Squatting a house in a ghost estate?

3GAINSBOROUGH

Squatting a house in a ghost estate.
Anyone up for it?
Reading about that man who was awarded the NAMA house has given me some ideas..

TheBody

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Squatting a house in a ghost estate.
Anyone up for it?
Reading about that man who was awarded the NAMA house has given me some ideas..

Do I get the master bedroom?

wexie

If you're going squatting in your dress without knickers you'll get a helluva draft....probably catch a uti....

3GAINSBOROUGH

wexie wrote: »

If you're going squatting in your dress without knickers you'll get a helluva draft....probably catch a uti....

Never had one, but take your word for it though (I am sure you have had many).

3GAINSBOROUGH

TheBody wrote: »

Do I get the master bedroom?

Why not? May as well squat a large house and live in some style.
I was thinking one of the Celtic Tiger mansions would do, say 7 bedrooms.

wexie

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Never had one, but take your word for it though (I am sure you have had many).

Actually never had any, mostly because I'm not a crossdressing troll...

3GAINSBOROUGH

wexie wrote: »

Actually never had any, mostly because I'm not a crossdressing troll...

OK I might be a troll sometimes, but a cross dresser? No.

UCDVet

I know most people will be joking - but I've given it some serious consideration.

I don't see much of a downside, provided your willing to live that sort of lifestyle. I feel like the worst that will happen is I'm told to leave. Big deal. And there is a good chance I'd save lots on rent.

Max Power

How do you plan to cook food and heat the house?

TheBody

FionnMcCool87 wrote: »

How do you plan to cook food and heat the house?

You could always just burn down the neighbouring ghost houses for fuel.

Tom_Cruise

Ask one of the developers if you can live in the house and in return you will protect the estate from thieves and bandits.

TeddyTedson

I would be scary tonight

crackcrack30

Probably easier ways of getting a free gaff in ireland.....;)

Or buy it on the cheap and pretend to the neighbours that you are squatting there, just to annoy them (further):cool:

Logical_Bear

wexie wrote: »

If you're going squatting in your dress without knickers you'll get a helluva draft....probably catch a uti....

or at best chapped lips

RobbingBandit

Damn these contacts,I thought I read Scatting in a Ghost Estate,poo,poo,poo,poo.

Remmy

Feck op, If you're fit to squat a house this belongs in the powerlifting forum. squatting in a house on the other hand....

anncoates

The idea is to find some deserted Georgian pile that the owner has forgotten about. Not some half finished fire trap in the middle of Leitrim.

gobnaitolunacy

anncoates wrote: »

The idea is to find some deserted Georgian pile that the owner has forgotten about. Not some half finished fire trap in the middle of Leitrim.

Most of those are stripped of the lead of the roof and have no fireplaces, so bring an umbrella and a portable heater.

franktheplank

They should open the NAMA houses to anyone that want's one and scrap rent allowance, sounds fine to any reasonable person but what about all those poor property investors getting the taxpayer to pay there 2nd mortgages through RA.

af_thefragile

What if you get devoured by the Ghost??

3GAINSBOROUGH

FionnMcCool87 wrote: »

How do you plan to cook food and heat the house?

An electric oven.
An electric oil heater.

3GAINSBOROUGH

UCDVet wrote: »

I know most people will be joking - but I've given it some serious consideration.

I don't see much of a downside, provided your willing to live that sort of lifestyle. I feel like the worst that will happen is I'm told to leave. Big deal. And there is a good chance I'd save lots on rent.

Agreed.
Say the Guards come to visit. If there is no damage to the property, one cannot be charged with criminal damage or burglary.
One can only be charged with trespass. In order to be lawfully evicted, a District Judge would have to hear the case in court then grant an eviction order.
One can claim adverse possession in the meantime, and await the months before the court case; living rent free.
Worse case scenario you save the rent for the months you get away with it prior to eviction.
Best case scenario the Judge rules in your favour; as in the case of the NAMA property squatter.

3GAINSBOROUGH

Remmy wrote: »

Feck op, If you're fit to squat a house this belongs in the powerlifting forum. squatting in a house on the other hand....

I would have termed it adverse possession in my original post, but I thought people like you would have to Google that to know what it means.

3GAINSBOROUGH

anncoates wrote: »

The idea is to find some deserted Georgian pile that the owner has forgotten about. Not some half finished fire trap in the middle of Leitrim.

I fancied Abbeville (Charles Haughey's old mansion), but Camelot Properties are looking after it with Property Guardians though.

3GAINSBOROUGH

franktheplank wrote: »

They should open the NAMA houses to anyone that want's one and scrap rent allowance, sounds fine to any reasonable person but what about all those poor property investors getting the taxpayer to pay there 2nd mortgages through RA.

Closer to reality than you might think.
Many of the NAMA owned ghost estates are going to be handed over to local County Council's for social housing. The unfinished ones will be bulldozed eventually.

Remmy

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

I would have termed it adverse possession in my original post, but I thought people like you would have to Google that to know what it means.

Yep I would have no clue what those big words mean. Thanks for dumbing it down for me.:)

Rented Mule

I have to admit that I am surprised this thread has lasted this long.

3GAINSBOROUGH

Rented Mule wrote: »

I have to admit that I am surprised this thread has lasted this long.

Great contribution.

3GAINSBOROUGH

How about squatting one of the vacant Castlemoyne houses, but without the 2500 Euro per month rent?
http://www.daft.ie/searchrental.daft?id=1252072
There are still around 20 vacant in that ghost estate.

franktheplank

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Closer to reality than you might think.
Many of the NAMA owned ghost estates are going to be handed over to local County Council's for social housing. The unfinished ones will be bulldozed eventually.

I suspect there'll be a catch but here's hoping! And if it's gonna be happening there hurry the **** up RA must be costing the country a fortune to the benefit only of property investors and also keeping a false floor in the rental market.

I like the thread, i've often wondered what would happen if you just start squatting in one of these NAMA places. I'd imagine what's holding a lot of people back is the damage they feel it might do to their reputation. That guy that has done it (fair play to him) has attracted a lot of attention to himself, which a lot of us aren't comfortable with.

I think the vast majority of people would see that there is nothing morally wrong with squatting in a NAMA house but we're just afriad to raise our heads above the parapet.

3GAINSBOROUGH

franktheplank wrote: »

I suspect there'll be a catch but here's hoping! And if it's gonna be happening there hurry the **** up RA must be costing the country a fortune to the benefit only of property investors and also keeping a false floor in the rental market.

I like the thread, i've often wondered what would happen if you just start squatting in one of these NAMA places. I'd imagine what's holding a lot of people back is the damage they feel it might do to their reputation. That guy that has done it (fair play to him) has attracted a lot of attention to himself, which a lot of us aren't comfortable with.

I think the vast majority of people would see that there is nothing morally wrong with squatting in a NAMA house but we're just afriad to raise our heads above the parapet.

Agreed.
There is also a common fear of eviction, but in reality the Gard's don't evict squatters, the Judges do after a Court hearing. It could go either way, but if the squatters intentions are to live peacefully and do the property up rather than trash the house; then the Judges tend to look more favourably on them.
The way I see it is rent free living, pure and simple. If NAMA have vacant property then why not use it until its sold? Heating the properties and keeping the rats out is actually better for the properties then leaving them to deteriate while empty. I am on the dole, so have nothing to lose really. I would prefer to squat an empty house rather than claim rent allowance. I don't see squatting an empty house owned by NAMA as a drain on the state in the way rent allowance is.

franktheplank

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Agreed.
There is also a common fear of eviction, but in reality the Gard's don't evict squatters, the Judges do after a Court hearing. It could go either way, but if the squatters intentions are to live peacefully and do the property up rather than trash the house; then the Judges tend to look more favourably on them.
The way I see it is rent free living, pure and simple. If NAMA have vacant property then why not use it until its sold? Heating the properties and keeping the rats out is actually better for the properties then leaving them to deteriate while empty. I am on the dole, so have nothing to lose really. I would prefer to squat an empty house rather than claim rent allowance. I don't see squatting an empty house owned by NAMA as a drain on the state in the way rent allowance is.

Yeah I think more people should be doing it. The big fears i'd have is that the
1. Guards would give a lot of hassle potential for criminal record.

2. Attract a lot of attention, reflect badly for future job, loan application etc.

3. End up in some form of Court Case with Ireland's astronomical legal fees, even for a straight forward case this could cost far in excess of the price of a house.

It's something i would love to see more people do. If some kind of a movement got going i'd be all for it and would seriously consider doing it myself.

3GAINSBOROUGH

franktheplank wrote: »

Yeah I think more people should be doing it. The big fears i'd have is that the
1. Guards would give a lot of hassle potential for criminal record.

2. Attract a lot of attention, reflect badly for future job, loan application etc.

3. End up in some form of Court Case with Ireland's astronomical legal fees, even for a straight forward case this could cost far in excess of the price of a house.

It's something i would love to see more people do. If some kind of a movement got going i'd be all for it and would seriously consider doing it myself.

In reality the owners would keep quiet about any Court case as they don't want the publicity either. NAMA don't want squatting to be discussed in the media as more people might do it you see. There are many cases where squatters are evicted and paid to keep their mouths shut about it. In the case of the NAMA squatter the Judge ruled in his favour, but this doesn't mean that every one that squats a NAMA house in a ghost estate will get the same treatment. I will give it a go when I find suitable property in Dublin. So far all the ones I have looked at either have CCTV or alarm systems on them. Ideally I want to find a house that is empty, and finished inside.
Trespass is a criminal offence, but I am willing to take the risk of a criminal conviction if it means living rent free in a house I can never afford to own.

Guy:Incognito

franktheplank wrote: »

They should open the NAMA houses to anyone that want's one and scrap rent allowance, sounds fine to any reasonable person but what about all those poor property investors getting the taxpayer to pay there 2nd mortgages through RA.

Sounds fine to the people that want a free house, not so much to people struggling to pay a mortgage.

franktheplank

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Sounds fine to the people that want a free house, not so much to people struggling to pay a mortgage.

1st mortgage or 2nd investment property mortgage? i think it can only benefit somebody paying a mortgage for a house they live in, no RA = less tax burden so more cash to pay you're mortgage.

I've no sympathy for people having a 2nd or 3rd house paid for through RA. It creates a false floor in the rental market and is grossly unfair and unnecessary with all these empty houses in the country.

Son Of A Vidic

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

in return you will protect the estate from thieves and bandits.

So you mean the Developers then?

franktheplank

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Sounds fine to the people that want a free house, not so much to people struggling to pay a mortgage.

Also i don't think you can call it a free house, aren't we paying for them anyway?

3GAINSBOROUGH

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Sounds fine to the people that want a free house, not so much to people struggling to pay a mortgage.

I was once a home owner struggling to pay a mortgage.
Then I lost my job and couldn't keep up with the repayments.
I was in mortgage arrears, so the bank repossessed my home and evicted me.
Now I am on the dole and renting a room in a shared house.
When I was paying a mortgage I had the same respect for squatters that I do now. If someone has the balls to do it, then fair play to them I say.
I am not saying that if a squatter took your home from you that is right.
What I am saying is that if the house is owned by NAMA in a ghost estate then take it. That is what I am planning on doing when I have found a suitable property. Squatting a NAMA owned house is not hurting the mortgage payer like yourself, these are houses in ghost estates, not next door to you; so its not like the squatting devalues your home.
I wouldn't squat a house next to a mortgage payer as that would be asking for a complaint to be made.
I don't see a problem with living in an empty ghost state house with no neighbours.

3GAINSBOROUGH

franktheplank wrote: »

Also i don't think you can call it a free house, aren't we paying for them anyway?

Exactly! We, our children, and our grandchildren are paying for the debt from the Celtic Tiger boom years.
NAMA have got the property we are paying for, so why not use them?
I have no conscience about living rent free in a NAMA owned house.
I would sooner do that then pay interest to a bank for 25 years on a mortgage to own a house in negative equity.
This isn't about making a political statement, its about living rent free in a house I will never be able to afford to own. Why should I pay rent when there are empty houses I can live in for free? Say I save 6000 Euro per year in rent, then that is well worth the risk of eviction. A Judge might order I can live there anyway.

Merch

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Squatting a NAMA owned house is not hurting the mortgage payer like yourself, these are houses in ghost estates, not next door to you; so its not like the squatting devalues your home.
I don't see a problem with living in an empty ghost state house with no neighbours.

surely such properties would have no electric connected? no light or heat? or any possibility of getting a connection.

franktheplank

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Exactly! We, our children, and our grandchildren are paying for the debt from the Celtic Tiger boom years.

I come from a family of 7, none of us bought or sold property during the boom. I think the latest estimates are about 60k per person tax burden over lifetime for bank bailouts.

Thats the best part of half a million quid from my family for something we've had no part in! I've great sympathy for people who got stuck in negative equity for their family home once they paid someway within their means and i think there should be debt forgiveness for these people.

I can't understand how on top of everything i'm expected to meet the cost of rent allowance which is only supporting property investors. Sickening.

3GAINSBOROUGH

Merch wrote: »

surely such properties would have no electric connected? no light or heat? or any possibility of getting a connection.

They have electricity supplied to the meter boxes which are usually empty (so the meters aren't stolen).
It is simply a case of connecting the supply to the ECB to make it live.
In the event of no live supply, one can take a live feed from the nearest street lamp into the ECB.
Another option is to use a diesel generator to generate electric for the lighting circuit, and use gas bottles to cook with stove/electric oven.
Some ghost estate houses are powered up to keep burglar alarms and CCTV running.

Merch

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

They have electricity supplied to the meter boxes which are usually empty (so the meters aren't stolen).
It is simply a case of connecting the supply to the ECB to make it live.
In the event of no live supply, one can take a live feed from the nearest street lamp into the ECB.
Another option is to use a diesel generator to generate electric for the lighting circuit, and use gas bottles to cook with stove/electric oven.
Some ghost estate houses are powered up to keep burglar alarms and CCTV running.

That sounds dangerous connecting up the mains, as you have no way of isolating it while working on it, probably more seriously dealt with than squatting, Id say going to a lampost is more visible and more risk of electrocution. A generator sounds more inconvenient, dont think they'd run too much, a portable one anyway, maybe a fridge and some lights?
Anything is possible, how do you locate these estates? whole estates unlived in in Dublin, must be rarer than other parts of the country.

M three

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Reading about that man who was awarded the NAMA house has given me some ideas..

Link?

M three

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

They have electricity supplied to the meter boxes which are usually empty (so the meters aren't stolen).
It is simply a case of connecting the supply to the ECB to make it live.
In the event of no live supply, one can take a live feed from the nearest street lamp into the ECB.
Another option is to use a diesel generator to generate electric for the lighting circuit, and use gas bottles to cook with stove/electric oven.
Some ghost estate houses are powered up to keep burglar alarms and CCTV running.

Lol, I think you'd blow the ****e out of yourself and end up squatting in the top of a nearby tree!!!

repsol

There is a risk that the builder will either be a nutter and send someone around to batter you or he might decide to burn the houses some night for the insurance.Personally I think squatting is wrong and is the same as shoplifting ie. it is perpetrated by scumbags who claim it is a victimless crime.If decent homeowners in ghost estates have lost their bollox in the price crash the last thing they want is some free loading parasite squatting next door knocking even more off their house.I suggest the OP spends their time trying to come up with an idea to earn the money for his own house rather than thinking up ideas for dishonestly living somewhere for free

M three

repsol wrote: »

There is a risk that the builder will either be a nutter and send someone around to batter you or he might decide to burn the houses some night for the insurance.Personally I think squatting is wrong

Have you a few empty houses rep that the squatters have been eyeing up?!

Squatting is going on for a long time and i dont recall any of them getting battered by the owners hired goons, or being burned alive inside the house.

Anyway, who insures empty houses?!

franktheplank

repsol wrote: »

If decent homeowners in ghost estates have lost their bollox in the price crash the last thing they want is some free loading parasite squatting

Firstly, how is this person a free loading parasite, these house are paid for by all of us. Estimated tax burden for bank bailouts = 60k, price of empty house in ghost estate < 60k.

Secondly, if the person can't otherwise afford rent, they would be saving the taxpayer in rent allowance and also removing the false floor from the rental market which is clearly economically unhealthy and unfair.

Ronin247

M three wrote: »

Link?

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/squatter-told-he-can-stay-in-nama-ghost-estate-home-2907066.html

franktheplank

repsol wrote: »

There is a risk that the builder will either be a nutter and send someone around to batter you

Just in case the builder (don't you mean property investor) sends somebody round to batter you PM me and i'll be happy to come to your assistance as im sure many others would.

Run_to_da_hills

I couldn't see a problem with families moving into these estates provided they are willing to put the effort into making the surrounding areas safe for their kids.

If they can't do this and their kids are in danger let the health & safety department and the Gardai throw them out.