davieG Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 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. But campaigners warned the new law could criminalise vulnerable people and lead to an increase in rough sleeping. Currently squatting is treated as a civil matter and homeowners - including councils and housing associations - have to go to a civil court to prove the squatters have trespassed before they can be evicted. 'Squatters' rights' From 1 September it will be a criminal matter, and a homeowner can simply complain to the police who, if satisfied that the claim is genuine, can take action and arrest the squatters. The law also protects owners of vacant residential properties such as landlords, local authorities and second-home owners. BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19429936
ozleicester Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Oh good, homeless folk lose even more, while the wealthy sit around with half a dozen empty houses.
Bryn Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 This is fantastic news, nothing on earth gives anyone the right to wander into someone's house and claim it without paying for it, that is not at all how society should function and no way to solve the problem of homelessness.
breadandcheese Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Oh good, homeless folk lose even more, while the wealthy sit around with half a dozen empty houses. If the answer to homelessness is squatting, then we've really got problems. Squatting's been illegal in Scotland for years. I don't see it making any difference to homelessness north of the border.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Oh good, homeless folk lose even more, while the wealthy sit around with half a dozen empty houses. What needs to be done, and I understand that councils are keen to do this, is to use these empty houses properly. Maybe if we're going to make squatting illegal, then we should balance it by making it illegal to own more than a couple of properties that aren't occupied for at least a momth or two of every year?
Steven Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 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. But campaigners warned the new law could criminalise vulnerable people and lead to an increase in rough sleeping. Currently squatting is treated as a civil matter and homeowners - including councils and housing associations - have to go to a civil court to prove the squatters have trespassed before they can be evicted. 'Squatters' rights' From 1 September it will be a criminal matter, and a homeowner can simply complain to the police who, if satisfied that the claim is genuine, can take action and arrest the squatters. The law also protects owners of vacant residential properties such as landlords, local authorities and second-home owners. BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk...litics-19429936 They should criminalise empty property.
Jon the Hat Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 What needs to be done, and I understand that councils are keen to do this, is to use these empty houses properly. Maybe if we're going to make squatting illegal, then we should balance it by making it illegal to own more than a couple of properties that aren't occupied for at least a momth or two of every year? Removing council tax reductions for empty properties would be more than enough. Illegal? Ridiculous.
ozleicester Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 If the answer to homelessness is squatting, then we've really got problems. Squatting's been illegal in Scotland for years. I don't see it making any difference to homelessness north of the border. Certainly isnt the answer...but this isnt going to help anyone get somewhere warm and dry to sleep. What needs to be done, and I understand that councils are keen to do this, is to use these empty houses properly. Maybe if we're going to make squatting illegal, then we should balance it by making it illegal to own more than a couple of properties that aren't occupied for at least a momth or two of every year? Exactly, its quite easy again... tax the fvcckers who are buying up all these properties, the increased ownership of multiple homes is part of the cause as to why young people are finding it harder and harder to buyt their own. If you want to profit from the poor... then pay tax on your profits! Removing council tax reductions for empty properties would be more than enough. Illegal? Ridiculous. Yup.. simple start
Trav Le Bleu Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Removing council tax reductions for empty properties would be more than enough. Illegal? Ridiculous. You're right. I just didn't think it through - make it more punitive to be wasteful would be the way to go. I'm not having a go at the wealthy, just those who are hoarders. They wouldn't lose out, if they have £5m of property going unused, fine, have £5m, just put the property back into the market.
Bryn Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 How the **** does trying to stop people from owning multiple properties remotely help homeless people? That makes no ****ing sense.
MooseBreath Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Oh good, homeless folk lose even more, while the wealthy sit around with half a dozen empty houses. . Is there anything which you lefties can't turn in to a blame the rich crusade? What a bizarre post. Meanwhile back in reality, this is great news for everyone except people who believe theft is ok.
breadandcheese Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Exactly, its quite easy again... tax the fvcckers who are buying up all these properties, the increased ownership of multiple homes is part of the cause as to why young people are finding it harder and harder to buyt their own. If you want to profit from the poor... then pay tax on your profits! Interesting stat to throw into the debate taken from the Spectator. The UK already has by far the highest property tax take of any OECD country (property taxes contribute 4.2 per cent of GDP compared to the OECD average of 1.8 per cent) If the demand is there for property and prices are rising, the answer is to build more. This can only be achieved through two ways. One is an increase in building of social housing. The other is to make it easier for private individuals and companies to build houses (through relaxing planning laws). A combination of both should probably be applied, but appreciate that it will have effects, some of them negative. For example, it could cause house prices to fall, so that those who bought houses in the last decade could end up sacrificed, facing negative equity and the loss of their pension pots (I'm not talking multi-millionaires, but those in their 30's trying to buy a bigger property as they have kids, or those in their 50's who would downsize and use the value in their home as a pension pot).
purpleronnie Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 you cant build in england theres too many rare weeds or nesting newts.
MooseBreath Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 you cant build in england theres too many rare weeds or nesting newts. You're right, we need more gun murders to free up some houses
Darkon84 Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 you cant build in england theres too many rare weeds or nesting newts. You're England bashing is starting to become tiresome
purpleronnie Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 You're England bashing is starting to become tiresome I love england, said many times how much i love it if you want to just pick out my criticisms your as dull as me.
Filbert_Ross Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 My Mrs will have to walk to the toilet at Glasto now instead of going behind the tent during the night.
Darkon84 Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 I love england, said many times how much i love it if you want to just pick out my criticisms your as dull as me. I just tend to see the little digs to be honest. Its hardly the greatest place on Earth here, I know that, I admit that, but its still a little annoying and yawn worthy, seeing the digs made, when you sit somewhere which is hardly a beacon of all that is right with the world either.
purpleronnie Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 I just tend to see the little digs to be honest. Its hardly the greatest place on Earth here, I know that, I admit that, but its still a little annoying and yawn worthy, seeing the digs made, when you sit somewhere which is hardly a beacon of all that is right with the world either. I live in England my friend, I moved back....and much prefer it TBH, I still feel its one of the best places to live, its funny I can post about my love of england no-one cares but criticise things like the big brother nation we've become, or ridiculas building restrictions and suddenly I'm anti england, if these are the worst things about a country then it must be a pretty good place to live.
ADK Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 I very much like our building restrictions anyway. As for squatters, it should be illegal and it has nothing to do with reducing homelessness.
Guest MattP Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 . Is there anything which you lefties can't turn in to a blame the rich crusade? What a bizarre post. Meanwhile back in reality, this is great news for everyone except people who believe theft is ok. Politics of envy, they have never changed.
purpleronnie Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 I very much like our building restrictions anyway. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/1961181/No-newts-is-bad-news-as-council-spends-1m.html
ADK Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 http://www.telegraph...-spends-1m.html Not an issue of the restrictions themselves though.
Babylon Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 Removing council tax reductions for empty properties would be more than enough. Illegal? Ridiculous. What are the reductions? When I bought my house it was empty for around 10 months whilst we did it up. But we were only allowed 4 months worth of paying no council tax, after that we had to start paying the full amount. Plus the reduction only counts on that property. Say for instance I sold it, the next person buys it cannot claim for empty house as the 6 months allotted has already been used up. (4 months by me, 2 months by the previous occupant). At least that's what happened to me!
ADK Posted 31 August 2012 Posted 31 August 2012 My only gripe with this is that they want to impose a £5,000 fine or send them to jail for 6 months. Surely most squatters are going to be broke and sending them to jail for 6 months dosn't exactly save the taxpayer money.
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