End of squatters' rights

Rhiannon Aug 31, 2012 07:26:45

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/31/charities-end-squatters-rights-homelessness

I didn't know this was even happening. How nice of them to make it coincide with all this unemployment / reduction in benefits etc.

Because we all know that Property is much more important than people isn't it. If you're having to squat somewhere, chances are you've got a few things in your life that might need sorting out? But I know, the best remedy for you is six months in prison.

(obviously, cue cries of 'squatters ruined my house', but surely there was already legal ways of dealing with people who damage buildings? What if heaven forbid you were made homeless for whatever reason, and you sneaked into an empty house for a bit of shelter. Nope sorry you can't afford it, so you can sleep under a bridge with scum like you or here's a £5000 fine. oh it makes sense)

Myers Aug 31, 2012 08:01:12

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/31/charities-end-squatters-rights-homelessness

I didn't know this was even happening. How nice of them to make it coincide with all this unemployment / reduction in benefits etc.

This new law is an utter disgrace. Yep, we've all heard the tales of squatters going in and trashing a house, but what about the vast majority that just stay there, look after the place till they sort their lives out?

Many ex soldier friends of mine , not as lucky as I, have ended up squatting. This is another barrier in the way of their re entry in to society.

cancer boy Aug 31, 2012 12:23:56

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/31/charities-end-squatters-rights-homelessness

I didn't know this was even happening. How nice of them to make it coincide with all this unemployment / reduction in benefits etc.

Just saw this on the news this morning, and by tomorrow it will be law. It's bizarre isn't it - was this previously reported in the mainstream media at all? I assume they must have debated it in parliament at some point but I don't recall hearing anything about it until now. As this directly affects quite a few people I know, I think I would have noticed!

Still, look on the bright side, saves us putting loads of effort into a futile attempt to stop it while this awful government steamrollers on with its agenda regardless of any human considerations.

Moon Cat Aug 31, 2012 15:34:17

Replying to Rhiannon

Nasty stuff and very under the mainstream radar too.

At least they've got their priorities right; the weak and vunerable need a good kicking now and then in case they get a bit uppity.

Disgraceful.

Popel Vooje Aug 31, 2012 19:18:13

Replying to Rhiannon

Heavy sigh ... It just gets worse, doesn't it?

Squid Tempest Sep 3, 2012 19:09:37

Replying to Rhiannon

They really did sneak this in didn't they? Massive numbers of homeless, huge numbers of empty houses and what do they do? Stop people from using them. Why? So they can hand the green belt to the developers...hence Osborne's new planning slant. Which, you may have noticed, came pretty hard on the heels of saying they weren't going to make infrastructure changes to boost the economy. Hypocrites and liars the lot of them.

This government are fast catching Thatcher's mob for being complete and utter fascist bastards. I hope there are large numbers of people who voted for them realising what bloody fools they were. Probably not though, they probably just think "oh good that'll stop the oiks moving in to my house when I go off to the villa in Spain".

Deepinder Cheema Sep 4, 2012 02:02:16

Replying to Rhiannon

The latest is news is this circular distributed by the Ministry of Justice. It raises problems in the law which has been sneaked through during the school hols. This notion of squatters moving into homes whilst the owner is at the shops is nothing but a statistical red herring.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/sep/03/moj-squatting-circular