Squaters

[honk]

There are something like 75,000 empty houses in London, something like 30,000 of those long term, with demand for housing outstripping that figure.

The fault here lies with the owner leaving it empty long enough to show up on potential occupant's radar.

As it's a civil offence you have to wait for the courts and bureaucracy rather than the police. and if they've been careful 'criminal damage' is hard to prove without the owner present. So you'll have to wait for the courts ; )

I like the fear of squatters burgling houses on the same street though. Because that would be clever.

I also don't think you can tar them all with the same brush - many of them are decent people.

Though I guess that on this forum due to them not sharing your values (imported Home Counties values, values not necessarily indigenous to the area) they are automatically 'scum'.

[Ted Max]

This Forum doesn't have any values. There is no "you", "we", "The Forum" or anything else. There's only the diverse opinions of the various and varying scumbags, idiots and malcontents that post here.

[Brendan]

And reprobates. You forgot reprobates.

[snorky]

Drive them out- lets get a mob sorted out - blazing torches made from last weekends Guardian magazine, Molotovs fashioned from astisan olive oil bottles with tapers made from shredded Melanie Phillips daily mail so called articless

out! out! out!

[Ted Max]

"What do we want?" "Imported values, not necessarily indigenous to the area"

"When do we want them?" "Just as soon as the due process of the civil law allows"

[????]

Yes Ted, apologies, for some reason I thought you were Seaan - hangover, euphoria at the Hammers, feeling I hadn't had a good old tear up with sean for a while.......so, are you a Yuppie breadhead?

[Ted Max]

Sorry, got to run. Got an eleven o'clock.

[LegalEagle-ish]

Agree with Honk - I was a squatter in the 80's and am a fine upstanding citizen now.

Also re: crminal damage - they have to catch you at it or how do they know if it was the person squatting who did it, or someone else before the said squatter discoveed the empty and accessable property?

[Ted Max]

Cancelled. Apparently they left a message on my Motorola but because it's not 1987 any more I didn't pick it up.

[Ted Max]

they have to catch you at it or how do they know if it was the person squatting who did it

Is this about the daisies again? I suppose there are analysis techniques if you really wanted to pin down the culprit.

[honk]

Berlin wouldn't be half the city it is if it wasn't for squatters.

I think it's 'criminal' for property to be left empty in a city with such an acute housing shortage - by squatting in areas such as ED it helps raise awareness of the issue.

[snorky]

honk Wrote:

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> Berlin wouldn't be half the city it is if it

> wasn't for squatters.

>

> I think it's 'criminal' for property to be left

> empty in a city with such an acute housing

> shortage - by squatting in areas such as ED it

> helps raise awareness of the issue.

communist!

OUT! OUT! OUT!

[Moos]

I rather agree with honk - it may be one good feature of the descending house prices that developers no longer buy houses and leave them empty to accrue value.

[macroban]

My memory of squatters during c1972-c1979 when there was last a significant number of squatters in East Dulwich is that they either chose large and nice private properties or council flats. Small private terrace and semi-detached properties were pretty much ignored.

[Asset]

I squatted in the eighties too. For quite a long time, nearly two years. I did quite a lot of work on the property to improve it whilst living there and never burgled my neighbours.

[SteveT]

Asset dear you are not a typical example of the squatters I have known who would trash a place and then move on.

[Ted Max]

But she is a typical example of squatters you have not known who would not trash a place and then move on. Dear.

[Jeremy]

Let's just agree that some squatters are decent, respectful people who are simply taking advantage of unused housing. While others cause damage, nuisance and wreck livelihoods. As someone pointed out, you can't tar them all with the same brush.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Jeremy Wrote:

As someone pointed out, you can't tar them all with the same brush.

So very, very true!

I was saying that very same thing 3 nights ago when watching the Documentary about Britain's most notorious Tea-Leaves "The Johnson Family-Family Motto: "If you go after one "Johnson" you will have all The "Johnsons" to contend with" who were found in their Caravans discussing their ?30 Million hauls from Stately Homes/Post Offices/Banks etc....

Not "all" Travellers have stolen ?30 Mill. so do NOT generalise, please.(6)

[LegalEagle-ish]

Tony is trying to start a fight - naughty, naughty.

[dulmum]

Some of the indie/arty crowd from Inside 72 used to squat next door to me, adding a touch of colour to my grey yuppie world. Used to invite us round for wild sub-Doherty/Moss style parties, but they eventually got my goat when they complained about our planting in the garden.

[bigbadwolf]

I agree that if a building is uninhabited and some squatters move in and actually take care of the place then you should leave them to it but if the Burbery brigade move in then reach for the 12 bore. About 3 years ago I was on the job demolishing Abford house theatre (the site has been replaced with a huge building site immediatly visible when you leave Victoria train station) and we had a group of crack heads move in and the mess they left was very disturbing. Claxon horns did the trick.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

LegalEagle-ish Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Tony is trying to start a fight - naughty,

> naughty.

Moi?:-$....nah! I was just saying like....

[Brendan]

Jeremy Wrote:

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you can't tar them all with the same brush.

Well it depends on how many of them there are, how big your brush is and what type of feathers you plan on using.

[Louisa]

Squatters should be shot. If they gained entry into my house whilst I was sunning it in Spain, i'd not hesitate to pay a bunch of 'door staff' a backhander to get them forcefully removed.

Louisa.