Moosey Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Thanks for that. There's been loads of faffing about on the occupy thread about this and I put this situation forward a couple of times and never got an an answer. If you are "in the trade" as it were, could you perhaps say if you have heard this situation come up. You go holiday for two weeks and come back to find strangers in your house, the locks changed and no sign of your stuff. You and the wife are stood outside. You can't ( apparently ) use violence. You call police but as the squatters are claiming the house was unlocked, they aren't breaking in, what happens next ? Should the police turf them out, or in the eyes of the law (as it stands I know it's changing) have you got a long legal battle before you get your house back ? Presuming they go at the end of said legal battle and you don't have to send in balifs ? It's a situation I read on some mag once and with the whole issue of squatting coming to the fore I just wondered how to deal with this and how often it comes up ? Whether they broke in or not, it's very simple to prove they're trespassing on your property. You, presumably, have deeds which the bank can provide certified copies of quickly. You can insist on the police taking action. Worst case, the Courts have an accelerated procedure to get them out, meaning bailiffs (potentially backed by police) can go in. I shall get you the link...bear with me. Edit -here y'go. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/Derelictbuildingsandsquatters/DG_10022452 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melthebell Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 shouldnt there just be an averhaul to squatting and laws? i think there should actually be a split 1: deliberetly squatting buildings that are in use, residents / owners on holiday etc should be criminal 2: people "squatting" proper empty, specially for years properties should be allowed i still stand by properties left empty and deteriating.....sometimes for years is a crime, specially with the amount of homelessness and need for housing we have and its getting worse. REAL squatters that move into empty buildings and actually repair and do them up and sometimes open them up for community reasons / help etc are a help to the community. to me the others are just leechers like other leeches in society just after what they can get for nothing with no regards to others. sadly this is the type we most see in the media and the reason we get negative anti squatting threads / arguements like these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinfoilhat Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Whether they broke in or not, it's very simple to prove they're trespassing on your property. You, presumably, have deeds which the bank can provide certified copies of quickly. You can insist on the police taking action. Worst case, the Courts have an accelerated procedure to get them out, meaning bailiffs (potentially backed by police) can go in. I shall get you the link...bear with me. Edit -here y'go. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/Derelictbuildingsandsquatters/DG_10022452 Thankyou, a concise straight answer with a link as well. You dont get many of those on here ! With regards to commercial buildings that have been empty for years, the first port of call should be the owner with a phonecall or letter. Do you want them out, in or further discussion. If it's "I want them out", then that's it, police move them on straight away. If the owners can't be contacted, it gets more complicated I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Did this thread shrink? What happened?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMoran Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Why these people are allowed to get away with this sort of thing in this day and age is beyond me. Just another example of "Broken Britain." Squatters should be arrested. Its a crime and not just a "civil" matter. There's an article here than inspired the thread... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088106/Janice-Mason-My-childhood-home-invaded-Moldovan-squatters.html You nick a few quids worth of items from a shop and the police can arrest you, charge you and put you before a judge. You nick a house and they cant do a thing? :loopy::loopy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Macbeth Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Did this thread shrink? What happened?! No, its exactly as it was left last night. Like Mel says, I think there's a vast difference between taking over someone's home when they have gone on holiday/are doing it up, and moving into a semi derelict building that no one seems to care about. I'm not sanctioning it, but I can understand why it happens. At a time when there is a shortage of homes, especially affordable ones, we need to bring abandoned and neglected buildings back into use. Some interesting points here too: http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/%E2%80%98there%E2%80%99s-no-such-thing-as-squatters-rights/6518379.article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchresearch Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Squatters can be removed quite easily. They can also be charged with aggravated trespass (a criminal offence) if they don't move. This is what I said in my post. Why have the police washed their hands of the matter if the home owner has told the squatters to get out and they've refused? That's a clear case of aggravated trespass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Why these people are allowed to get away with this sort of thing in this day and age is beyond me. Just another example of "Broken Britain." Squatters should be arrested. Its a crime and not just a "civil" matter. +1 and some more stuff to make up the minimum number of characters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Am I wrong in thinking that there is new legislation being processed to do that which the OP suggests? ... to make 'squatting' in residential property a criminal offence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Am I wrong in thinking that there is new legislation being processed to do that which the OP suggests? ... to make 'squatting' in residential property a criminal offence? See the link I posted earlier. It's been a criminal offence for ages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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