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. 😡

That’s horrible OP. Did you end up getting the locks changed? Would 100% recommend doing so if not. So sorry you’re going through this xxx

Were you aware they had a key? No doubt they decided to keep quiet about it to take advantage of the situation!

I have to agree with this^
but WTF & OMFG 😮

I think it would have been most fun to take all the stuff on the 45 minute drive home and make them come and collect it, along with a bollocking.

Except the cost of the locksmith, utilities, cleaning.

Its not cheap to call out a locksmith and change locks, OP now has a house that has carcinogenic smoke in it, who is expected to pay for the services they used... why on earth should it be the OP.

Small claims court is the route and a pretty much guaranteed win.

Yes!

J&J and their friends have behaved absolutely terribly. I would be livid. Changing the locks was definitely the right thing, OP.

What cheeky, opportunistic fuckers! I am so sorry for your loss, OP. Outrageous that you have to deal with this, I hope Anne tells the whole neighbourhood about these twats.

Charge them the cost of the locks!

I hope you intend speaking to them -

That is the height of CF and an absolute insult to your DM’s memory. Really appalling.
There is no way I’d have wanted to stay in the house even if there was permission.
Thank goodness for the kind neighbour.

Echo the advice to get them to pay for a deep clean of the house. Then I'd leave it. They are going to have to live down having done this, as I suspect Anne will have shared the news - and the rest of the neighbours now know what cheeky fuckers they are.

Small Claims Court.
It will be something to shame them.
Anne can pass the word around about them.
CF's don't like being caught out.
Its not about the money, just the opportunity to legally shame them.
Absolutely disgusting behaviour.

My friends mum died and rather than have the house unoccupied she has another friends daughter living there with her two friends rent free, just utilities.

They are looking after the house in exchange for no rent. They are great girls and are thrilled at 23 to be living out of home so cheaply.

The house will be sold later this year, but it has been a positive experience for all concerned.
Unfortunately empty houses bring out the local CF's.
Usually its a land grab I hear about.
Using the house as a family hotel is a new one!

Me too. I think you can do this quite cheaply through what used to be called the Small Claims Court.
Info here:
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees
I’d also inspect the house very closely and claim for cost of gas and electricity used, changing locks and any other damage or expenses incurred.
Condolences on the loss of your Mum, and the unnecessary extra upset the CFs have caused.

I'm absolutely shocked at this - what the hell goes through people's minds. I would send them a bill for the locksmith and to get cleaners in to get rid of the smoke smells.
Sorry for the loss of your mum - this is the last thing you need!

No advice, but I’m absolutely stunned. Surely this bags the award for CF of the year!?
How could a CF advance on this? Not possible.

Who would do this to someone so recently bereaved? Adding more stress to an already stressful and upsetting situation.

This was yesterday and they still haven’t contacted you to apologise?

What dreadful people they are.

Sell the house to someone with loads of yappy dogs as revenge.

They sound absolutely vile. What kind of people would take advantage of a grieving family like that?

Unfortunately, I agree with others that trying to take them to court would probably be more hassle than it’s worth.

Also, as you’re trying to sell the house, it might be better not to enter into a conflict that you’d have to disclose to potential buyers (although I’m not sure if it isn’t too late anyway now that the police are involved). I know they’d absolutely deserve it, but it could create more problems for you with the sale.

There is another thread on here at the moment where some CF neighbours had moved the boundary in a garden with a empty property after a death. I thought that was an appalling example of some taking advantage of a death for personal gain and NGAF about the impact on the relatives of the deceased.

But this is something else. What massive shitbags. Do send them a bill for the utilities and a professional clean.

All these people saying they would have burnt/binned/destroyed/hidden the possessions ... the people who were staying there are possibly totally innocent (mucky and messy yes, but innocent). J&J most probably told them that they had permission. It's J&J who are the CFs.

Have you got insurance? We got’ empty house’ insurance when we were in a similar situation. People staying there could invalidate this.

Just why would anyone think this is acceptable, it's completely outrageous.

Just when I thought we'd had ever CF in the book, along comes another one.

Who the hell do they think they are?

I would definitely demand the money for a deep clean and for the change in locks - I'd go to the small claims court as others have said if they didn't pay up pronto.

CF’s indeed!
I would send them the locksmiths bill. Disgusting entitled behaviour.

I’d be sending them a bill for the deep cleaning to remove the smoke smell! They may not pay it but it’ll hopefully put the fear up them and highlight how utterly unacceptable their behaviour has been!

OMG.
I'd be FUMING. And their stuff would be in the bin.

Demand payment for the gas/electric/water and nightly rates for the bed.

Such a cheek. This happened to my mum when she came to visit us for Christmas (abroad). Neighbour offered to watch the house and let all her family stay there over Christmas.