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

[CustardCreamsfortea]

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. 😡

Gosh. What unusual behaviour.

It's worked out better for you now. Since he's been caught in the act, he will now be prosecuted plus you now have a civil claim against him, he will have to pay to put it right.

Sorry for your loss. I hope it ends up OK. He sounds like an absolute nutter.

Good grief. I don’t think any of us were expecting this update.

Thank goodness the police are there. I really hope that your insurance make sorting everything out straightforward, this is the last thing that you need to be dealing with at a time like this xx

Absolutely madness, did John think he could continue to use the house?

I am literally open mouthed . The guy is unhinged . How dare he ruin your DMs home and cause issues for saleability. Police involvement will likely mean you have to sell it for below market rate. He should be made to pay the difference.

Absolute nutter!

Sincerely hope you had some sort of household insurance in place as at least with him being arrested you should be able to make a claim for all the damage. Not much comfort when you have to spend the next few days clearing up and getting someone in to replaster/decorate.

I know he lives next door, but can you speak to the police about getting the magistrate to put some of order banning him from your/your mum’s property? Or get the solicitor to apply for some sort of injunction?

What a bloody nightmare.

Bloody Nora! He's a friggin' maniac.. I hope you're all ok?

Oh my goodness op, im raging on your behalf!

Wow. Was not expecting that. What a stupid spoiled man.

How on earth would the OP know at this stage why he behaved like that! What’s the point in even asking the question🤷‍♀️
Of course it makes no sense, it’s hardly normal behaviour

Wow, that's really dreadful. Surely they never thought they would get away with this? Assuming it's the first time. I hope the Police press charges and he is ordered to pay you compensation for all the damage. It's completely disrespectful to your late mother too. I hope the house can be made secure quickly.

Really sorry you're going through this when you're grieving too.

W…t…f

Yeah good luck selling it now. Police involvement is officially a 'neighbour dispute' that you have to declare.

What am I reading ? People are lunatics if this is all true

🤨

Well. That story is going to put off potential buyers.

Please tell me there’s documentation that it’s legally yours? The neighbours haven’t worked their way in on your mum previously??

WTAF

@CustardCreamsfortea How horrendous for you both!

Please try and shield Anne's identity/involvement, as she has to continue living across the road, and these people sound genuinely dangerous.

Do check for a listing on Airbnb - the sheer entitlement of their outrage makes me wonder if a lucrative side hustle has been thwarted. Or perhaps some county lines activity, as pp also suggested. Either would be concrete nefarious activity to add the prosecutable list.

Holy mackerel!

What sort of age are the NDN? Did you get any indication of why he was causing the damage?

How awful! People are just bizarre

Just a thought - have you checked the loft... not growing are they

Oh dear, that’s quite an escalation in events, OP! Sorry the property has been damaged.