Squatting

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 14:13

I have a few mates who are squatters. What are their rights as squatters. Im sure I read somewhere a long time ago that if you are a squatter in a house for 4 or 5 years then it becomes yours?

They said its a nice cheap way to live with quality people who ususally wouldnt live together (because its free!)

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 14:43

ok then, lets put a switched view on things. What would happen if you went on holiday for a month, some burglars came around and smashed the door down. You (the squatter) then arrives and boards the door up. Are you allowed to be a squatter then, because you did find the house unoccupied and unsecure?

(just for the record, im not a squatter, a student so almost as bad but i do pay rent!)

oh and put away your baseball keyboards please, im sure you would think twice about baseball batting a group of 10 tramps in your front room armed with smelly breath and dirty needles!

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 14:51

Rotty said:
I certainly would never resort to violent methods but sometimes squatters can get visited by a group of big blokes entirely unrelated to the pwner of the property, totally conincidental but it does happen sometimes

you may be big (if referring to you) but squatters still have rights. Id feel the same way if some randoms were chilling out in my front room, but the law would still be on their side if you smashed their knees in

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 14:55

Rotty said:
basically if someone is in property they do not own then the owner ought to be able to just call the police nad have them removed

which is where the laws for squatters comes in. about being an unsecure property and all that. (remember to lock your door next time you go on holiday!)

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 15:22

heres something else. I still have the key to my old house. If my landlord ****** me off i could get a key cut for my mates and they could all chill out there for a bit until he went to get a court summons, then they would have to leave. that or a swift call to his cavalry!

geeza · 26 Jul 2006 at 15:33

Mikol said:
Unless he does what landlords are supposed to do and get's new locks fitted. I thought it was common practice for a landlord to change locks every time a lease is up? Or is that wishful thinking?

yeh he probably will (when my mates fixed the smashed up door)