squatters

Quasar

If my memory of past work for solicitors serves me, this would appear to be a case of break in and entry.

If the house was furnished when this lady went into the nursing home, whoever went in and changed the locks etc. has simply broken into somebody else's house and therefore trespassed. This is burglary. Surely there must be something that can be done.

Go to the newspapers. At least they know who to get out of their cushy bed to do something about this scandalous situation.

Lisa_n

Well we are back from London where the squatters took over my mums house, we found out they were from Latvia and were running internet scams (you know the ones) well we got into London to late to go to the court for a Interim Possession Order ( Thank you Halaku ) on Friday and left it till the Monday, when we first went to the police station and explained what had happened, well you wont believe it they got 4 cars and a van round there and just broke in and through out the only person there which was a young girl, they told us to just throw there things out in the street.

We counted that there were 10 of them living there by how many passports we found lying about plus bank accounts everywhere with different address's from the same person, mobile phone contracts from shops all over London, western union payment slips for thousands of pounds, very expensive designer clothing, electrical goods, mobile phones, cd's, DVD’s you name it it was in there. And the police was not interested in it

There is a couple of down sides to this story and that is

1 we had to call the police again later that evening as they returned screaming and kicking the door for there stuff back which the police said we don’t have to give it back but they will take us to court for the return of there property ( we held back a computer and a few other things that will compensate my mother and told them to get lost) never mind about them throwing out all my mothers belongings like all her furniture and old photos of the family (a friend had retrieved some photos for us), I fill sick for my mother as now she is going to sell the house that she has lived in for 50 odd years as she does not want to go back there.

2 they painted the place badly and now before she can sell she has to get it re-decorated. I'm sorry I cant think of anything else at the moment as I said we as in me my husband a daughter have just returned to west Sussex and are totally exhausted and sick that this sort of thing can happen, when I have a good sleep tonight I will answer any questions you ask but right now I’m tired after the long drive and thank you all for your advice and concerns especially Halaku for his advice just before we left for London.

One good thing has come of this is, is my mother has made up her mind and now she is going to move down here with us.

Thank you again for all your advice.


Lisa

Ps I cant quote what the police said to us when we told them what had happened but I am sure glad they were understanding about the situation.

southernscouser

Lisa_n wrote:

Thanks for the tips, the squatters are Polish emigrants I found out tonight and they have children in there.

Lisa

**** the law! Get a group of people and go round there and kick ten lumps of you know what out of them! What is the matter with this country when there is a law stopping you from getting people out of your house when they have entered it ilegally!

This sort of thing makes me SO mad! It has wound me up just reading it! :mad:

southernscouser

I'm glad to hear those !!!!!! !!!!!! are out of your mums house!

I can't believe the police weren't/aren't interested in the ilegal activities going on in the house! Says everything about this country!

I would also have a few words to say to the so called neighbours! Can't believe they did nothing when they realised people were squatting there!

elaine373

Thank goodness the law was on your side, what a ridiculous state of affairs it is for people not be able to get their own home back. Very glad to hear you have got your mums house back for her. I also hope the clearing up isnt too bad. All the best, Elaine

Halaku

You are very welcome Lisa_n

On the whole, you seem to have got off pretty lightly. Within a week of posting here, you've managed to get your property back. I've known people who have had to wait months before they've been in your position, and thats only because the squatters decided to move on.

Plus, the police actually got off their backsides and helped someone out for once, that's got to be worth something.

Now that you've got them out, its a good idea to make the house look like its been lived in. Make sure you fix all doors and windows and replace all locks. Make sure it looks presentable from the outside. If your house looks like its vacant, its a matter of time until someone else trys breaking in.

Quasar

There is an elderly lady whose furnished house has been "hijacked" by trespassers (not squatters). There is the various passports and bank statements presenting a clear picture of dodgy dealings.

Newspapers would be interested in this story, and ask the police some interesting questions.

Lisa_n

Halaku wrote:

You are very welcome Lisa_n

On the whole, you seem to have got off pretty lightly. Within a week of posting here, you've managed to get your property back. I've known people who have had to wait months before they've been in your position, and thats only because the squatters decided to move on.

Plus, the police actually got off their backsides and helped someone out for once, that's got to be worth something.

Now that you've got them out, its a good idea to make the house look like its been lived in. Make sure you fix all doors and windows and replace all locks. Make sure it looks presentable from the outside. If your house looks like its vacant, its a matter of time until someone else trys breaking in.

Thank you again, we have now got a neighbour up the road to go in there every day and evening switching different lights on and off, we had the locks changed within the hour we got them out and the glass that the police broke to get in was replaced later that day so it is very secure now with 2 five lever locks on and security bolts. Another thing the estate agents (we got 3 to look at it) said it will sell before Xmas, so hopefully it will be off her hands.

We couldn’t believe the police did it so quick, we were in the police station for 10 mins while he was on the phone to someone asking there advice then he said go and get a cup of tea and we will ring you when we have enough cars to go round there, well 15 mins later they asked us to go to the house and then within minutes 4 car loads and a van turned up and they just broke there way in, all in all they were brilliant.

O by the way I couldn’t sleep lol

Thank you all for your wishes

Lisa

Lisa_n

Quasar wrote:

There is an elderly lady whose furnished house has been "hijacked" by trespassers (not squatters). There is the various passports and bank statements presenting a clear picture of dodgy dealings.

Newspapers would be interested in this story, and ask the police some interesting questions.

I might just do that but I dont want to get the police in any trouble, after all they helped us out.


O I just thought of something, when we were at the house talking to the police they said have you seen lights on and if so then that is a criminal offence using your electricity and that gives them the right to brake in.

Lisa

Fran

Lisa_n wrote:

...............when we were at the house talking to the police they said have you seen lights on and if so then that is a criminal offence using your electricity and that gives them the right to brake in.

That's interesting!

Hope you manage to get some sleep now. :rudolf: