ORLANDO, Fla. — Many Americans have stories to tell about losing their homes to foreclosure. Channel 9 found out that some homeowners who haven't yet been foreclosed have come home to find all their belongings gone.
"It was a crime because no one had permission to take those items from the house," homeowner Bill Gullbrandson said.
Gullbrandson was in the early stages of foreclosure on his Wildwood home.
The house was still in his name when he said he walked inside and found that his belongings had been taken.
"How much did they take off with?" Channel 9's Jamie Holmes asked.
"Approximately $6,000 worth of new furnishings and appliances that had been placed in the house," said Gullbrandson.
The same thing happened to Jonathan Axtell.
In both cases, the men's attorney claims that the items were taken by a clean-out company hired by the bank to secure the property.
The company cleaned out Axtell's Orlando home of about $20,000 worth of belongings.
"I have nothing there. All my couches, my furniture, and my kids' brand-new-- well, almost new -- playground," Axtell said.
Attorney Justin Clark said he's seen the scenario many times at his firm in the last few months.
"That foreclosure process takes a long time. The bank has no right to come into your home and take your stuff. They don't own the house," said Clark.
Gullbrandson's foreclosure is still pending, but he still owns the deed.
The foreclosure was eventually reversed in Axtell's case.
Gullbrandson and Axtell's belongings cannot be found, they said.
The attorney is moving forward with two separate lawsuits in order to get compensation for the men's belongings.
In both cases, the clean-out companies claim that they were just doing what they had been hired to do by the banks.