Squatting in an abandonded house for the last 7 years.

dazo_2

RedFraggle wrote: »

Just a word of caution, you've probably given enough away about the location for anyone with local knowledge to work out where you are. Probably not advisable on a forum, suggest you edit your posts.

Hi the property is a completely different area, not even Coventry, just used that as an example due to thinking exactly the same. Many thanks though.

ska_lover wrote: »

Moving in? I thought you had lived there for 7 years - have I got the wrong end of the stick?

I have lived there for 7 years but it hasn't felt like home home, as mentioned above, i have lived with my nan since I was 2, however when I reached my early teens there was conflict in the house with another realtive and I couldn't take the stress of it all so I moved out and camped out in the house with another chap who sadly passed away. I have returned to my nans house on a regular basis to have a showever, clean clothes and have hot food but never stayed there due to conflict with said person only visiting nan when person went out to work.

So I meant by moving in as in completely moving in, fixing up up the place and living there properly and using it facilties and it's only been used to keep my head over a roof.

It's a catch 22 I want to approach the council about the property and I don't in fear of them unwilling to sell the property, them getting back onto the property and me having to move out.

I agree with the previous post mentioned, I guess the particular property have fallen off the council's radar, however it won't have completely as if i make application for adverse postion, they somehow will be notified about the application??

I will think about it over the next few weeks and I will probably just approach them, if they say no not for sale, get out, I will and I'll just rent a bedsit or something, keep on saving and put a bigger deposit down on somewhere else.

I have 20k in savings the property is question is freehold not leasehold what is the difference in that? Would anyone know? There is obviously no mortgage on the property so I don't know how it would work if the council would be willing to sell, they obviously wouldn't let it go for 20k.

ska_lover

Sorry to play devils advocate here, but If you have 20k in savings, surely you would be better off just putting that down as a deposit and leaving the social housing place for someone who needs it?

dazo_2

BigAunty wrote: »

How are you able to prove you've lived there when it comes to claiming adverse possession?

I'm surprised that the neighbours haven't reported it as empty so that the council can take enforcement action. Many neighbourhoods would take action when there is a derelict property due to the anti-social issues that can result, affect on the area and property prices, etc.

What's happened about the council tax? Non-payment of the council tax for such a long period could have been one way that the council could have identified a disused house that could have been bought back into reuse with their powers.

This link may help you understand what councils can do if they do decide to act about empty properties.

God, I haven't thought about that, now I wished I used the property instead of my nans for my letters, the reason why I didn't think about using it was because it was all boarded up, however I had taken the backboarder off in the garden to get inside and left everything boarded up to think no one lived there in fear someone either from the council/neighbour finding out and reporting it.

There was no letter's about council tax, I'm guessing could of been but the front door was boarded up so no letters could have been boarded up. When I moved in everthing was switched off and still is.

many thanks for link.

ska_lover

Have you tried reconnecting the utilities, getting the bills come to you at the address, then you will have a paper trail of having lived there, as back up, kind of thing

dazo_2

ska_lover wrote: »

Sorry to play devils advocate here, but If you have 20k in savings, surely you would be better off just putting that down as a deposit and leaving the social housing place for someone who needs it?

I understand what your saying, I have recently got given the 20k after turning 21. My nan gave it to me saying she would of given it to me earlier but was scared of me blowing it due my age, I was upset when she told me but I understand why she did it because It would of been blown.

My intensions of the property were to fix it up and rent out each 2/3 bedrooms for £200 per month each room which would of included gas, electric and myself staying in the 3rd room or fixing it up and renting it out to a family and charging £500 pm to them and me staying in a bedsit, carrying on staying there for a few years then possibily moving back in to the property by that time I would of hoped I would settled down and having kids.

dazo_2

ska_lover wrote: »

Have you tried reconnecting the utilities, getting the bills come to you at the address, then you will have a paper trail of having lived there, as back up, kind of thing

I haven't no I really don't have a clue when it comes to the utilties having never taken control of it before. I guess I can call someone like british gas to get them to reconnect everything?

I can now now remembering visiting a homeless chairty a few years back and I got fined by the bus inspectors because I didn't have a ticket, I gave the abondonded property details with my correct name and dob. This was 5 years back I don't know if they would still have that on their system, this would be only my paper trail..

I am glad I registered on here and got some sound advice because I was getting ahead of myself and was planning to just go into the property and fix it right up, which would of be suicidal it seems seeing as council most likely would win in particular with me having no real solid paper trail of staying at the property for all these years.

Best thing i guess is to just approach council and take it from there.

Kevie192

Do you work? If so, how much do you earn?

dazo_2

Kevie192 wrote: »

Do you work? If so, how much do you earn?

Not currently but starting at Jaguar 30k basic in september having got green light for the job.

I'm not looking to profit from where I am staying but it's driving me insane that nothing is be done about it where the particular city has loads of empty homes. I do want to get on the property ladder pronto however and I see this as a good stepping stone if the price is right.

What's the difference between freehole and leasehold does anyone know? Does council's have scheme's where you can buy a council home cheap or at a discount price? I want to contact the council and ask this but hesitating as they will ask for details of property.

BigAunty

I don't know how much evidence you need to prove adverse possession - you need expert advice on this, I just assume that your hand is strengthened if you can provide proof.

I am shocked that Coventry council has such a weak empty homes policy and no-follow up on non-paying council tax properties that would lead them directly to abandoned ones, even if neighbours did not draw their attention to it.

It's a shame that a family sized property has been neglected in an area that's bound to have thousands of needy families on their waiting list and a single person without dependents with good savings and a high salary has a sense of entitlement to gaining ownership for free.

However, I call troll on this thread. Touch of the Andy wind-up merchant to it.

imho

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=difference%20between%20freehold%20and%20leasehold%20house