The Student Room Group

Squatters rights?

So came across this article today (yes I know its the Daily Mail, please bear with me)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139522/Squatters-7-5m-mansion-eyed-Johnny-Depp-John-Terry.html

Squatters have invaded the £7.5m mansion once sought after by Hollywood movie star Johnny Depp and footballer John Terry.
Police were called the luxury home which comes with two swimming pools, 34-seat cinema and nuclear bunker, after intruders were discovered.
But officers left without making arrests after the group of seven squatters put up a legal notice stating their rights to stay at the ten-bedroom residence called Golden Hill, in Romsey, Hampshire, which is still being built.



Basically, the gist of it is, squatters were "invited" to move into a £7.5m mansion by their friends. They're now claiming "squatters rights" and refuse to move. Police have been notified, but apparently notified the owners that the matter was "closed" because they could not find any evidence that the squatters had committed any criminal offense?

So my question is, how the hell is it that someone can simply walk into a CLEARLY well kept home and claim that they have rights to live there? Why are the police powerless to move someone who is trespassing on someone else's property (Trespassing and entering someone else's property is still a crime isn't it?)

And how is it that the legislators have not deemed it important to either change the legislation surrounding the law or at least offer a legally binding definition so that this madness does not occur?
**** squatters.

We badly need to criminalise their disgusting behaviour.
Reply 2
I thought they were changing the law on this?
Reply 3
If I'm not wrong, isn't the 'Squatters' Rights' thing being ended? Or it was at least brought up by the government in recent months and they're working on it?
Reply 4
Apparently if you return to your property to find it inhabited by squatters, you should phone the police and tell them that you are being burgled, then they will come and remove them. If you say squatters have moved in, they can't do anything. Utter madness.
Reply 5
Now that I'm reading up on it it appears that the legislation to end "legal" squatting is being put through right now actually...
squatters should have no rights, other then the right to be beaten up by the householder for trespassing on their property
Reply 7
The only 'right' they should have is the right to **** off.
Reply 8
Excellent. It should have been made illegal years ago though.
Reply 9
Glad it's being made illegal.

Squatters are scrounging scumbags who expect everything to be handed on a plate by hard-working people who actually pay taxes.

There was a post on Indymedia by a squatter claiming that "all property ownership is theft"


Sorry you little ****er but my dad worked in the mines for twenty years to earn enough money to pay for his house. What right do you have to break into properties paid for by hard-working people and live there illegally and without paying a thing?
Reply 10
Original post by dgeorge
So my question is, how the hell is it that someone can simply walk into a CLEARLY well kept home and claim that they have rights to live there? Why are the police powerless to move someone who is trespassing on someone else's property (Trespassing and entering someone else's property is still a crime isn't it?)


No, ordinary trespass isn't a crime.

Incidentally, they don't have any right to be there, but that doesn't mean it's a police matter. When someone has possession of property that is rightfully yours, the correct way to get them to surrender it is to obtain a court order. This is as much the case with houses as it is with an unpaid contract.
Reply 11
I have never understood why it's legal in the first place?
Reply 12
see if i walked into a strangers house and set up shop id be done for breaking and entering these parasites do it its all fine and legal ... anyelse see an issue with this?

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