Call Kurtis: Tax Bills Keep Coming

After it sold, it was moved completely off the couple's property. So why were they still getting taxed for something they don't have anymore?

"We started noticing that my father-in-law was at the onset of dementia," says Terry Wallace.

He and his wife, Deby realized her dad, Leeland couldn't live on his own anymore. So in 2009 they sold his manufactured home.

"That's the last I thought that we were going to hear of this," says Terry.

But every few months since the sale, Terry says a tax bill shows up from El Dorado County, saying his family owes taxes on that manufactured home.

"Well, no, I didn't forget to pay my taxes! I don't own that property," says Terry.

He says he's called the County and sent in proof he doesn't owe the $1,300 but that hasn't worked.

"Something has fallen through the cracks, and they need to investigate it. I don't need to investigate it for them," says Terry.

So we investigated, and uncovered a transfer document filed with the state about the sale. It shows the Wallaces signed it and dated it in 2009 to transfer the property over to the buyers. But the buyers didn't sign it. Their names are simply printed in by the title company, Old Republic and it's dated January, 2011, which was more than a year after the sale.

That explains why the Wallaces have been getting tax bills. So why didn't the buyers sign it in 2009? We called three different Old Republic offices, looking for an explanation, before getting transferred to corporate. Cheryl Jones, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications told us, "We don't talk to the media."

The California Department of Insurance regulates title companies. It has not investigated this case, but says any title company can face penalties from the department if it doesn't turn in required sales documents in a timely fashion.

"Mostly they're monetary. Sometimes it could lead to the revocation of a business license, or a title license to operate in our state," says Dave Althausen, Deputy Press Secretary for the Department.

"I'm done. I'm tired of this going round and round and round," says Terry.

So we presented the evidence to El Dorado County. That did the trick. The County accepted the paperwork as proof the Wallaces no longer owned the manufactured home, and zeroed out their tax bill.

"Satisfied. Satisfied," says Terry.

We exchanged messages with the buyers of the home, who say they're confident Old Republic did everything correctly.

But according to the State agency involved, the Department of Housing and Community Development, that Transfer document should have been turned in within 20 days of the sale.