Should Squatters have rights? Poll Results/Discussion

frag_2

jago25_98 wrote: »

"I'll do what I bloody well like with my own property! I too have never had a hand out in my life, never inherited anything. I have worked since leaving school." tell the queen that

LOL, Why is she looking for somewhere to squat? IDIOT!

No, Why? Because she is not a "THIEF"

That is what they are and that is exactly how they should be treated.

Hey a better Idea, why don't all us Landlords sell our property to the Highest bidder and do away with renting altogether! No Squating, No Tenants, No Worries, No Bills and a Fat Wad of cash!

Lets all watch the local authorities cope with rehousing and new applicants after our valuable service is removed from society.

Yes property prices will fall due to the abundance but not that much and certainly more than we paid!

I'll have my Range Rover in Black Please, what? Of course I want leather seats.

guppy

frag wrote: »

Because she is not a "THIEF"

If a building is long term empty how is squatting stealing?

You can't steal a building, only the use of it. Which if its empty and unused already, surely this is impossible?

Also can anyone actually post a link to a news story of someone having returned from holiday to find their furnished house squatted? Seems a bit far fetched...

Kernow_Kid

Mine was empty for less than 3 days - The man whose house they moved into was out for only 2 days.
They take their time to find a property, then tell their friends about it, and any others they can find in the area. They may be squatting, but they still have mobile phones!
Some tried to move in to a property near my parents, but luckily someone called the police and they were stopped. The police told my parents that they should keep an eye out as they had alerted their friends to the empty property, so more may turn up.

I have worked since I was 14, doing menial jobs in the school holidays. I finished school and then worked on farms, factories and in the fields, literally slaving away - often for 12 or more hours a day, and always for 7 days a week - to buy my own home. I was lucky enough to get in a year or so before the prices shot up. I still work 48+ hours a week now to keep a roof over our heads, and will continue to do so until the mortgage is gone.

Theiving scum like squatters have never put any effort in, and assume that they are owed a living by the state.
Just because a property is empty, it doesn't mean that they are entitiled to move in.

PixiePie

Kernow_Kid wrote: »

Theiving scum like squatters have never put any effort in, and assume that they are owed a living by the state.
Just because a property is empty, it doesn't mean that they are entitiled to move in.

This is what I find the most upsetting about this thread - squatters are either all scum, or all ok, just taking control of an abandoned property.

The truth is like any other group of people - you get good and bad in all places - some squatters are chancers who will ruin people's property and cause problems. Others are just people who have no-where else to go, actually add value to the property by improving it and move the second they are asked to.

Obviously the first group aren't good. Obviously the second are - there is no argument there I am afraid, and if someone if going to say 'I don't want squatters in my place, whatever' you may well be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

The authorities will not house you if you are in the wrong area (ie an affluent area), if you 'have left a property by your own choice' (ie couldn't afford to pay the rent anymore, so had to leave), or simply if you are not a priority case (in which case they say they will put you on a list but the reality is that you will never get to the top). In which case you can be homeless despite working - if you have a low paying job, (now that rents and prices are totally outrageous) - and have nowhere else to go but literally sleeping on a street somewhere. I know this because this was me. I am lucky enough to have been able to scrape enough money together to rent somewhere and have a landlord that is very understanding and is flexible with rent (or rather, knows I am living in substandard housing, and therefore if he lets it slide if the rent is a little late as it means we don't go to the council to report him). I am a teacher btw. I went to Uni for 5 years to be a teacher. I get paid on the national scale, about £23K before tax a year. A studio flat near enough to the school I work in to buy starts at about £180,000 here. I have no savings, and no family that can help (just the opposite in fact). The fact that housing prices are so high means rents are so high as well - about £220 a week for a studio apartment again. This means housing is a huge problem for me, and if it is for me, then it must be for other people. If housing is such a huge problem for people, then it is easier than ever before to be homeless, and where does that leave us.

A sign of maturity is realising that things in life are not black and white, but shades of grey - whilst being passionate about things is only human with evocative subjects such as this, having such a blanket approach to squatters does not pay the view holder credit - think about if it were you that were homeless with nowhere to go and what you might do (and yes, it could be you but for the grace of god.).

guppy

Great post, Pixie.

chunkymunky_3

PixiePie wrote: »

This is what I find the most upsetting about this thread - squatters are either all scum, or all ok, just taking control of an abandoned property.

The truth is like any other group of people - you get good and bad in all places - some squatters are chancers who will ruin people's property and cause problems. Others are just people who have no-where else to go, actually add value to the property by improving it and move the second they are asked to.

A sign of maturity is realising that things in life are not black and white, but shades of grey .

such a naieve out look when it comes to theft of property there are no shades of grey only black and white, a theif is a theif, unless you wanna compare squatters to robin hood!

guppy

chunkymunky wrote: »

such a naieve out look when it comes to theft of property there are no shades of grey only black and white, a theif is a theif, unless you wanna compare squatters to robin hood!

So even if a house has been abandoned for ten years, the owner is unknown, and someone who really needs a roof over their head squats there...they are just thieving scum?

I think there is a world of difference between that and someone who breaks in to your house three days after you move out.

Gordon_the_Moron

Just curious but if squatters turned up on a piece of the royal family's land/property do you think the police would be as powerless to do anything about it as they are normally?

Da Moron

Former_MSE_Lawrence

Poll Started 19 Nov. Should squatters have rights?

Roughly speaking, if a squatter enters an unoccupied building without breaking and entering, and then secures the building like a home, they’ve a legal right to stay and it's tough to evict. Some say that as properties are in short supply as they are right now, squatting ensures empty buildings are made use of, helping all of us; others say property ownership is a right and squatting is just legal theft.

Which of the following is closest to your view?

A. Squatters right. It means unused properties are used 5% (289 votes)
B. Only in long-term unused buildings. If properties’ve been empty for years, fair enough. 14% (789 votes)
C. Temporary squatting only. Squatting's fine, if they can easily be kicked out once the building's needed again. 22% (1248 votes)
D. Diddly squat. Squatting’s ridiculous, we need to change the law to prevent it. 59% (3335 votes)

This vote has now ended, but you can still click reply to discuss below

Read More About Squatters Rights:

Squatter.org
Shelter's Squatting Info

harryhound

Gordon_the_Moron wrote: »

Just curious but if squatters turned up on a piece of the royal family's land/property do you think the police would be as powerless to do anything about it as they are normally?

Da Moron

Do you remember when "The Sun" moved a "traveller" (political correctness) caravan onto the space over the road from John Prescott, complete with reporters?

Funny thing, the old bill turned up and abused their human rights to keep a roof over their head.
This could not possibly be double standards could it?

Harry.