Although I feel sorry for the man and believe that the government should do more to support people like Mr Gauntlett I do NOT support people like the Squatters action group Squash using the poor mans death to try and repeal the anti squatting laws.
I worked with people who had their homes stolen from them by squatters before the law came into affect and have spoken to squatters themselves.
A few facts a middleaged couple trying to sell their Mums house to pay for her care, squatters moved in and trashed the place before they were evicted, they couldn't sell the property for the market value and had to pay some of their mums care from their own pockets.
Likewise a young couple with 3 children who had a chance of moving into a relatives house, again taken over by squatters and trashed when evicted.
I have many more stories like this I personally did not deal with any rich people using their empty homes as tax fiddles or holiday homes depriving poor people of a roof over their heads for their own greedy gain just a lot of bewildered homeowners who were let down by the law.
Squatters on the other hand were a different story, People who admitted to me that they came to the UK to squat as it was illegal in their own country.
One chap who I needed to speak to was at WORK so earned a wage but didn't want to pay rent or mortgage.
People who admitted that they hated homeowners and would squat to get back at them. and as lot of very nasty people who had no respect for other people and their property.
And when they were evicted they had already found somewhere else to move to via the many 'squatters estate agents' websites.
I am sure someone will come on here and tell stories about the nice young squatters next door who have improved the property but in my experience these are few and far between.
The law should stand and not be repealed and other type of help given to people like Mr Gauntlett