Woman returns from holiday to find her home mistakenly demolished

'I'm just left with a big ol' mess'

Susan Hodgson found a pile of rubble in place of what used to be her long-time family property in Atlanta, she told WAGA-TV on Friday.

"I'm just left with a big ol' mess," Hodgson said.

While she was away, Hodgson said a neighbour called her to say someone had been hired to tear down the vacant house.

"I said 'no' and she said, 'Well there's someone over here who just demolished the whole house and tore the entire house down'," Hodgson said.

When the neighbour reportedly confronted the workers, Hodgson said she was told to "shut up and mind her own business".

So, Hodgson asked a family member to ask the workers for a permit.

No one was living in the house when it was demolished, but Hodgson said the property is looked after: "We keep it boarded, covered, grass cut, and the yard is clean. The taxes are paid and everything is up on it."

The company responsible for tearing down the house - Atlanta-based You Call It We Haul It - has not responded to Hodgson, who is baffled by the situation: "It's just hard to believe someone thinks they have the right to just come and tear something up and walk away from it and didn't come back and say 'I'm sorry. What do I need to do to fix this. It was an accident'. They didn't give me nothing," Hodgson said.

Hodgson wanted an apology and for the situation to be fixed.

In a statement to WAGA-TV, the company said it is investigating and working to resolve the situation.

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