Change the law/interpret it differently so this is a break in

[bkgirl]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8704896/Gipsies-move-into-immigration-officers-home-while-she-spent-night-away-at-Proms.html

Why could the lady not call the police and they evict these people as having performed a break in and lock them up for doing it? Surely it is burglary?Has our legal system become totally stupid?

ps I apologise that the above was not a link

What I've never understood is why people don't ring the police and report a burglary in progress?

'Yes officer, I've just seen them climbing in through a window. I'm too scared to approach and I'm in such a state I can't find my keys...'

I'm amazed there's no case for trespass, criminal damage, theft etc. And I think it's appalling that squatting in a private home is considered some kind of trivial or civil matter in the first place - never mind legal. There's an enoromous difference between a derelict/abandoned building being occupied and people forcing their way into an occupied house when the owner has only been away for a few days. Ridiculous.

That is a horrific story. So basically anyone can break into your home and stay there. If that isn't trespass and criminal damage, what is?

I hope the law is changed quickly. Poor woman.

I should imagine there is more to this that what is reported.....she probably wasn't living there. Not excusing what has happened though, it just won't be that simple.

Bkgirl - if you want to post a link, put two of the square brackets - this one -> [, then paste your link, then two of these brackets ->]. Then your link will show up like this -> www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8704896/Gipsies-move-into-immigration-officers-home-while-she-spent-night-away-at-Proms.html.

If you want to give the link a short name, do the first two square brackets, paste the link, put in one space, then the title you have chosen for the link, and the two square brackets to close it, and you will get this.

my mind boggles. especially coming from a country where there is no such thing as squatters rights.
poor lady. hope her insurance pays up and goes after the family.
the cheek of the family telling neighbours that the lady had died nd they are renting from her relatives...

I thought there was a very clear distinction in law between squatters who had occupied an empty property, and squatters in someone's home, who could be evicted very quickly.

this direct gov link is pretty clear that "If you currently live in your home and come back to find squatters who won?t leave, this would make you a ?displaced residential occupier?. You should call the police to report a crime." So I wonder if there is more to this story than meets the eye (and conveniently fits in with the govt's new proposals to get tougher on all forms of squatting [cynical - moi?])