Empty Properties suitable for Squatting in Dulwich

[northlondoner]

Large parts of BBC Television Centre will soon be vacant. Again a bit distant from ED but very spacious.

[karter]

Hi Ladyjane, welcome to the EDF,

Firstly if you do happen to take over one of our properties that is empty at the moment hope you dont mind that our 'gang' sees you off the property as peacefully as possible.

Secondly, do your research, i don't beleive the concrete place has gas or electricity.

Thirdly, take some of the forumite's advice as it is concrete.

Good luck and hopefully not see you soon. :))

[candj]

Battersea power station?

[Bunny19]

Whilst I find this post somewhat amusing, as a person that has a couple of abodes vacant and for sale in Dulwich you could well cause me a problem, but at least I now know I can contact Karter

[tllm2]

Am just catching up on a few days posting and thought this OP was just a late April Fools ........ worringly not it seems .........

[tiger ranks]

WHERE IS JAMES BARBER WHEN WE NEED HIM >:D

[TonyQuinn]

Are we sure this isn't an April fool....I know it was posted on April 2 but maybe Ladyjane just didn't get up in time.

[dully]

I'm not convinced she is joking. East dulwich is known as an easy area to occupy.

[FatherJack]

Deleted having re-read the initial post!

[JessieW]

:(

[JessieW]

Realised my last post was quite harsh, so had to cancel it promptly. I'll wait for the rest of ED to reply.

"Lady" Jane, please stay out of Dulwich and get a job like the rest of us in the world have to.

[pinkhalf]

Just out of curiousity, how many people who are enraged by this are long term London residents?

Squatting in London used to be absolutely everywhere (particularly during the last recession). I'm surprised its even considered worthy of comment - except it might be if you had only lived here for the last ten years or so and didn't know how common it used to be. Squatters were normally tolerated if they contributed something back to the community. Many of them had jobs (and good ones). You cannot assume that someone in a squat has no employment. Often they are there because they pay very little rent and they save money this way at very little risk to them.

Likewise this van business, that isn't very new either. What seems to be new is people being outraged about it happening. I can only assume that many Dulwich residents are either very new to London or have lived very sheltered existences.

By the way, if you are properly paranoid about squatters, you used to get sitters in for a reduced rent. Commercial businesses still do this.

[KidHardy]

Absolutely disgusting, if you cant afford to live in London, dont live here.

As Jessie says, get a job, i pay my rent so why shouldn't you.

[Beej]

I'd hardly describe it as disgusting, I'm sure it takes balls and copious amounts of ingenuity I reckon. Sometimes I wish I had the courage to give up my squeaky clean suburban lifestyle, and live a little more 'freely'

[pinkhalf]

KidHardy, do you take the same attitude to those people who claim housing benefit and live in the Smoke? They cannot afford their rent either, yet you are actually paying for them to live next to you.

[JessieW]

How about the thousands of pounds the home owners have to pay in law fees to get these squatters to leave, sometimes it can take 6 months to get these people out. The squatters then have the right to fight to stay, whilst using lawyer that is paid for by us, the taxpayer, to fight the home owner in court. I really don't understand how anyone can accept this as normal or even acceptable. Squatters don't pay tax, don't work, what sort of contribution could they possibly give to the communitity?

[TonyQuinn]

I posted earlier whether this was a belated and hungover April Fool thread. I hope it wasn't. Let's replace Kidhardy with LadyJane....Go Jane go!

[TonyQuinn]

I posted earlier whether this was a belated and hungover April Fool thread. I hope it wasn't. Let's replace Kidhardy with LadyJane....Go Jane go!

[TonyQuinn]

I posted earlier whether this was a belated and hungover April Fool thread. I hope it wasn't. Let's replace Kidhardy with LadyJane....Go Jane go!

[pinkhalf]

JessieW, I have certainly met squatters with jobs in the past. You cannot say they universally do not have jobs. You assume they do not have jobs, fair enough. You assume also they contribute nothing.

25 years ago it was very common to have squatters in your street. I admit London has changed a fair bit since then, but it is by no means as weird or unusual as you think it is. Squatters did, once upon a time, realise that unless they did contribute to their communities, they would be hated. Generally they occupied buildings which were near derelict and abandoned, rather than some plush mansion occupied by overseas owners.

Pro squatters (that is people who did it for years rather than being some twenty year old bum) tended be sensible and assuaged fears of locals. Stupid ones ended up with petrol through their letter boxes.

Still, if its a question of paying for people to live somewhere they can't afford, housing benefit claimants are an immediate sap on the public purse which I do pay for. That problem is far more financially significant that squatters. I have no idea why I should pay to subsidise someone living in Zone 1/2 if they cannot afford it by themselves. What do housing benefits claimants contribute?

[*Bob*]

See, LadyJane? Things always pick-up in the week.

Something to remember for your next effort perhaps.

[pinkhalf]

Appropo this thread, it turns out I need a new home for my several dogs on a string (mange, benefit claimants, never worked and carry immigrant fleas) - can anyone help me break into a small, overpriced workers cottage with designer furniture in East Dulwich and alienate all my neighbours? Please?

[missus]

Are you actually rising to the bait here, forumers!? Use your noggins, chums!

[Jeremy]

pinkhalf - where do you think benefit claimants should live? What's so special about Zone 2 that it should be reserved for homeowners?

[fluffy]

Slightly baffled as to the assumption that someone who claims housing benefit contributes nothing to society? Presumably people in low paid jobs which are needed should also have to commute several hours to work? Must say I'm slightly surprised to see such small mindedness.