you. Please let us know which Saturday or Sunday work best for you.We have decided that you are no longer permitted on the property without us present. Should we not hear from you by Feb 7, 2018 it will be assumed that you do not wish to have any of the items and we will dispose of them accordingly.

Not going to go into detail as it did get Ugly ( That was predictable ) but we did get Most of our stuff except for about 40 smaller items. I did ask for them ( Showed them Pictures I was smart enough to take ) but was told to either get the police involved or take them to Court. Thought about it but in midst of Fixing house up to sell and at my I don't need the involved to take them to court 10 years younger and would have in a Heart Beat on Principle alone.

SO LESSONS LEARNED THAT I WANT TO PASS ALONG

1) Under NO circumstances take anyone's word for anything ( even though my BIL had died the day before when my other BIL gave the okay to leave my stuff there I should have asked him to send me an email to that effect, same with when neice called my wife ) Obviously with my BIL ( and best friend ) dying I wasn't thinking with a clear head. and under those circumstance's thought we would be fine.

2) Always have a SIGNED LEASE, Because we didn't we where at their mercy. they actually had a legal right to keep it all and we would have had to take them to small claims court to try and get it back. Also because it was Seasonal we aren't covered by the landlord tenant act either.

[fratri]

That has to suck..... money makes people do stupid things......sorry for the loss of your friend.

[BIG MAC]

yes it does, yes very tough loss, I had supper with him on the Monday night, and figured he died sometime Tuesday during the day and I found him first thing Wed morning, he was the same age as me and a lot in common, good music, good food and good wine. We had a fire earlier in the day and had one of his fav meals for supper (beef stew) and watched 2 of his fav DVD's that night, Roy Orbison ( Black and White ) and the Last Waltz so at least he enjoyed his last full day on earth. I had a tough phone call to make to my wife on the Wed Morning as she was in the city, he was like a brother to her for 40 years.

[Rodbender]

Sorry to hears this Big Mac

[trimmer21]

Sorry for your loss,BigMac. Not only have you lost a close buddy,but,a vacation spot and likely a permanent rift with the rest of your family. Disfunctional families are always a heartbreak. L married into one of those,too. My wife has been the "whipping girl" of three siblings since childhood. She finally had enough about 20 years ago,washed her hands of them and never looked back. She's been a much happier person ever since.

[seabast]

Sorry for your lost.

I'm not surprise about your story, it's very hard to find people with integrity.

[tom gobble]

Sorry for your lost. Possessions don't matter and not worth getting stressed over. Keep the good memories of the island with the brother in law that has been like blood in your head and forget about the rest.

[terrym]

Things are just that.....things, they can be replaced. Your true loss is your BIL who was a true friend. You can't replace him. Your other BIL is dirt and that will never change. My condolences.

[smitty55]

There's a saying I like. Don't get mad, get even. I'm sure while he's at the cottage he must leave his vehicle somewhere on the shore. Call it karma for being an ahole and basically stealing from you.

Cheers

[fishermccann]

Funny how karma can also get back ,at the one trying to get even. Seen it before.