[Vicky.]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19429936

Squatting in a residential building in England and Wales becomes a criminal offence on Saturday, meaning squatters would face jail or a fine.

Ministers said it would offer better protection for homeowners and "slam shut the door on squatters once and for all".

The maximum penalty will be six months in jail, a £5,000 fine, or both.

I agree with this totally. I see no reason at all why some people could get away with not having to pay housing costs and that when everyone else has to, and could just decide to occupy a property and the owner had a hard job removing them. I cant believe its taken this long to do this tbh, the squatters rights thing was absolute bullshine.

[Kate!]

Well it's about time.

This has been a ridiculous situation for far too long.

Great news indeed.

[Niamh.]

Echoing Kate, about time! Hopefully we'll follow suit over here as well. Squatters rights my hole.

[Apple202]

Should never have been allowed.

[Me. I Am Salman]

Poor Shabby

[MTVN]

Problem is there's almost a million homes empty in the UK, over 300,000 of which have had nobody living in them for over 6 months and at the same time the number of people homeless is sky rocketing...

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Problem is there's almost a million homes empty in the UK, over 300,000 of which have had nobody living in them for over 6 months and at the same time the number of people homeless is sky rocketing...

But a house being empty shouldnt mean that people can just chose to live there for free.

I do think though, that while bringing this new law in, the government should be finding a way to give extra support to the homeless though. Especially given that once this crappy new bedroom tax kicks in we will have even MORE homeless people.

But I dont think giving rights to squatters is acceptable. People who own houses are being stuck with massive legal bills from trying to remove the squatters, as police werent previously allowed to remove them and it had to go through courts. Its simply not fair, even if the house was empty, its not theirs to live in.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Problem is there's almost a million homes empty in the UK, over 300,000 of which have had nobody living in them for over 6 months and at the same time the number of people homeless is sky rocketing...

I don't agree with squatting but you are right, the amount of homes going derelict while families are crying out for affordable housing is disgusting.

[lostalex]

I don't understand how it was ever legal to begin with. Isn't it trespassing anyway?

[Mystic Mock]

About time, I can't believe that it's took so long to be enforced.

[Redway]

[Jords]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Problem is there's almost a million homes empty in the UK, over 300,000 of which have had nobody living in them for over 6 months and at the same time the number of people homeless is sky rocketing...

I think this is a very good point.

[Shaun]

On the surface it's a logical move, but I agree with kizzy & MTVN in that this will just increase the number of homeless on the streets. Nobody really wins.

[Vicky.]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19753414

First person to be jailed for squatting.

[Scarlett.]

I feel sorry for homeless squatters, but this law needed to be brought in because of those annoying hippy sorts who moved into the houses because "I don't wanna be part of the system maaaaaaaaaaaan"

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Chewy

I feel sorry for homeless squatters, but this law needed to be brought in because of those annoying hippy sorts who moved into the houses because "I don't wanna be part of the system maaaaaaaaaaaan"

Yes, I have a 'friend' like that.

Spends all her money on alcohol and drugs, whilst squatting and being a 'freegan'...basically eating out of supermarket bins. She has a perfectly good home that she could go to, but choses to squat instead. Its ****ing annoying seeing her rants on facebook about being 'moved on' by the evil police in various countries. Despite being on the sick (aspergers, though it REALY doesnt affect her much, very mild form) she moves from country to country squatting with a group of about 20 others. From her rants it seems the police in other countries werent always as accepting of squatters as ours were

Edit. Come to think of it, she might be half of the reason why I have absolutely 0 sympathy for squatters in general

[Maia]

31-08-2012

Oh so this is what I was hearing about on the radio in the car to London

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Yes, I have a 'friend' like that.

Spends all her money on alcohol and drugs, whilst squatting and being a 'freegan'...basically eating out of supermarket bins. She has a perfectly good home that she could go to, but choses to squat instead. Its ****ing annoying seeing her rants on facebook about being 'moved on' by the evil police in various countries. Despite being on the sick (aspergers, though it REALY doesnt affect her much, very mild form) she moves from country to country squatting with a group of about 20 others. From her rants it seems the police in other countries werent always as accepting of squatters as ours were

The most annoying thing is, they don't like "the system" yet they scrounge of people who are part of the system. I wouldnt mind if they went to some remote woods and set up a hippy farm lol.

[Nedusa]

I agree with this law especially when it's clear the property is occupied and the occupiers happen to be away at the time. The law does not protect property owners or tenants in these instances.

However, property bought to simply to lie empty just to appreciate is fair game.

The trouble is the two examples are bound to overlap and that's where the problems lie.

[thesheriff443]

lets be clear! there are two totally different issues going on in this thread.
if you own a house you can leave it empty!thats your right
squaters are mongrels who choose to drop out of society

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

lets be clear! there are two totally different issues going on in this thread.
if you own a house you can leave it empty!thats your right
squaters are mongrels who choose to drop out of society

I agree , let's hope this new law can differentiate between the two...!!!

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

I agree , let's hope this new law can differentiate between the two...!!!

well some people think if its empty it gives them the right to break in and in most cases cause thousands of pounds of damage.
its the same as saying i have no money but someone has some that they are not useing so i will take that.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

well some people think if its empty it gives them the right to break in and in most cases cause thousands of pounds of damage.
its the same as saying i have no money but someone has some that they are not useing so i will take that.

All I'm saying is it makes absolute no financial/economical/moral sense to have hundreds of thousands of empty homes that are literally being put to no use while at the same time homelessness is becoming more and more of a problem, in what way do you think that is fair?

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by MTVN

All I'm saying is it makes absolute no financial/economical/moral sense to have hundreds of thousands of empty homes that are literally being put to no use while at the same time homelessness is becoming more and more of a problem, in what way do you think that is fair?

people that own houses didnt sit on their arses to buy them what they choose to do with them is thier right
its not thier fault the goverment has not invested enough into houseing
also our world is fcuked up in that we will spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on junkies but a family man who has worked his whole life cant get the drugs he needs to prolong his life beacuse they cost too much.

[Jake.]

Damn, I missed my chance to squat?