Estero homeowner explains Fifth Third lawsuit

ESTERO, Fla. – A homeowner locked out of his own home by the bank. WINK News first told you about the case and the lawsuit against Fifth Third Bank on Friday.

Now, the homeowner is back in town. He said he has no idea why the bank targeted his house.
“All I know is they were in here, put a sign in the front window, pad locked my lanai doors and at some point in time they came back and took the pad locks off.”

Michael Tomasovich tells WINK News he was out of town when this happened in November. “They might as well put a sign out there burglars welcome, this house is empty.”

He found out from a neighbor who saw a man snooping around his home. “My neighbor asked him can I help you? And he says no I’m here to secure this house, I’m gonna go inside and check for the bank because this house is in foreclosure” said Tomasovich.

He said that man worked for FAS or Field Assets Services, a company hired by his bank to come check out his home. FAS then called a locksmith who drilled into his bedroom patio door to get in.

And when he called the bank, “I said are we behind on payments or anything, cause my wife handles all that, and she says no your next payment is due December 1st and this was in November.”
Tomasovich tells WINK News the bank admitted to sending some to his house because they got a complaint that the home was in a state of disrepair. “”If you pull up to this house you can tell it’s not vacant. I pay landscapers, I pay the pool guy, everything’s paid and then when they came in the house and see the house is fully furnished, brand new car in the garage and everything they still commenced to put the sign up in the front window.”

Tomasovich said what he thinks Fifth Third did is wrong and embarrassing. “There’s no one here in this subdivision that believes I wasn’t behind or in foreclosure. They just can’t believe Fifth Third entered your house? They broke into your house? They look at me like I’m spinning a big yarn.”

“That’s what I found out that he was in foreclosure and that’s embarrassing because he’s paying his bills” said Chantelle, who is Tomasvich’s neighbor.

She tells WINK News what happened to him is horrible and that she feels something should be done about it. “Even if people don’t pay their mortgage they still have to notify and that wasn’t the case.”

Because of the lawsuit, Fifth Third will not comment about what happened.