Man leaves home for a week, then 15 squatters move in

[Mark R]

Yeah, I don't really understand this whole "squatter's rights" business. Can someone explain how that is at all legal?

Squatter's rights are something different.

In the UK, you have the right not to be harassed in your home. If you find a building, and are able to gain peaceful entry (e.g. through an open window or an unlocked door), and you then secure the building - then you are able to call it your home.

As it is your home, you are not allowed to be harassed or intimidated by anyone, and they commit a crime if they do so. Similarly, no one is allowed to break in (except on order of a court of law).

The landownder /building owner or manager, can ask a court of law to evict the occupiers - but until then, the owner is not allowed to interfere with them - e.g. by disconnecting utilities (even if the owner is paying the bill), causing a disturbance, attempting to gain entry, etc.

This is a real problem for big landlords with many properties, where some might be empty - or be being renovated. As, even if the property is alarmed, and the police attend in response to the remote alarm warning - if the property is secure when they arrive, and they can find no evidence of forced entry - then the police must let them stay. Not only that, but the property owner can be forced to disable the alarm, if it causes a nuisance to the new occupiers!

--

Squatter's rights are even more extreme - but very rarely used. If squatters occupy the land or property continuously for 15 years, and the landowner or manager has made no effort to evict them in that time, then clear title to the property passes to the occupiers.

 

[allthatisman]

[Axel Foley] How the f**k can you steal a house? This...my uncle's house![/Axel Foley]

MotionMan

Lol, I thought the same thing when I started reading this story.

 

[Ns1]

squatter's rights are something different.

In the uk, you have the right not to be harassed in your home. If you find a building, and are able to gain peaceful entry (e.g. Through an open window or an unlocked door), and you then secure the building - then you are able to call it your home.

As it is your home, you are not allowed to be harassed or intimidated by anyone, and they commit a crime if they do so. Similarly, no one is allowed to break in (except on order of a court of law).

The landownder /building owner or manager, can ask a court of law to evict the occupiers - but until then, the owner is not allowed to interfere with them - e.g. By disconnecting utilities (even if the owner is paying the bill), causing a disturbance, attempting to gain entry, etc.

This is a real problem for big landlords with many properties, where some might be empty - or be being renovated. As, even if the property is alarmed, and the police attend in response to the remote alarm warning - if the property is secure when they arrive, and they can find no evidence of forced entry - then the police must let them stay. Not only that, but the property owner can be forced to disable the alarm, if it causes a nuisance to the new occupiers!

--

squatter's rights are even more extreme - but very rarely used. If squatters occupy the land or property continuously for 15 years, and the landowner or manager has made no effort to evict them in that time, then clear title to the property passes to the occupiers.

wow.

 

[Deeko]

That's absolutely insane. What a ridiculous law. That's just....that's just incomprehensibly stupid.

 

[AMDZen]

Looks like the UK is a homeless person's paradise

Always knew there was something wrong with the brits.

 

[sactoking]

Step 1: Go to English toy store
Step 2: Buy Hula hoop
Step 3: Take Hula hoop home
Step 4: Tell squatters that you will give them the house outright if you can't throw the Hula hoop over the chimney
Step 5: Wait for squatters to come outside to witness feat
Step 6: Run inside house
Step 7: Lock doors
Step 8: Laugh at stupid squatters through the mail slot

 

[theflyingpig]

Step 1: Go to English toy store
Step 2: Buy Hula hoop
Step 3: Take Hula hoop home
Step 4: Tell squatters that you will give them the house outright if you can't throw the Hula hoop over the chimney
Step 5: Wait for squatters to come outside to witness feat
Step 6: Run inside house
Step 7: Lock doors
Step 8: Laugh at stupid squatters through the mail slot

Brilliant.

 

[thepd7]

oh brits, you crazy

 

[JC86]

wow, I've heard of some ridiculous shit before but this takes the cake. damn.

 

[OutHouse]

Squatter's rights are something different.

In the UK, you have the right not to be harassed in your home. If you find a building, and are able to gain peaceful entry (e.g. through an open window or an unlocked door), and you then secure the building - then you are able to call it your home.

As it is your home, you are not allowed to be harassed or intimidated by anyone, and they commit a crime if they do so. Similarly, no one is allowed to break in (except on order of a court of law).

The landownder /building owner or manager, can ask a court of law to evict the occupiers - but until then, the owner is not allowed to interfere with them - e.g. by disconnecting utilities (even if the owner is paying the bill), causing a disturbance, attempting to gain entry, etc.

This is a real problem for big landlords with many properties, where some might be empty - or be being renovated. As, even if the property is alarmed, and the police attend in response to the remote alarm warning - if the property is secure when they arrive, and they can find no evidence of forced entry - then the police must let them stay. Not only that, but the property owner can be forced to disable the alarm, if it causes a nuisance to the new occupiers!

--

Squatter's rights are even more extreme - but very rarely used. If squatters occupy the land or property continuously for 15 years, and the landowner or manager has made no effort to evict them in that time, then clear title to the property passes to the occupiers.

wtf?? why is that even in the books? whats the history behind this dumbass law.

 

[theflyingpig]

wtf?? why is that even in the books? whats the history behind this dumbass law.

I don't know the history behind it, but I know a liberal was involved. I know it.

 

[DougK62]

It seems like maybe this law had good intentions - to keep people from harassing you while in your house, but maybe a loop hole is being exploited allowing people to steal houses? Really weird - why would anyone buy property there?

 

[zinfamous]

I'll bet they all voted for the obama.

italians living in London?

with all of the "why doesn't this guy shoot them?" and the "Obama" comments, I'm starting to realize why they typical crazy people on her are actually so crazy--you guys just don't read. Or you simply consider 30% of the job good enough, just fill in the rest with assumptions and personal bias.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I know I'm not the first to ask, but seriously, who the hell buys a house without a sink in the kitchen!

 

[zinfamous]

Step 1: Go to English toy store
Step 2: Buy Hula hoop
Step 3: Take Hula hoop home
Step 4: Tell squatters that you will give them the house outright if you can't throw the Hula hoop over the chimney
Step 5: Wait for squatters to come outside to witness feat
Step 6: Run inside house
Step 7: Lock doors
Step 8: Laugh at stupid squatters through the mail slot

you win this thread, sir

 

[qliveur]

Fucked up for sure, but that's what happens when the have-nots get more rights than the haves.

Step 1: Go to English toy store
Step 2: Buy Hula hoop
Step 3: Take Hula hoop home
Step 4: Tell squatters that you will give them the house outright if you can't throw the Hula hoop over the chimney
Step 5: Wait for squatters to come outside to witness feat
Step 6: Run inside house
Step 7: Lock doors
Step 8: Laugh at stupid squatters through the mail slot

Step 9: Urinate and defecate all over their belongings before returning them.

 

[zinfamous]

I know I'm not the first to ask, but seriously, who the hell buys a house without a sink in the kitchen!

I think it must have something to do with the renovations. It's odd, as the guy seems to be saying he was gone for a week, but neighbors told the squatters that the place has been vacant for 2 years. Either the neighbors hate the guy, or he really hasn't been living there regularly as he must have some extensive work going on.

Could be a gut renovation or something...neighbors could have been annoyed by all the noise, and figured letting squatters in would have actually brought them some peace? lol, no idea though.

But the owner is Indian, right? Does he even need to wash anything? :sneaky:

 

[sactoking]

wtf?? why is that even in the books? whats the history behind this dumbass law.

My guess is that it's an unexpected application of two laws: one that defines a secured abode as a "home" and one that prevents disturbances at "home". I doubt that a law was specifically crafted to allow this.

 

[herkulease]

Some group who has the balls(to prove the stupidity of this) needs to squat in gordon Brown's house or whoever is the current prime minister and some high power politicians or the royal palace. I'm pretty sure once they have their home stolen from them they'll quickly work towards getting rid of this law.

 

[sactoking]

I think it must have something to do with the renovations. It's odd, as the guy seems to be saying he was gone for a week, but neighbors told the squatters that the place has been vacant for 2 years. Either the neighbors hate the guy, or he really hasn't been living there regularly as he must have some extensive work going on.

Could be a gut renovation or something...neighbors could have been annoyed by all the noise, and figured letting squatters in would have actually brought them some peace? lol, no idea though.

But the owner is Indian, right? Does he even need to wash anything? :sneaky:

Or the squatters might not have spoken to the neighbors and are lying...
Or the squatters spoke to some random person who they thought was a neighbor...
Or the squatters spoke to the guy robbing the place as he was leaving and he posed as a neighbor to cause more trouble...

 

[sactoking]

Some group who has the balls(to prove the stupidity of this) needs to squat in gordon Brown's house or whoever is the current prime minister and some high power politicians or the royal palace. I'm pretty sure once they have their home stolen from them they'll quickly work towards getting rid of this law.

Wouldn't work. The reason this is a problem is that the owners have to seek civil remedies, which can take weeks or months. I'm pretty sure if someone tried to pull this on anyone important they'd pull some strings or throw some weight around and get the civil court to hear the case immediately or get the police to trump up some fake charges. High-profile people wouldn't be inconvenienced at all. Regular citizens don't have that sway.

Squatters don't squat thinking that the place will be theirs forever, they do it because they know they can pull a few weeks of free living before they're forced to move on to the next place because the legal system is slow.

 

[Legendary]

guy should break into his own house, who would press charges?

 

[zinfamous]

Or the squatters might not have spoken to the neighbors and are lying...
Or the squatters spoke to some random person who they thought was a neighbor...
Or the squatters spoke to the guy robbing the place as he was leaving and he posed as a neighbor to cause more trouble...

oh, right. that info did come from the squatters... :hmm:

lol

 

[herkulease]

Wouldn't work. The reason this is a problem is that the owners have to seek civil remedies, which can take weeks or months. I'm pretty sure if someone tried to pull this on anyone important they'd pull some strings or throw some weight around and get the civil court to hear the case immediately or get the police to trump up some fake charges. High-profile people wouldn't be inconvenienced at all. Regular citizens don't have that sway.

Squatters don't squat thinking that the place will be theirs forever, they do it because they know they can pull a few weeks of free living before they're forced to move on to the next place because the legal system is slow.

I'm sure they can pull strings to get things done quickly. but a few hours is still a few hours.

 

[Mark R]

I don't know the history behind it, but I know a liberal was involved. I know it.

I think its a combination of a number of very old, well intentioned laws.

There is no crime of 'trespass' in the UK. You are free to move wherever you please, so long as you do not have to break-in, except where specific laws restrict access (military, government, infrastructure sites, etc.). So, if you interfere with an owner's usage of their land or building, then it is not a criminal matter and the police have no jurisdiction. The landowner must go to court to sue for rent, or ask the court to order that the trespassers be evicted. (Note - caution trying this, because you could end up causing a breach of the peace, which is criminal, and the cops could drag you away).

The tenancy laws also give all tenants in a building or land, the right of 'quiet enjoyment' - in other words freedom of harassment. You do not need a formal signed lease to be regarded as a tenant under this law, and this right not to be harassed is not contingent upon keeping to the terms of any lease. It is also a crime to infringe on this right, and the cops can arrest you for it. This law is so that unscrupulous landlords cannot screw poor tenants over.

The problem comes from the combination. If someone trespasses on your land or building (without committing a crime - e.g. breaking in) then the cops can't do anything about it. However, in the eyes of tenancy law, they become tenants of the property, and the landlord must protect the tenants rights, or the cops can (and will) arrest him.