Squatting now a criminal offence

[SmokeyDave]

Squatting is now a criminal offence.

Looks like I will now have to start putting cheek to seat rather than "Do a Wilkinson" in public toilets, wouldn't want to incur the attention of the cubicle police!

[nev coss]

seriously, it's about time

[Dherm]

seriously, it's about time

Totally agree, its a long time coming. I had problems a couple of years ago with squatters who stopped a huge renovation project of mine for 9mths. Police were powerless.

[crusse]

seriously, it's about time

I strongly disagree. Obviously people shouldn't be allowed to squat someone's home when they're abroad or just break into any building when the owners are out. But the right wing tabloids (particularly the Daily Fail) have been agitating for a change in the law when no change was needed. If you had been made homeless by squatters occupying your home, you could already simply ask the police to make them leave and the police would then move them on. If you had not been made homeless, you could still apply for an eviction order from a civil court and these orders were usually granted. The new law just makes it a lot easier to evict squatters from empty and disused buildings.

I have volunteered at a homeless shelter in the past and I've seen the devastating effects that homelessness can have on peoples lives. Many homeless people suffer from mental health problems and only become homeless due to lack of adequate support from the state. There are more disused buildings in this country than homeless people and I for one would much rather see empty buildings being squatted than people sleeping on the streets.

Punishing squatters with 6 month prison sentences or fines of ?5,000 (seriously, how many homeless people can even afford this?) simply makes victims of homelessness into criminals. Society should help the most vulnerable rather than punishing them.

[Zigatoh]

Bout freaking time this happened, so what if the owner has somewhere else to live, squatting is worse than theft. And even if it is your only home, it can take months to get rid of squatters anyway! Ridiculous that there were ever 'squatters rights' in the first place. Work needs to be done to sort the homeless issue but allowing theft of another's property was never and will never be the way.
Why the criminal is treated better than the owner or victim never ceases to amaze me.

[Dherm]

In my case I bought a house for ?450,000 and exchanged on a Friday, myself my architect and my crew went in on the Friday and Saturday to evaluate the renovation. This house had been empty for over 5 years. When we went in on the Monday to start work you guessed it squatters had moved in and barricaded themselves in. I was totally powerless as was the law to move them. So I paid the mortgage, council tax and insurance on a property that I had no right to walk into???? I work bloody hard to provide for my family, I work bloody hard to provide employment for my staff so they can provide for their families. Its the only way I know. What gives another man the right to take what's legally mine away from me? I do understand issues of mental illness and the state should provide for people who need care, surely living in a derelict house with no amenities and the threat of being abused cant be a good environment for someone with a mental illness. I wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone, the stress and anguish it caused my family and I was incredible. The mortgage lender and council still wanted me to make payments regardless. The bank would not give me any scheduled downloads as work was not being done to the property. On top of that the property was being trashed and I had the threat of arrest if I entered my own house. Solicitor said an eviction could take a year to be granted and then a further 6mths for a bailiff to execute that order. Forgot to mention I had to lay off 3 workers, where is the justice or more to the point who's side is it on?

[crusse]

Dherm I am sorry to hear about what happened to your property and the distress that it caused you, your family and your employees. In a fairer society there would be more social housing and care for the homeless so that there would be no good reason for people to squat. Then those who decided to squat for the hell of it would be rightly punished.

Unfortunately, we don't live in that kind of society. This government has cut the social housing budget and many vulnerable people still fall through the flimsy net provided by social services. These people face a stark choice; to squat or to sleep on the streets. I know which I would choose if I was in their position.

Of course people who squat for fun and trash places are thieves and should be stopped. But there are also a lot of homeless people who have been let down by the state and who have nowhere else to sleep. Of course sleeping in a derelict house isn't a desirable option, but it's better than a shop doorway.

If the government put effort and money into ensuring that all homeless people were housed and cared for, then making squatting illegal would be fair. But the government has made squatting illegal and cut the social housing budget. This means that a lot of homeless people have nowhere to stay except a squat, but if they do stay in a squat they face being punished. That is fundamentally unfair.

[Puff Scotty]

In my case I bought a house for ?450,000 and exchanged on a Friday, myself my architect and my crew went in on the Friday and Saturday to evaluate the renovation. This house had been empty for over 5 years. When we went in on the Monday to start work you guessed it squatters had moved in and barricaded themselves in. I was totally powerless as was the law to move them. So I paid the mortgage, council tax and insurance on a property that I had no right to walk into???? I work bloody hard to provide for my family, I work bloody hard to provide employment for my staff so they can provide for their families. Its the only way I know. What gives another man the right to take what's legally mine away from me? I do understand issues of mental illness and the state should provide for people who need care, surely living in a derelict house with no amenities and the threat of being abused cant be a good environment for someone with a mental illness. I wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone, the stress and anguish it caused my family and I was incredible. The mortgage lender and council still wanted me to make payments regardless. The bank would not give me any scheduled downloads as work was not being done to the property. On top of that the property was being trashed and I had the threat of arrest if I entered my own house. Solicitor said an eviction could take a year to be granted and then a further 6mths for a bailiff to execute that order. Forgot to mention I had to lay off 3 workers, where is the justice or more to the point who's side is it on?

PM me if your problems not solved.....ba**a*ds!

[Zigatoh]

PM me if your problems not solved.....ba**a*ds!

Oh for the good old days, when you could defend your rights and property without being prosecuted. A mans home is his castle - not for decades now it isn't!

[Puff Scotty]

Oh for the good old days, when you could defend your rights and property without being prosecuted. A mans home is his castle - not for decades now it isn't!

Still is if you know the right Knights....

[Dherm]

PM me if your problems not solved.....ba**a*ds!

Thanks Puff Scotty, we did manage to sort the problem, eventually. Nearly cost me my sanity and my marriage mate.

[Puff Scotty]

Thanks Puff Scotty, we did manage to sort the problem, eventually. Nearly cost me my sanity and my marriage mate.

No worries...glad you got it sorted. My sister went on holiday to come back to a trashed house...& trust me her house was/now is again beautiful...no help from anyone legally or otherwise.. I rang a couple of old mates from the regiment...48 hrs job done, no comebacks...everyone's happy except the scrotes who thought they were "immune"....

[Zigatoh]

That's the way to do it puff, if only everyone had that kind of backup, they might just think twice rather than being 'untouchable'criminals... Whole thing makes me sick.

[Puff Scotty]

But there are also a lot of homeless people who have been let down by the state and who have nowhere else to sleep.

Get real..whist I agree with you that people with mental health issues should be helped the vast majority of squatters are tossers who have no respect for peoples property or any values associated with that... Let down by the state...humbug..contribute first..........

[Puff Scotty]

That's the way to do it puff, if only everyone had that kind of backup, they might just think twice rather than being 'untouchable'criminals... Whole thing makes me sick.

Absolutely right Zig, but unfortunately those sort of scum don't think about the damage they are doing to ordinary hard working people...makes me want to heave as well, what the f**k are we allowing society to turn into...INNIT!