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Original poster

CF's have been using my mums house as a hotel!!

620 replies

CustardCreamsfortea · 15/04/2025 18:07

My dm died last year. Her house is currently empty and we're in the process of selling it (on the market but no buyer yet). The house next door is owned by a couple. I knew that DM was friendly with them, but (apart from first names) I don't really know them at all. I'll call them "Jean and John" for this

I went round yesterday to check on the property (we live about 45 mins away) and to do some gardening. When I entered the house I noticed immediately that there was a strong smell of cigarettes. Dm didn't smoke so I thought that was very strange.. 🤔

I went into the kitchen and there's dirty dishes in the sink!? My next thought was that squatters must have moved in. I went back to my car and called Dh and then 101 for advice. The police said they could come out but it would likely be a few hours (at least) before they turned up.

Dh arrived and went into have a look. Nobody appeared to be in the house. No obvious signs of a break in, though there's clothes and stuff everywhere. So we decide, ok fine - let's take this as a warning and get the locks changed before the squatters come back.

I called a locksmith and he's in the process of changing the locks. As he's doing this another neighbour from across the road (let's call her "Anne") comes over to ask what's happening. I explain that I think we've had squatters in the house.

Anne then proceeds to tell me that Jean and John (from next door) have currently got family visiting from abroad at the moment.

But it seems rather than pay for a hotel, The CF's been letting them stay in mothers house!!! 😡😡😡 Anne has seen them coming and going since they arrived on Friday. She didn't have our contact details to check with us, but assumed we'd given permission because they seemingly had a key. We had no idea that they had this key.

When the police eventually turned up we explained all this. They went round to speak to Jean and John but they weren't at home. Said they would try again later in the week. We've bagged up the relatives things and left them on their doorstep (I wanted to burn them but DH talked me out of it). 🙄

Will they police be able to charge them with trespassing or something similar? Or are we just going to have to accept that we were (admittedly) stupid for not changing the locks in the first place and move on? I'm beyond angry with them. 😡

OP posts:
Figgygal · 15/04/2025 20:17

Flipping heck
What shitbags

Boggartdreams · 15/04/2025 20:15

Wow so rude!

AlanShore · 15/04/2025 20:14

Bloody outrageous

FOJN · 15/04/2025 20:13

I would not have given their relatives stuff back. I'd have held it to ranson until they had reimbursed me for the cost of a cleaner. They could hardly accuse you of stealing, they willingly left their belongings in the house.

I'd be tempted to ask them for reimbursement for the cost of the new locks too.

Who will be paying for the utilities they've used during their stay?

hellywelly3 · 15/04/2025 20:13

Absolutely awful. It must be so upsetting for you.
I’d be so tempted to bill them for a deep cleaning fee (regards smoking in the house, yuck will put some buyers off) and the cost of getting a locks smith out.

Therewasacat · 15/04/2025 20:06

Awful people. Be prepared for them to turn this around on you and make out you're the unreasonable one as they are clearly unhinged.

Blueskybird · 15/04/2025 20:06

Wow I actually think I’ve heard it all now! How bloody cheeky is that? Honestly people are just incredible. I would leave everything outside in bags too then I’d be reading the couple next door the riot act and possibly a cleaning charge. To be fair it’s really NOT the fault of the people actually staying you don’t know what they’ve been told and they may well be mortified if they knew.

FamingolosForDays · 15/04/2025 20:06

Glad you got the locks changed OP. I'm very sorry for your loss x

unlikelywitch · 15/04/2025 20:05

CountryMouse22 · 15/04/2025 19:50

What does 'chapping the door' mean?

Show quote history

Knocking on the door but in Scottish.

4forksache · 15/04/2025 20:04

Fuming

4forksache · 15/04/2025 20:04

Is be running but you’ve handled it in the best way.

Mischance · 15/04/2025 20:03

Mind-boggling! CFs doesn't even come near it! I share your anger!!

Pricelessadvice · 15/04/2025 20:00

I can’t believe the cheek of some people! How did they think that was ok??

Jazzyted · 15/04/2025 19:59

Theft of amenities? I assume these people are washing/showering at the property and they’re not sat in the dark so effectively they’re stealing power and water. Although police will be unlikely to chase it you do have some kind of edge here. Disgusting though people can be awful. I’d have waited and called police as soon as they returned

Daleksatemyshed · 15/04/2025 19:58

You're a better woman than me @CustardCreamsfortea , I'd have waited until they came back to have the pleasure of reading them the riot act. I don't care what their justification was for using your deceased DM's home it's CF of the highest order. No doubt they thought what you didn't know didn't hurt you but what they've done is really, really low, they must know it's not on

soloula · 15/04/2025 19:58

Small claims has a time limit of five or six years from the act you're claiming for. I'd keep the receipts for everything - utilities, cleaning, ring doorbells if you feel they're needed due to their behaviour and loss of trust etc and then decide what you want to do about this once the house is sold. Small claims is cheap and relatively easy and you might find yourself considerably out of pocket, especially with the smoking. As a non-smoker I would walk straight back out a prospective property if I smelled smoke and I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I'd be looking at making sure their hospitality doesn't cost you any sales and as others have said, that sort of cleaning isn't cheap. I can't believe folk are so inconsiderate. I'm really sorry about your mum. Losing a parent is hard enough without CFers like this taking advantage.

GirlWhatHaveYouDoneYoureAPinkPonyGirl · 15/04/2025 19:54

Who’s paying for the utilities they’ve ‘stolen’?

Strictlymad · 15/04/2025 19:54

I never ceases to be amazed at the lows people stoop to… utterly shocking behaviour

NeringaCS · 15/04/2025 19:53

Katrinawaves · 15/04/2025 19:43

I don’t think I agree with this.

Trespass is a criminal matter if it’s combined with an intent to commit a criminal offence. In this case the visitors will have used the OP’s electricity which is an offence under the Theft Act. It’s a separate offence (since 2022) to reside on land with a vehicle so if the visitors were parking on the OP’s drive that’s also prosecutable.

Show quote history

I don’t think any of this is likely to meet the threshold of being in the public interest to prosecute. I’ve never heard of someone being prosecuted for parking on a neighbour’s drive, and besides, OP has no evidence that they did park there - she doesn’t have a camera pointed at the drive. Additionally, the house was empty so parking on the drive, while cheeky, is not really a big deal.

Re gas/electricity, how much will they realistically have used since Friday given that the weather’s been glorious and they’ve probably spent most of the time out of the house? OP should absolutely present the neighbour with a bill for the utilities used since Friday plus the cost of a deep clean, and she could maybe take it to small claims court if they refuse to pay (though even that might be more trouble than it’s worth). But I highly doubt the police will be willing to take action over maybe £50’s worth of electricity theft.

noctilucentcloud · 15/04/2025 19:51

CountryMouse22 · 15/04/2025 19:50

What does 'chapping the door' mean?

Show quote history

Knocking on the door

WearyAuldWumman · 15/04/2025 19:51

CountryMouse22 · 15/04/2025 19:50

What does 'chapping the door' mean?

Show quote history

It's Scots for ''knocking at the door".

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 15/04/2025 19:51

It means ‘knocking’ on the door.

BobbyBiscuits · 15/04/2025 19:50

What the fuck?! It is burglary, breaking and entering, false representation etc.
I hope you do get the police involved and they're punished. I fear they could class it as civil but hopefully not.

CountryMouse22 · 15/04/2025 19:50

unlikelywitch · 15/04/2025 18:18

That’s the absolute height of cheek! You couldn’t mark their necks with a blow torch. I’d not wait for the police to have a word next week, I’d be chapping the door myself and making my thoughts crystal clear. I’d also have chucked the visitor’s belongings over the fence.

What does 'chapping the door' mean?

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 15/04/2025 19:50

All those saying Small Claims Court - aren't J and J likely to just shrug and say 'nothing to do with us, you can't prove anything.' I'd take photos of any identifying items among the CF's rellies belongings, because I can almost BET this will be their defence.