Squatting is to become a criminal offence: do you think it should? POLL

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What is the harm done by squatting? Does the land lose value, or does the owner lose any money? No, this isn't true, since the housing is abandoned -- it is not in use as a rented home, a business, or any type of industry. This is what allows squatting to become so widespread in certain areas: it may be months, or even years, before an owner is aware that one of their unused properties is being inhabited by homeless people.

The building might be damaged in gaining entrance by the new occupants, but this is an insignificant value: a landowner would have to replace a hinge or a knob on a door, and that's it. For such a small cost, the squatters would be willing to pay for it if it allowed them a safe place to sleep for months or years. They sleep in places that don't belong to them, but are unused; just as they breath in air that belongs to no one, but in doing so dispossess no one else.

Often squatters squat as a lifestyle choice - not because they have to. If you see the majority of squatters they tend to be young, styled equolent people, or others who have chosen to travel from another country to live there. Rarely are these expensive properties occupied by the genuine homeless, most of who are either mentally ill or have serious drug problems.

Don't you think 30 people living in a very expensive property and squatting will strongly discourage people from buying the property nearby, and subsequently devalue all the other properties.

Reply 41

Aphotic Cosmos

Original post by miike1234

Why spend £50,000 on legal fees when you can give a few hundred £s to a local gang to 'persuade' the squatters in your house to leave.

Because making it illegal means that squatters will be brought before criminal courts, and you don't have to pay the CPS to do it's job.

Reply 42

iamyourspiritfrombeyondth

Original post by harmonize

It should't affect anything if the squatters are decent ones. Anyway, I have no problem with the devaluation of property; living costs in this country are absolutely ridiculous.

Reply 43

imperial maniac

"Squatters rights" what a load of BS.

Reply 44

Harry.C

Original post by harmonize

To outlaw squatting stops all people from doing so. I would agree that those who do it out of choice, living a faux-bohemian lifestyle, may not have a paticulary strong case (although you cannot be certain they are the majority, without relevant data).

But the genuinely needy, It is surely a preferable choice to sleeping on the streets or living in tents in the woods. It is a more immediate option than any other, since homeless shelters tend to have a slow and overloaded registration process.

And these people must exist somewhere. To argue against squatting, because it may devalue expensive properties is a very selfish reason on behalf of the owners. If you see the world that way, lets kill them, as they will devalue the property they exist close to.

Its existence is proof that our social organization is not built to meet the most basic needs of all of its members. Surely it is right to say that people have a right to food and housing. And if housing exists which isn't in use, why is it wrong that those without could not utilise it?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 45

adam_zed

Original post by miike1234

Why spend £50,000 on legal fees when you can give a few hundred £s to a local gang to 'persuade' the squatters in your house to leave.

Yeah. Maybe the owner of the house in the article should get the "Highgate Massive" to boot down the door and throw Daddy's money at the squatters. If that fails to work, then get the finely dressed "gang" to annoy the squatters out with their continuous use of the word "banter".

Reply 46

Steevee

Good, about bloomin' time.

If a property is abandoned then by all means squat. But not just because a house is empty! How would you like me to bust down your door and sleep in your bed just because you were out shopping and I was sleepy? It's just not right! If I can't break into someone's house walk around and leave, then why should I be allowed to break in and stay? It's ridiculous!

The law should be on the side of the homeowner every time. Personally, if I ever had squatters, and the law is as it is now, I'd pay some lads a couple of hundred quid to 'evict' the squatters, save on legal fee's and teach those no good gits a lesson.

Reply 47

username521600

Yes, I do think squatting should be a criminal offense. I don't see how anyone can argue legitimacy in it. If the property is owned by someone else, then squatters have no rights whatsoever to live there. It is trespassing and doesn't belong to them. They should do what the rest of society does, which is legally rent or buy a home.

Reply 48

Planar

It's theft, not terribly complicated.

Reply 49

Tefhel

About bloody time. Never understood how it was legal for someone to break into your house and live there, and illegal for you to get them to leave.

Reply 50

burgergetsbored

I'm afraid if I had a house I wasn't using and I came back one day to see it full of squatters I'd really have to contain myself from kicking the s**t into them. If its your property no one should be on it, I just assumed this was fairly obvious to begin with :s-smilie:

Not really any arguement to it....

Reply 51

SummerSofas

you can't ban squatting?! what next banning deadlifts?

banning quarter squats is OK though

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 52

ish90an

So we can finally get rid of the hippies "occupying" university buildings and mansions then? Excellent.

Reply 53

a_t

Original post by SummerSofas

you can't ban squatting?! what next banning deadlifts?

well played, well played

Reply 54

Sonny_J_D

Oh noes, now where will I live?

Reply 55

Ewan

Original post by icarus_xx

I don't think squatting is such a bad thing. I think there are too many people squatting irresponsibly.

The websites about uk squatting I've read all basically say "don't break anything, and once you get there, phone up and ask to start paying for the heating and electricity".
That seems fair enough to me. I don't think it's right for people to take advantage of the system, but I also don't see the problem in a homeless person staying in a disused building if he isn't damaging it or leeching off the owners. :/

This, but at the end of the day it is their property & they should have a right to evict people. They already can do, but this just speeds up the process.

Reply 56

Motorbiker

Original post by SummerSofas

you can't ban squatting?! what next banning deadlifts?

Actually trying to pos SS and it's not allowing...

I dunno... I have heard squatting is bad for your knees. Maybe it is right to ban it... :tongue:

On topic. Of course it should be illegal, they're basically living on other people's property...

Reply 57

SummerSofas

Original post by MHorman

Actually trying to pos SS and it's not allowing...

I dunno... I have heard squatting is bad for your knees. Maybe it is right to ban it... :tongue:

On topic. Of course it should be illegal, they're basically living on other people's property...

but i pay membership fees?! surely its in my right to "live" in the squatters rack?

Reply 58

W.H.T

Original post by ArtGoblin

I haven't got a problem with squatting. We live in a country with houses standing empty while others live in hostels or on the streets. I'd much rather someone make use of the space than have it go to waste, especially when the reason it's empty is because someone has more than property. The unequal distribution of housing is a big problem, and squatting does something to rectify the situation.

So by that, I take it you wouldn't mind your house being taken over by a bunch of strangers while you and your family are away on holiday?

Reply 59

ArtGoblin

Original post by Lack of Creativity

Wealth is not distributed equally either. That doesn't mean I go and relieve the gentleman who drives the BMW of his wallet because I need the money.

Accommodation is a basic human need. There is a huge injustice in society if some people are going without while others have empty houses. Whether squatting itself solves the problem is a different issue, but I cannot get angry over people occupying an abandoned property when there are people waiting desperately for a home. I don't understand the hostility towards squatters when the frustration should be directed elsewhere.

Stealing money and occupying a property are different anyway. The house isn't in use, whereas someone directly loses out if money is stolen. It's just making use of an empty building.