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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think that squatting in abandoned buildings is a good idea?

98 replies

BoojaBooja · 21/07/2011 23:21

I used to live in a London borough where there seemed to be a lot of empty buildings. I'd lived there for years and would see buildings left to go to ruin through neglect. Two buildings became occupied by squatters (one was an old house and one was an ex-Post Office). They became lived in. The house suddenly had a garden at the front and was well kept.

On the bus one day I saw a group of people outside of the house with loads of things on the pavement, including a TV and other bits of furniture. On the way back, the people were gone and the windows were all boarded up. Someone had evicted them. Talking to a friend who worked at the council, it turned out that the house was owned by the council and they were squatters. Two years later (I then moved so don't know if this is still the case) the building was still empty, boarded up and covered in graffiti.

As far as I know, the squatters in the Post Office are still there. They'd certainly improved the look of the place, and were apparently taking care of it.

So, AIBU is thinking that a safe, empty building should be occupied if nobody else is living in there. When there are so many people living on the streets, isn't this a good thing?

OP posts:
Cocoflower · 22/07/2011 16:59

Its horrific and unfair. And for someone to say "THAT we live in this property, it is our home and we intend to stay here" when its clearly not their home at all.

Did your parents have to keep paying the mortgage on top of this as well I imagine?

Ormirian · 22/07/2011 17:01

I agree with the sentiment but am not sure that squatting is the answer. I do beleive that there shiould be stringently high council tax on empty property to ensure that owners fix them up and use them or sell them on to someone who will. Or compulsory purchase by local authority.

iceandsliceplease · 22/07/2011 17:19

oh yes, mortgage, council tax, insurance, utility bills all still had to be paid.

Cocoflower · 22/07/2011 17:22

Utility bills- the absolute cheek!

For most average famalies, once they had covered the costs above they would not have money left for rent, hotels, hostels or b&b's.

A lot would end up homeless. This is definitly something everyone should care about.

Ripeberry · 22/07/2011 17:36

So glad this squatter law is going to be abolished. Just think of it. You go away for a weekend and people take over your house. Your work clothes are in your house, your kids toys are there.
Your personal possesions are being rifled through by these monsters.
Would you would let a piece of paper put you off?

I don't care if I got arrested or even had a fine, £5,000 is nothing compared to the huge bills that you can stack up getting these people out.

Remember, lots of Eastern Europeans are coming over here, just to squat and they will pick any home they fancy.

They all think we are spineless and would not dare get them out Angry

Also, if buildings are not being used for a long time, the owners should make them as secure as possible by putting metal shutters on everything!

Esta3GG · 22/07/2011 17:39

Ripeberry:
"Remember, lots of Eastern Europeans are coming over here, just to squat and they will pick any home they fancy."

Someone please file this under Paranoid Ridiculous Shit.

Ripeberry · 22/07/2011 17:42

Esta, you don't read the papers do you? And no it's not the Daily Fail!

Esta3GG · 22/07/2011 17:43
Hmm
coccyx · 22/07/2011 18:17

cheeky sods

coccyx · 22/07/2011 18:18

thats aimed at squatters not any particular nationality

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:00

www.derelictlondon.com/id44.htm
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/16/empty-houses-london-wealthy-owners
en.reportemptyhomes.com/reports

maybe if there was not rate relief on leaving properties out of use the problem for owners and squatters would diminish
that and the rate reduction on second homes (recently bravely abolished by Cornwall Council)
and the rate relief on single occupancy of properties should be capped at band D (anybody who can afford two Band H can afford the rates)

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:01

www.derelictlondon.com/id44.htm
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/16/empty-houses-london-wealthy-owners
en.reportemptyhomes.com/reports

maybe if there was not rate relief on leaving properties out of use the problem for owners and squatters would diminish
that and the rate reduction on second homes (recently bravely abolished by Cornwall Council)
and the rate relief on single occupancy of properties should be capped at band D (anybody who can afford two Band H can afford the rates)

whoops - forgot to convert the links

Islandlady · 22/07/2011 19:21

An old lady I know had a fall, and was taken into hospital, whilst she was there squatters moved in to her house , no-one knew about it until one of her Grand Sons who had been away went round to pick up some of her poseessions and found the notice another poster found - this was six months ago.

Now the Lady has two Gsons one is a biker and one is in the paras and big chaps they are too, both over 6 foot and well built.

GSon no 1 the biker phoned GSon two the Para, who was in a training camp in the UK, and whilst he was waiting for him to get leave staked out the property.

There were 6 men all mid european and as they said one was always on the premises.

When the two brothers were together they waited until only one squatter was in the house, then sent a weedy mate to try and reason with the squatter, whilst the squatter was occupied at the front door, they and 4 mates took the back door off and when the squatter went to the back of the house he found 6 huge blokes in the kitchen one of whom was replacing the back door

They would have left it at that, got rid of the remaining scumbag and told anyone who asked that the back door was open and they had regained peaceful possession, only GSon no 2 realised his grandads medals were missing so they had to wait until the others came back to find out which of them had nicked them

They got them back but I believe the scroat who nicked the medals is still undergoing physio.

Not legal and not something that would have worked if the GSons had been say accountants. But bloody effective

And for some reason the squatters never did report the brothers to the police

knittedbreast · 22/07/2011 19:23

bt different types of people squat for different reasons. some need a home, some want to make something out an unused derelict buidling. others want to open an alt community based project.

none of these ideas is bad, but like with every type of person you get good and bad and criminal damage is obvioulsy bad.

I know people who squat who have done wonderful things, i have only been to one that turned out to be something else entirely.

if a place is empty, complety unused there is no good reason that it shold be left that why while there are homeless people with nowhere to sleep. majority of squaters move on when asked, if they look after it, clean up when they go and it helps some people out for a while it gets my vote every time.

QueenOfFeckingEverything · 22/07/2011 19:30

Oh for fucking hell's SAKE will people stop spouting this crap about squatters taking over family homes and wiping their arses on children's toys.

Its just not representative - yes, there are occasional cases of it but they are unusual, thats why they are in the paper or on some pappy documentary.

The vast vast majority of people who squat want somewhere to live, so its in their interests to occupy somewhere empty where their presence will go undetected for as long as possible.

Oh and stop it with the 'eastern europeans coming over here to steal our homes' crap as well. It makes you sound like an ill-informed racist, and I'm sure that's not what you want people to think of you.

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:37

I'm trying to find the stats for squatters invading lived in houses
but in the mean time found this
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Social_Centre_Network

PS East Europeans are more likely to use a cash B&B and stay under the radar than attract attention by squatting

MissBetsyTrotwood · 22/07/2011 19:42

The last lot of squatters around here took over a derelict pub and turned it into a sort of arts centre, all soundproofed and everything. I had a couple of rocking nights out there. It was brilliant. They used to sing and dance around on the roof in the day sometimes too which amused my kids for ages. Rubbish out on the right day and masses of recycling sorted out to an immaculate degree that totally put me to shame.

It brought a bit of life back to our little area. Then it got sold off for faceless luxury flats, (not even social housing) the squatters went without any bother and it's all a bit quieter now.

I don't know what this adds to the debate except for being a positive experience of squatters. And as for going away on holiday and returning to find your home occupied by squatters... I have never heard of this before!

LemonDifficult · 22/07/2011 19:43

YABU. It's not a Good Thing because the owner of the property is responsible for it and has no control or contract with the people in it. Fall through the floor and it could be the owners' problem. Not fair.

And basically also not fair that others struggle to meet rents and rates while squatters do not.

Although, had you titled this thread 'AIBU to think that councils should look to lease unoccupied buildings in which to provide temporary springboard accommodation for people who desperately need it', well, then YANBU Grin

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:43

OK Folks
Time to cut the crap about all squatters invading homes
even the fragrant Grant Schapps is not willing to quote numbers
www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1763148
which means they do not say what he wants
if you google 'squatters take over home' the hits include a story about Guy Ritchie that was actually properties he planned to develop etc etc etc

No more apocryphal "a lady I knew" stories. Links to local press or I think you are making it up.

Squatters mostly use buildings that should be in use.
Its a crime that 24 room mansions in Mayfair can be left to rot by rich Arabs for 20 years.
The affordable homes crisis in Citiesn could be MASSIVELY alleviated if those dwellings ALL came back into use.

LemonDifficult · 22/07/2011 19:49

TalkinPeace, I have jewellery that I inherited but rarely wear. I pretty sure I could sell it and the money be put to good use. Should I be forced to? Is it a 'crime' that I'm not?

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:55

No
because you are not preventing other jewellery (or any other tangible item) being made and worn / used
BUT
There is a shortage of land in the UK
people do not want more houses built in their back yards
and yet tens of thousands of homes are kept deliberately empty by their owners - not even rented out to the needy while they decide what to do.

Riveninside · 22/07/2011 19:56

'And basically also not fair that others struggle to meet rents and rates while squatters do not. '

Who says life is fair? Seen the number of people on the streets in London recently?

leares · 22/07/2011 19:58

I f squatters like to live for free then put them in prison, I bet that would stop most of them.

TalkinPeace2 · 22/07/2011 19:59

If the empty houses came into use, the over supply in the housing market would massively suppress rental values and house prices
personally something I look forward to (as a home owner)

Riveninside · 22/07/2011 20:00

just listen to the language. Monsters, scum, scumof the earth.

ffs. Lucky you with your jobs and houses and non abusive childhoods. lucky you you didnt end up in care or homeless or evicted.
There are empty places. They should be homes for the homeless.