squatters on goose green (Lounged)

[maryopl]

has anybody else noticed that there are squatters in one of the large houses on east dulwich road.

they dont seem too bad, i spoke to a polite young man yesterday night whilst walking the dog, he said they intend to live

there not to cause any disruption or have any partys.

lets see what becomes of this. hopefully they are peacefull and stick to their word

[PeckhamRose]

Their parties might be fabulous!

[alice]

yes lets give empty property to the middle class youth

[????]

I remember when all of this was squats....well, large parts of Camberwell for sure

[The Minkey]

The various squatters who lived next to my old house in Brixton were all far better neighbours than the tenants who were eventually moved in once the HA has done the house up. Not to say all squatters are like this, but I couldn't fault my lot.

[Jeremy]

If they look after the place and respect the neighbours, then fine. But what happens when the rightful owner wants/needs it back?

[kingy68]

Any particular reason why the middle class youth Alice ???

[Loz]

Apparently Alice believes that only the middle class are polite.

[*Bob*]

It's the party thing. The middle classes don't have proper parties.

The rich don't care if anything gets broken and the poor don't have anything to break.

[TheAllSeeingEye]

Is it their house ?? No. I sense someone above is almost approving of the squatting process.

[alice]

well last time i looked there was a points system for getting housing - politeness didnt feature

[Milo]

TheAllSeeingEye Wrote:

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> Is it their house ?? No. I sense someone above is

> almost approving of the squatting process.

I approve of it, houses left unlived in for a long period should definitely be squatted.

[boosboss]

Agreed Milo!

I don't agree with taking over a family home, preventing people living in their own homes, but leaving properties unoccupied whilst there're so many homeless and greedy landlords offering hovels at almost extortionate rents, then fair play to the squatters.

[alice]

so fair play to those knowledgable and fit enough to squat in an unoccupied house?...forget those in need who don't have those organisational skills. The last squatters i knew lived in a house owned by a housing association who rehoused those with mental health difficulties ..the squatter I spoke to smiled politely when i pointed out the paradox of the situation.

[Sue]

alice Wrote:

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> > The last squatters i knew lived in a house owned

> by a housing association who rehoused those with

> mental health difficulties ..the squatter I spoke

> to smiled politely when i pointed out the paradox

> of the situation.

xxxxxxxxx

So how were they able to squat the house, unless the housing association weren't making full use of it?

Is there some length of time a house has to remain empty before it can be legally squatted? My house has sometimes been empty for a few months in the past, and the prospect of squatters never occurred to me :-$

Maybe they would reject it as far too small :))

[babignail]

Has there been any damage caused to the house by the squatters? And who does the property actually belong to?

I think it's murky water to tar all squatters with the same brush, in either case. It is unfair to base opinions on the actions of others you may have come into contact with in the past. Yet, it can also be dangerous (in a non dramatic sense!) to not be wary of a group of people taking over an owned property.

However. In a post such as this, and as residents of the area, then maybe we should steer away from the rights and wrongs and apparent lifestyles of sqatters and focus on what we all have an interest in. Our community.

Preach over! Do excuse me for this! I have worked with a number of squatters on projects in the past and have been amazed to discover how varied their stories and situations are. Class has little to do with it very often! The vast majority of people I worked with had easily enough money to rent a stable home (probably more than me, since I work in a museum!) with heating and water, but often squatting was seen as a statement and a chosen lifestyle. Even a political reaction!

So....back to the point. Is the house being damasged that they are occupying?!!

Abi

[Domitianus]

My understanding of the situation (which I do not pretend is authorative or current) is that squatters are not allowed to break into a property to occupy it. Equally, they are not allowed to occupy the propertry if that prevents the owner from using it for its proper purpose. e.g. someone cant squat in your house if it prevents you living in it.

Am I near the mark anyone?

[TheAllSeeingEye]

Milo Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> TheAllSeeingEye Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Is it their house ?? No. I sense someone above

> is

> > almost approving of the squatting process.

>

>

> I approve of it, houses left unlived in for a long

> period should definitely be squatted.

Isnt it trespass and therefore illegal ?? yes, it is.

[east-of-the-Rye]

If you own/rent a home, and it is your actual home, and you come back from holiday to find it squatted, you can call the police and ask them to remove the people who are occupying it. Squatters know this and don't bother with people's homes.

If squatters occupy a council/housing association property, which is not currently someone's home, then the owner has to ask them to leave, serve a notice on them warning them that the owner will be asking a court to grant them possession of the property, then go to court. The court is very likely to agree with the landlord, except in very very unusual cases such as when the squatters have been there for years. Then the court and landlord arrange for bailiffs to go round and remove the squatters - they may call the police if they think there will be trouble, but bailiffs I have seen in action usually get people out with a loud voice and physical presence. A number of years ago, the law was changed to allow social landlords to "pre-allocate" a flat/ house to a new tenant before it was actually ready for occuoation. This means that if the place is squatted while repairs are going on, the squatters can be removed very quickly as it counts as someone's home. Most squatters know this so don't bother to occupy places that look like they will soon have a tenant/owner. I don't know what the situation is with places left empty by private landlords.

[genwilliams]

I have no problem with squatting, on two basic conditions - that squatters cause no trouble to the property or neighbours, and that they aren't keeping out someone who wishes to live in the house legally. I don't believe that the number of people squatting is making a vast and negative difference to the list of people awaiting housing, nor do I think, if left unoccupied, these squatted houses would find their way to people in genuine need. They would simply exist in a state of increasing decrepitude until it was financially expedient for the landlord to either sell or fill it - if the landlord isn't interested enough in their property even to occupy it in one or another way, why shouldn't someone else make use of it in the meantime?

If squatters treat the place they occupy with care, then until someone else wants to legally live in that home (at which point, out you go), more power to them.

[Ann]

Interesting comments east-of-the rye. I suppose my quandary is why any property owner would leave what is almost certainly a good rental property, unoccupied?

Good luck to the squatters if they can live rent-free in the meantime.

[Milo]

> Isnt it trespass and therefore illegal ?? yes, it

> is.

No it's not trespass, that is something quite different. Squatting is perfectly legal.

[matthew123]

I think squatters should be made to pay their way, foot the bills for their activities or if they really are broke put them out to work on behalf of the country. Maybe they could even do a full half day of work with members of the Royal family. Free loaders the lot of them - no more excuses.

[babignail]

matthew123 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think squatters should be made to pay their way,

> foot the bills for their activities or if they

> really are broke put them out to work on behalf of

> the country. Maybe they could even do a full half

> day of work with members of the Royal family. Free

> loaders the lot of them - no more excuses.

Goodness me. So black and white.....

[The Minkey]

Years ago, I squatted a disused railway station, near Stroud, along with several other people. The grounds gave us parking space for our caravans and trucks. Everyone was working away at something, low-paid but enough to live on without having to supplement by claiming benefits.

So while it may seem people are free-loading, it may be the case that they are less of a drain on the system than someone claiming housing benefit, for example. After all, the property is empty, I'm assuming it's been so for some time - long enough for the squatters to have noticed the lack of activity anyway - providing no damage is done and the people involved aren't anti-social, I just can't see it as a terrible thing.

The squatting laws changed back in the late 80's/early 90's, I think, so it is much easier for the owner of the property to serve an eviction notice, after which they've got 4 weeks before they're out. I'm going from memory so happy to be corrected on this.