Homeless man freezez to death on porch of empty property

[NicholasTeakozy]

According to Kent Online. Before the government made squatting in private houses a criminal as opposed to a civil offence they were warned this would happen.

[lowercase]

The foxes have dens, the birds have nests but the son of man has nowhere to rest his head.

How sad.
I hope he has rest and peace now.

[HecateWhoopass]

Bloody awful. poor man.

What i think is criminal is the number of homes that lie empty while there are people trying to keep warm under some cardboard, not someone using an empty property for some shelter.

(that's empty as in clearly not occupied not empty as in owners popped out for a pint of milk!)

i would like to see all abandoned property brought up to a liveable standard and people given somewhere to sleep who currently have nowhere.

But, that's expensive and it seems it is not thought of as worth the money.

[2old2beamum]

I am with you all, we have a modern empty house detatched at the end of the road, unlived in for 5 years now nearly derelict, would suit a family.
Next road 3 enormous Victorian Terraced houses emptyfor 4-5 years.
We live by the sea and there are many houses sit unoccupied for more than 6 months/year

It makes me want to weep

[cornycruzcampo]

that poor man

[Solopower1]

I wonder how the person who called the police when they saw him trying to break in feels.

I wonder what have happened if someone had tried to help him get in.

What if he had died inside the house? No-one would have known, presumably, until the bulldozers came.

There was a old man begging outside my front door the other day. I didn't give him any money, and worried vaguely that he would still be there the following day. He wasn't.

On the other hand, a dog came to die on our doorstep once. We brought him in, wrapped him up, tried to give him something to drink and called the vet.

[NicholasTeakozy]

speaks about Daniel Gauntlett in a very moving and respectful manner.

Imagine if this was your son.

[Nicecuppachar]

It's horrendous. Where were his family? His friends? And yes, I agree that all property that is unoccupied for more than two years should be taken or bought for social housing.

[Solopower1]

Someone says in the comments below your link, NT, that the police could at least have phoned an organisation or given him some blankets.

But why don't we help homeless people more, as individuals, when we see them? In my case, I think it's because I am scared - even though I know how ridiculous that fear is. I also worry that they might ask for more than I am prepared to give, or ask me again the following day. In a big city you are wary of other people. But I think that in a small village, it might be different.

But 'There but for fortune go you or I ... '

[bluecarrot]

I had a knife pulled on me by a homeless lady, in broad daylight in a busy shopping street just before Christmas because I offered her a blanket, hat, gloves and cup of tea. Ive been doing that (gift bit) every time I do any christmas shopping for the last 10 years and it was the first time Ive been frightened off. It certainly has made me think again for next year, even though the other 300-odd times were fine!

[bluecarrot]

30, not 300!

[Dandy902]

Solopower - it is very sad that we all dont do more to help the homeless as individuals as we see them. I think it is a fear of getting it wrong. So poor mumsnetter got a right slating on here a few weeks back for buying one a sarnie instead of giving cash.

[Solopower1]

How terrifying, Bluecarrot!

I know, Dandy. But maybe it's a bit easier when it's the same person begging every day, and you can see that they are not causing any trouble.

[AnnieLobeseder]

Tragic. That poor man. I can't believe the comments either. So few condemning the government, but plenty blaming the neighbours and, somewhat bizarrely, the Polish.

[Mrsdavidcaruso]

Although I feel sorry for the man and believe that the government should do more to support people like Mr Gauntlett I do NOT support people like the Squatters action group Squash using the poor mans death to try and repeal the anti squatting laws.

I worked with people who had their homes stolen from them by squatters before the law came into affect and have spoken to squatters themselves.

A few facts a middleaged couple trying to sell their Mums house to pay for her care, squatters moved in and trashed the place before they were evicted, they couldn't sell the property for the market value and had to pay some of their mums care from their own pockets.

Likewise a young couple with 3 children who had a chance of moving into a relatives house, again taken over by squatters and trashed when evicted.

I have many more stories like this I personally did not deal with any rich people using their empty homes as tax fiddles or holiday homes depriving poor people of a roof over their heads for their own greedy gain just a lot of bewildered homeowners who were let down by the law.

Squatters on the other hand were a different story, People who admitted to me that they came to the UK to squat as it was illegal in their own country.

One chap who I needed to speak to was at WORK so earned a wage but didn't want to pay rent or mortgage.

People who admitted that they hated homeowners and would squat to get back at them. and as lot of very nasty people who had no respect for other people and their property.

And when they were evicted they had already found somewhere else to move to via the many 'squatters estate agents' websites.

I am sure someone will come on here and tell stories about the nice young squatters next door who have improved the property but in my experience these are few and far between.

The law should stand and not be repealed and other type of help given to people like Mr Gauntlett

[specialsubject]

yes, can't see the squatters rights lot queuing up to say 'we have space for someone who is homeless', or donating to homeless charities, or helping at shelters...

squatting is theft at the least.

using a tragedy to publicise your cause has to be about as low as it gets.

[lowercase]

It is relevant though isn't it?
He froze outside of the building, trying to take shelter it would seem.

Why are bricks more valuable than life?

The only people who don't want a fairer society are the ones who are taking more than their share.

If I was homeless and strong enough, I would break into an empty house to survive.

[Mrsdavidcaruso]

lowercase yes the ones taking more than their share include the ones living in other peoples homes free from rent or mortgage payments.

As part of my job I had to go on squatting sites and have seen for myself their mindset, they could not give a toss about genuine homeless people it was all to do with their 'rights' to have a roof over their heads and if that roof belonged to someone else who cares not them.

Put the blame for the need for these new laws on people like that, the militant and the jealous not the poor homeowner who has had their life blighted and their property trashed by these scum.

And if, like me you actually saw a squatter after being evicted being picked up in his daddys' Rolls Royce you might agree with me.

[Bluelightsandsirens]

It's all so blured, no one knows right from not doing any thing any more

[Solopower1]

It's like the elephant and the 6 blind men. One finds an ear and says 'Elephants are flat and flappy', another finds a leg and says 'Elephants are built like bendy columns' (or whatever.

Mrsdavid, your experience and your views are so far from mine we must be at completely opposite ends of said elephant.

[Nicecuppachar]

There is no fair share, we don't live in a communist society.

[lowercase]

Communism didnt invent fairness, I'm not referring to government.

Ghandi said, there is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed.

[Nicecuppachar]

What do you mean , then? The homes squatters break into belong to people who have probably worked for them.

fair is putting in, grafting and working so you can take out. Not simply taking.

[Nicecuppachar]

How many homeless have you taken in?

[lowercase]

I have taken in homeless females, more than once in the last six months.

I do not, and will not agree that it's preferable for someone to die outside a vacant property than to break the 'law' and survive.

I mean what I said, there is enough for everyone's need.

[ATouchOfStuffing]

Here in E. Kent we have a number for Porchlight, a charity you can alert to any rough sleepers and they collect them and give them a meal and a bed. Sad that no one called that number...
www.porchlight.org.uk/