Squatters?

[TMTex]

Here's one for you. A friend of ours died recently and left his property to us. It's next to a property that we already own, so we're looking at combining them and building out there.

A neighbor from that area called me yesterday morning and said someone was building on the property. We haven't even had the memorial yet. :shock:

I called the sheriff and the wife and I headed out there. The trespassers were gone, but there was a pop-up trailer that was being converted to a hard sided trailer. A campfire was still smoldering, unattended in the high winds.

The sheriff said he couldn't do anything until we had the property transferred to our names. He left before the trespassers came back. We looked around the land and came up with ideas on where we'd put the rabbitry, gardens, etc. Then the trespassers returned so we confronted them.

They're drifters and had just come from Corpus Christie. I'm not sure how they knew to come to the property so soon after our friend died. Something doesn't sound right.

Anyway, my wife decided to give them a week to build their trailer and leave. I agree that we shouldn't put people out in the cold, but was leaning more toward "get off my lawn". My wife has a good heart.

Just saying. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but never experienced it in person before. Looking at it from today's point of view, I'm rather amused.

 

[Peach]

WOAH.

I've heard of people doing it and have see it occur in other countries, but I think you are certainly being very nice to them.

I hope they do what they need to do, and are gone quickly.

 

[Schipperkesue]

I would be more concerned about the campfire and high winds.

Now, I am also thinking, if someone was hurt on that property and you had given them permission to stay, who would be liable? Is there insurance?

 

[JohnMc]

As to quick. I would offer they figured `where` by looking in the funeral notices and doing a quick google map search. But this goes on everywhere -- http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/fl ... 34670.html

I agree with Schipperkesue that you need to get them off your property quickly for liability reasons. You also need to make sure that no deed claims are filed.

 

[Ramjet]

As to quick. I would offer they figured `where` by looking in the funeral notices and doing a quick google map search. But this goes on everywhere -- http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/fl ... 34670.html

I agree with Schipperkesue that you need to get them off your property quickly for liability reasons. You also need to make sure that no deed claims are filed.

Funeral notices is what I thought of immediately as well ....


I'd have made them leave immediately. You "gave them permission" to be on the property ... now you may have a harder time getting them to leave. I've read of other situations like this leading to long drawn out battles costing the land owner lots of $$ in legal fee's.
Giving them permission for that short amount of time was probably a bad idea ... They are much like tenants now and if you've ever tried to have a tenant evicted before .... you know what a mess that can turn into.

 

[dayna]

Happens here all the time.

You are liable if they hurt themselves while on your property. Beware.

 

[Cottie]

I'd have them sign a contract stating when they will leave and that they are liable for whatever problems they cause while on your property, and involve the police at least once. Not entirely sure how much - if any - liability coverage it will get you, but it might make them think twice about trying to file a claim.

 

[dayna]

PS, I'm sorry your friend passed away.

 

[CWD]

I would have told them to leave, around here squatter are mobile Meth. labs.
they cook a batch of meth up, and leave. and when they leave the land owner is stuck with a toxic
waist site that cost several thousand to clean up.
I wish you the best of luck, hoping nothing bad happens to them or you.

 

[concreteblonde]

Here's one for you. A friend of ours died recently and left his property to us. It's next to a property that we already own, so we're looking at combining them and building out there.

A neighbor from that area called me yesterday morning and said someone was building on the property. We haven't even had the memorial yet. :shock:

I called the sheriff and the wife and I headed out there. The trespassers were gone, but there was a pop-up trailer that was being converted to a hard sided trailer. A campfire was still smoldering, unattended in the high winds.

The sheriff said he couldn't do anything until we had the property transferred to our names. He left before the trespassers came back. We looked around the land and came up with ideas on where we'd put the rabbitry, gardens, etc. Then the trespassers returned so we confronted them.

They're drifters and had just come from Corpus Christie. I'm not sure how they knew to come to the property so soon after our friend died. Something doesn't sound right.

Anyway, my wife decided to give them a week to build their trailer and leave. I agree that we shouldn't put people out in the cold, but was leaning more toward "get off my lawn". My wife has a good heart.

Just saying. I've heard of this sort of thing happening, but never experienced it in person before. Looking at it from today's point of view, I'm rather amused.

People search obituaries, then look up their names int the phone book and find the address. They figured the property was probably going to be empty for a while.

 

[Miss M]

Maybe find a way to be out there very often, looking at what they are doing. Make them feel uncomfortable, so they will want to leave.

 

[grumpy]

Your liabilities increase exponentially every moment they "inhabit" the property.
"Give them a week." Not a good idea. Now they have the assumption of permission.

Exchange no forms of written documentation between you and them.
Doing so further complicates getting them off the premises.

Being "kind" is a 'good' thing to do.
However, a large portion of itinerates will use it to their advantage.
While leaving you holding the bag.

Get 'em gone! The sooner the better.
Take the police with you the next time.

Be firm.

 

[TMTex]

PS, I'm sorry your friend passed away.

Thanks, Dayna. We were pretty close. His daughter is taking it rather well that we're the heirs instead of her. I'm sure it hurts though. We're trying to save anything that could mean something to her and her children and are including her in any decisions we make. He mentioned her in his will, but left everything to us, knowing that we'd carry out his wishes.

Your liabilities increase exponentially every moment they "inhabit" the property.
"Give them a week." Not a good idea. Now they have the assumption of permission.

Exchange no forms of written documentation between you and them.
Doing so further complicates getting them off the premises.

Being "kind" is a 'good' thing to do.
However, a large portion of itinerates will use it to their advantage.
While leaving you holding the bag.

Get 'em gone! The sooner the better.
Take the police with you the next time.

Be firm.

Good advice, Grumpy. I still consider the drifters to be trespassers. The week to get their stuff together and move on might bite us later, but I'm pretty sure we did the right thing. It was 14 degrees this morning and they're fellow human beings. If it costs us a bit to help, we'll recover it and more later. Life has been good and they can't do much to change that.

I brought the sheriff with us, but he left before they returned. There's a record of the incident and he has our names and information as far as the properties go.

This is the last deadly cold day in the forecast. I'm happy with my wife's decision.

 

[grumpy]

PS, I'm sorry your friend passed away.

Thanks, Dayna. We were pretty close. His daughter is taking it rather well that we're the heirs instead of her. I'm sure it hurts though. We're trying to save anything that could mean something to her and her children and are including her in any decisions we make. He mentioned her in his will, but left everything to us, knowing that we'd carry out his wishes.

Your liabilities increase exponentially every moment they "inhabit" the property.
"Give them a week." Not a good idea. Now they have the assumption of permission.

Exchange no forms of written documentation between you and them.
Doing so further complicates getting them off the premises.

Being "kind" is a 'good' thing to do.
However, a large portion of itinerates will use it to their advantage.
While leaving you holding the bag.

Get 'em gone! The sooner the better.
Take the police with you the next time.

Be firm.

Good advice, Grumpy. I still consider the drifters to be trespassers. The week to get their stuff together and move on might bite us later, but I'm pretty sure we did the right thing. It was 14 degrees this morning and they're fellow human beings. If it costs us a bit to help, we'll recover it and more later. Life has been good and they can't do much to change that.

I brought the sheriff with us, but he left before they returned. There's a record of the incident and he has our names and information as far as the properties go.

This is the last deadly cold day in the forecast. I'm happy with my wife's decision.

W....e.....l.....l as much as I hate to admit it... :angry: :angry:

I'd probably do the same danged thing!!
Throw a log on the fire and give 'em a hand with their consarned trailer.

Grouch..grouch...grump...grump.. :lol:

grumpy.

 

[akane]

Since only you and them know you agreed to a week I'd leave it at that. If they refuse to leave later or something happens you don't have to say you gave them permission to stay, especially with a police report there. If you put it in writing you have tenants instead of squatters.

 

[TMTex]

Well, the karma from letting the trespassers stay has already paid off. The temp dropped so low that a water pipe out there burst. They shut the water off at the main and called my wife.

I took off from work and went out there to repair the pipe.

Had they not been there to shut the water off and call us, the water might still be running and our bill would be astronomical.

One hand washes the other.

 

[Miss M]

Well, that certainly worked out well!

Hopefully, they are good enough to abide by the agreement.

I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing... the economy the way it is, so many people have lost so much... and then the temps on top of it.

 

[mystang89]

I'd hear their story. Not saying their right in trasspassing but times are hard and some people just have to do what they have to in order to get by. If they are a mobile meth, call cops and make sure they didn't come back. Post no trasspassing signs so that if people do come back and end up getting hurt then it's their fault since they weren't supposed to be their in the first place.

Also agree with MissM. Maybe you're presence will make them feel uncomfortble. Even if it doesn't it might lead to honest information and not just some story.

Never know, you may be the people who help turn their situation around for them if approached the right way.

 

[TMTex]

Post no trasspassing signs so that if people do come back and end up getting hurt then it's their fault since they weren't supposed to be their in the first place.

I hadn't thought of that. My buddy who owned the property had already put up signs that said "Private Property - No Trespassing". I guess that should cover it.

It's pretty far for me to run out there. It's not on the way to anything, so going out there calls for a special trip. I'll check to make sure they're gone next week though. (The woman was talking to her husband as if they were going to be there for some time into the future. I reminded her that they'll be gone next week. She looked surprised for some reason, but acknowledged that they'll be gone.)

 

[Ramjet]

Post no trespassing signs so that if people do come back and end up getting hurt then it's their fault since they weren't supposed to be their in the first place.

This doesn't remove you from liability .... which is silly.


(my wife works in insurance & see's similar claims all the time).