A PAIR of neighbors have taken the owner of an infamous home next door to court to have the property torn down.

The homeowners of a $1 million beachfront tilted home in Panama City Beach, Florida, have been accused of refusing to demolish the home due to a liability disagreement, according to court documents.

This home became sloped following a tornado in January 2024, which caused extreme damage to many properties in the area.

Images of the affected home had circled across social media and drew comments on its post-storm state.

Four months later, the grey three-story house has remained in place and has become embroiled in a legal case surrounding its demolition.

The lawsuit has been filed, in the Bay County Circuit Court, by the neighbors who own the homes on either side of the tilted house.

Plaintiffs William B. Lawrence III and Gene P. Stienecker have accused the tilted homeowners of “negligent and wrongful conduct in their refusal to demolish and remove the property,” according to court documents viewed by The U.S. Sun.

They have also claimed that the owners have refused to tear down the property until Stienecker and Lawrence release them from all liability for damage caused in the tear-down process.

The defendants and owners of the tilted home, James Sturgeon and Yik Chun Wu, sought a demolition permit from Bay County after the January 9 storm.

Permits were issued on January 13, but later revoked, and reissued on February 28.

The demolition was set to take place on March 4 but the plaintiffs claimed they were “ambushed with a demand that they agree to waive all liability relating to the demolition work or demolition would not proceed,” according to court documents.

Lawrence and Stienecker said they refused to do this so the demolition had not taken place yet.

These plaintiffs have also claimed that the leaning home caused damage to their properties and more would be caused the longer the home remained in place.

“The ongoing stress of having an entire, three-story home leaning on and intruding into Plaintiffs’ Properties is causing additional damage to the homes,” the lawsuit said.

These neighbors also claimed that the situation has had the added effects of “creating a nuisance and life/safety concerns.”

The Bay County Building Department declared all three properties to be uninhabitable and the plaintiffs have said they cannot make repairs to their homes until the Sturgeon-Wu house is gone.

The ongoing stress of having an entire, three-story home leaning on and intruding into Plaintiffs’ Properties is causing additional damage to the homes.”

Lawrence and Stieneckersloped home neighbors

Lawrence and Stienecker are not only seeking to have the home immediately torn down but they are also looking for Sturgeon and Wu to cover all costs, legal fees, and be liable for any damage.

The lawsuit also claimed that the Sturgeon-Wu home had previously toppled to the side following a 2018 hurricane.

Lawrence and Stienecker have requested a jury trial at the Bay County Circuit Court.

The Plaintiffs have looked to also seek financial damages, which they have anticipated to be worth over $2 million, according to court documents.

Sturgeon and Wu have not filed a response to the circuit court yet.