Buying house - homeless outside

[Whatinthedoopla]

Hi,

I'm buying a house, and opposite the garden is the community car park. Area is lovely, people are lovely. However, I've noticed thpere has been a van parked right outside the garden (obviously in a parking space), and has been there for weeks. I thought nothing of it, then saw they they open the door and it looks like people live in it! And they look homeless, I saw they legs popping out of the van.

The house has now been emptied, and I'm worried that the homeless people are going into the garden to get water from the tap outside.

My partner isn't worried, but I am, or AIBU?

What should I do?

I was actually being funny. Sorry that didn't work.

Ok. Just to clarify about my earlier post:
I do not begrudge "kitchen scraps", water or anything else. It was taken from a Sheriff of Nottingham line in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves
It obviously wasn't meant to be taken seriously. Which, judging by some responses, isn't surprising.

I wouldn't want to live next to a carpark that people are allowed to live in. Even if this particular van dweller is harmless, the next lot could be a right nuisance. Ignore anyone who says they'd chose to live next to homeless people on purpose, they're lying.

There seems to be a lot of 'fear of strangers' in these posts.

A sensible seller will have turned the water off - I can't see any mention of them actually taking water. (Not of disposing of toilet waste either)

Lots can't afford houses/have left for a variety of reasons. The economy has.t been kind to many.

As to ones own children - statistically aren't they more at risk from members of ones own family/friends - not people who happen to live in a van.

What about the other to be neighbours?

Chances in they'll be gone in a bit. A quiet van in a car park - better than it being a dogging destination?

So to many on here be less Karen, more Alan Bennett.

Cheers.

Yes I second this.

Wellllll... it is likely that they are stolen legs.

Do you put up homeless people in your spare room? If not I'm sure you can go and find one, you don't have to wait for them to come to you.

I don’t even know where to begin with how bonkers this response is. So you’re suggesting the OP take in someone they don’t know from Adam when they have young children? Someone they may not be able to remove when they actually want to live in the property???

Don’t suppose anyone on this thread has actually considered that maybe the person is happy as they are and doesn’t want help!!

It would be perfectly reasonable for you to take steps to cut off/lock the outside water tap and secure your garden. There is no social obligation on you to let them use your utilities or living space. If they are breaking regulations in how they are living in the car park, you would be within your rights to report them.

BUT as someone who lives in an area well known for vanlife-ers, I very much doubt they will bother you; they are just people getting on with their lives as best they can. I agree with previous posters that those of us who are securely housed have a moral, even if not legal, obligation not to make the lives of people who are homeless or vulnerably housed any more difficult than they already are.

I’d just turn water off @. mains until you’re actually in residence.
We had a dustbins stolen by ‘travellers’ ( yeh they were parked in woods up hill & i saw it) they’d chucked our rubbish out onto the ‘drive’!
The other thing is, they see other things they might help themselves to, whilst accessing (illegally) the water.

From what you have said this could be something or nothing and various things in between. Maybe ring a bell next door and ask if any issues.

And who can blame them?

Have you seen anyone use the tap, or even come onto the property? Someone in the situation you describe is likely to be pretty careful about being detected, whether they're actually doing anything illegal or just conscious that they might be spotted and reported even if they're not. It's possible they might have used the tap when the house was empty (assuming the water was not turned off) but much less likely when some's clearly bought the house/moving in.

If you know people are using it, can you turn the tap off at the source and just turn it on when you need it? A bit of a pain, but would save you the worries over cost.

Have you spoken to the estate agent and your conveyancing solicitor about your concerns.

My nephew and his wife did exactly this.
Took a homeless couple with a baby in, to help out. Silly, because he didn't even know them, just being too soft.

Cousin was attacked and money stolen in the night.
Is still injured 2 years later, wife still traumatised.

FInancial compensation doesn't alleviate at all, after what they went through.
So, please never let strangers stay over in your home...

First of all put the vans number plate into the dvla website….if it’s taxed, insured & has a valid MOT then I doubt there’s much you can do about it. If it’s isn’t then report to ? Council

Could be...😉

I wouldn't buy a house opposite a car park, or anywhere else that allows the possibility of people hanging around.

What's does community car park mean? Is it a public car park that anyone can use? Is it owned by the council? Or is it a private facility designated for a housing development? We had someone living in a caravan in our street some years ago and two parked fairly recently but not being lived in. They were reported and removed. I imagine it was the local council that dealt with them.

Based on having an outside tap myself, there will be a mechanism where you can turn off the supply to it inside the house or you can have one fitted. Yours may be different but you need to look at the water supply pipes and figure out if there is already a facility to turn it off from inside.

I agreed with you, until your use of the term "Karen".

Why don't you go and speak to them.
See what's what.

That’s awful that happened to them when they were trying to be kind.

Exactly!