Carmine Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I happened across a news story today that makes you think. The case involved an old woman who was moving from her own property and into a nursing home nearby as she had need of 24 hour care. To finance her time in the home her plan was to sell the property and pay for her care with the profits, but whilst the house was empty a family of squatters gain entrance and have taken up residence. The elderly woman now faces the prospect of being unable to pay for her time in the home and her family are left with the only option of a civil action to remove the squatters at their own expense. The squatters are legally protected as they gained entrance through an open window and in doing so committed no crime under British law. I have only a smattering of knowledge when it comes to squatters rights and the avenues open to those wanting to deal with them and so I wanted to throw this one open to the forum and ask your opinions on the situation. The family of squatters have a young child and are adamant that they are staying put, which leads me to wonder if they have even tried to seek accomodation from their local authority...and if they have met with frustration in those efforts, does that then justify taking up residence in another person's property without their consent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 A night time property inspection with a big dog should do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeeeeeeeeek Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I thought since the introduction of the criminal justioce act that squaters rights had pretty much been removed and it no longer takes years to get them out.... Could be wrong tho.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmine Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 I'd favour that one myself, but it seems that the law is totally against their forceful eviction from the property and the squatters have even posted a bill on the property to that effect. In previous cases I have seen a police officer toss out the belongings of a group of squatters who were living in a London office block. They had rather stupidly left the place empty and the owners just let the police in and then locked the place up tighter than a gnat's chuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titian Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/3915903.stm for the story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/3915903.stm squatters rights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
commie pig Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 the squatters could almost definitely have been rapidly removed under a PIO (protected intended occupier). Normally that can be done within 48hours. According to someone I know the situaton with the woman who was squatting is: "as i understand it the woman was kicked out of her knightstone h.a. home after complaints about the noise from arguments with her (as she claims) abusive ex-boyfriend. in the original newspaper story (western daily press i think) she apparently showed the journalist deep scars on her arms. anyway, she says knightstone kicked her out and that after that she couldn't get another home because, as she puts it, 'bath is a small place and they'd all heard of me' or somesuch similar. well, knowing bath and knowing knightstone i can believe that." Which would explain why she could not get re-housed. And it is obviously rather doubtful that she knew the cirmcumstances of the owner of the house which she squatted. In this instance it is clear tht the squatter should move on, tho generally speaking I am in full support of squatters - there are some 700,000 empty homes in this country, and massive homelessness, far better to see those homes occupied by people who need them than be left to rot, surely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HxTim Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Need Tony Martin, my hero, to come and have a word. Rediculous law. If you own a property you don't have to put up with scum planting their flag and declaring ownership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owdlad Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 I just heard it on the news that these mongrels said they will move out only if they are given £2000 .....greedy gits.Send in the dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lickszz Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Smoke them out. The priority here is getting the lady the equity in her home to fund her care (which necessity in itself is an abomination) then the care and welfare of the 6 year old child left to be dragged up by this pair of useless layabouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Originally posted by HxTim Need Tony Martin, my hero, to come and have a word. Mmm, nice hero - Demented Murder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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