Should Squatters have rights? Poll Results/Discussion

speedtwin

WilfB wrote: »

. Currently, no council tax is payable on vacant buildings. .

I dont think that is true if it is unfurnished and empty I think it is council tax free for only 6 months

PixiePie

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!

Try reading my post again.
And squatting is not theft of property. I still am amazed at the lack of imagination of some people. I truly truly hope people like you have a really horrid experience in your life as that might be the only way you actually can empathise with others and see another point of view - I already can, which is the main thrust of the point I was trying to make (when I said that not all squatters are evil AND not all squatters are wonderful).

James_N

guppy wrote: »

The poll is very misleading...squatters have very few rights against the true owner of the property. In most cases a court order isn't even needed to get rid of them.

See:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-110.cfm

What experience have you? My experience is being taken to court by a STATE AIDED VIOLENT WIFE-BEATING DRUG DEALER who claimed he was squatting in HER house after he had violently forced her out. State-aided for his living expenses AND taking action agaist me. MY rights??? Pay £3000 in court and barrister fees to defend myself against his false accusations. My "remedy" - oh I could always get the money back off a shiftless, address-less, money-less (apparently) "man-of-straw". Sure - I even have the Court's judgement papers against him filed away.
Don't make me laugh, these people deserve to be imprisoned.

James_N

PixiePie wrote: »

Try reading my post again.
I truly truly hope people like you have a really horrid experience in your life as that might be the only way you actually can empathise with others and see another point of view

Exactly, just what I would have said. So when "our" violent "squatter" (with a previous history of assault and battery, affray, firearms offences, threatening behaviour, drug possession and dealing, assaulting a police officer, prison sentences, serious driving offences) threatened my life, discovered where I lived and work and threatened me there, tried to run me off the road in a car, damaged my car ... all after we had had him excluded from his wife's rented house by re-securing the doors and cleared it of his wife's goods - under police protection

---

I would say that is a pretty horrid experience.

And that's why squatting should be an offence that is IMMEDIATELY a CRIMINAL arrestable offence. Not civil, not at the police's discretion. Break the door down, arrest them, handcuff them and re-secure the house and legally destroy or dispose of all the property found there - with the option of a compensation claim against the squatters - who can afford drugs, sky subscriptions and mobiles, but not the rent, apparently.

chunkymunky_3

PixiePie wrote: »

I truly truly hope people like you have a really horrid experience in your life .

i did have a truly horrible experience in my life, i picked up an infection and required heart surgery, was unable to work for quiet some time, was told that because i was a student at time of becoming ill i was entitled to no benefits at all!
but this didnt compare at all to coming out of hospital to find that a set of scruffy squatters had moved into my building, who would take it in turns gaurding the door while the others went to sign on, when i finally got my building back it was dirty, smelly, the floor boards had been ripped up and burnt etc etc etc

so nothing anyone says will convince me that these people deserve anything

Opachu

dag wrote: »

So if any squatters ever win any title deeds, I say good luck to them. I honestly think it's a rarity. I certainly don't think it means that squatting for its own sake is a good idea.

Well, I'm half way there, so I'll let you know if I'm sucessful!

Just as a point of interest, I don't even need to squat there, and in fact I don't live there. But I am depriving the rightful owner access and using the property as if it was my own. If he was bothered, he could simply change the locks whilst I'm not there. If in the meantime he never becomes bothered, I'll be mortgage free.

I'd say that's pretty damn good money saving, and actually no worse than R&R-ing a 360 out of Tesco's. (i.e. we're still in the realms of legality, even if morality is stretched a little). So who's to say you can't R&R a house LOL!

Opachu

chunkymunky wrote: »

i did have a truly horrible experience in my life, i picked up an infection and required heart surgery, was unable to work for quiet some time, was told that because i was a student at time of becoming ill i was entitled to no benefits at all!
but this didnt compare at all to coming out of hospital to find that a set of scruffy squatters had moved into my building, who would take it in turns gaurding the door while the others went to sign on, when i finally got my building back it was dirty, smelly, the floor boards had been ripped up and burnt etc etc etc

so nothing anyone says will convince me that these people deserve anything

My last post sitting under this one is a bit contraversial to say the least, however the situation is entirely different. If you had confronted me and asked me to leave, I would have, peacefully. However, in my case I have actually tried to contact the owner several times, unsucessfully, and monitored the building occasionally over a period of 3 years before deciding that actually, he really doesn't seem to want it, so i'll have it.

It's not my intention to anger anyone, and I agree that "bad squatting" is exactly that, Bad, and there should be more laws against it. However, when land/property is truly abandoned, why leave it to the council to 'aquire' when it can be claimed yourself? It's just a mortgage avoiding money saving tip provided there is no violence involved, and as I said, it's just a punt for me. If the owner comes back, it's his place, i'll gladly hand the key over and keep myself well within the realms of the law.

stogiebear

I'd have their bones broken if it was my house. Round up a few young drunks and say there was a bunch of kiddy fiddlers in the house then sit back and watch the fun. I don't care who they are... My house - my rules. One rule is horrible poor lazy people in my house is a no-no.

But... I would have had the house secured so it was impossible to enter without actually breaking into it.

harryhound

James_N wrote: »

Exactly, just what I would have said. So when "our" violent "squatter" (with a previous history of assault and battery, affray, firearms offences, threatening behaviour, drug possession and dealing, assaulting a police officer, prison sentences, serious driving offences) threatened my life, discovered where I lived and work and threatened me there, tried to run me off the road in a car, damaged my car ... all after we had had him excluded from his wife's rented house by re-securing the doors and cleared it of his wife's goods - under police protection

---

I would say that is a pretty horrid experience.

Don't you think your problem was more likely caused by a misguided "human right act" type of legislation rather than the law as it applies to evicting someone? You seem to be muddling up several CRIMINAL offences.

harryhound

Opachu wrote: »

Well, I'm half way there, so I'll let you know if I'm sucessful!

Is it registered at the Land Registry?

If it is you still have the 10 year hurdle to clear.