Locks Changed - Squatters ???

locksdown

Hi looking for advice, have had let a house sit idle for period and haven't been able to go there with lockdown & work & housemates cocooning etc. So came "home" to find both my front and back door locks changed, no real sign of anyone living in house (water and electric not connected) small damage interior damage that didn't make any logical sense and some random furniture added to my house - ie not a bed or table - again which didn't make any sense... no sign that anyone sleeping there etc.
Obviously locksmiths booked, guards called but just wondering has anyone come across anything similar ???

Eric Cartman

yeah. Ive seen it before where a house was owned by an elderly person who had since gone into care, family on the other side of the country, squatters drilled the original locks and got in, neighbours noticed and chased them out and had the locks changed again.

its very possible somebody was looking out for you / a neighbour didn't want the horror issues that come with squatters.

if its supposed to be vacant and theres no services connected id go right on in. Maybe board the windows and have the back door bolted shut ?

locksdown

In this case I think it maybe neighbours looking to stake a claim very brazen in any case

beauf

I think boarding the windows is just going to attract the wrong attention.

Without power you don't have the option of lights, timers, alarm, camera etc. But I'd consider reconnecting the power to add some active security. Add some deadlocks to the doors etc.

Consider finding a local who can check it regularly for you.

antix80

Get someone in that house asap.

Bin the furniture, change the locks.

Sounds like someone's trying to make an adverse possession claim on your property. They may already have proof of address from getting a utility bill delivered there. Possibly a jsa claim using your address. Next stop, threshold with a story about paying rent to a non existent landlord. Rent €50 a week. In a RPZ.

antix80

antix80 wrote: »

Get someone in that house asap.

Bin the furniture, change the locks.

Sounds like someone's trying to make an adverse possession claim on your property. They may already have proof of address from getting a utility bill delivered there. Possibly a jsa claim using your address. Next stop, threshold with a story about paying rent to a non existent landlord. Rent €50 a week. In a RPZ.

Unless the op has been away for 12 years, not much chance of staking a claim for adverse possession and even threshold would not entertain a story that involved them breaking and entering a property.

I do agree with your first two sentences though, change locks and toss everything that isn’t yours op.

Just as a matter of interest, were their any clothes or personal belongings hat would suggest someone continues to use the property?

locksdown

Yes the plan is to reconnect electrics and get the alarms sorted, get done what's needed to be done to have it ready for rental and get someone in there asap... I agree on avoiding boarding windows... I genuinely feel its a neighbour, had issues with small things before which are too specific to go into.
My plan tomorrow is to get on to local postman and social welfare office to see is any other post (not mine ) going there...
Possibly contact solicitor also for legal advice on what I need to prevent false claims etc.
Loads of new stuff boxed very saleable still in house (electrics, bathroom ware, power tools -of mine ) which wasn't touched at all which makes me think squatters or someone looking to assert claim...

locksdown

no clothes or food packages etc there... no sign of anyone sleeping there at all

Dial Hard

Postman and DSP won't be able to tell you anything due to GDPR.

Highly unlikely to be a neighbour chancing their arm; as has been pointed out, adverse possession claims need 12 years of uninterrupted use behind them.

Someone has been opportunistically using the place as a place to hang out, imo. Exactly how long has it been vacant?

refusetolose

maybe someone was using it for delivery of illegal substances off the dark web?

punisher5112

Have you family? Could any of them be doing this....

Very strange to be honest.

I'd sort locks straight away but I would move your tools out for the moment if valuable.

Anyone around that seen anything such as neighbour?

Quite likely using for online purchases and then move on, what sort of damage is there....

JJJackal

You think the neighbours have a claim to the house?

locksdown

I've no family locally or no malicious family either. Social welfare will be able to check if the address has been used - they just wont give me a name & same with post office.

Ill check with local couriers also... no neighbours close to house, house out on its own in the country.

locksdown

neighbours have no claim to house but as i said some wouldn't be the most straightforward of neighbours...

punisher5112

I'd say someone was using for scams such as car sales, renting property or as I mentioned online scams where purchase goods and get delivered using fake or dodgy cards....

JJJackal

locksdown wrote: »

neighbours have no claim to house but as i said some wouldn't be the most straightforward of neighbours...

It is important to ensure your claim or ownership is 100% before you rechange any locks I would say (if you have any concern which you may not have)

punisher5112

JJJackal wrote: »

It is important to ensure your claim or ownership is 100% before you rechange any locks I would say (if you have any concern which you may not have)

Wtf?

It's their house....

locksdown

I've gone through all the correct channels, first point of contact was guards before I did anything else at all.
I'm the fool paying the mortgage so I'd like to hope it will be mine at some point like...

punisher5112

locksdown wrote: »

I've gone through all the correct channels, first point of contact was guards before I did anything else at all.
I'm the fool paying the mortgage so I'd like to hope it will be mine at some point like...

Have you entered yet?

How long is the power out?

locksdown

yes and six months

punisher5112

locksdown wrote: »

yes and six months

Is there damage such as holes and could they have been using as a grow house?
Generator used maybe

locksdown

none that ive seen, didn't go into attic etc as was on my own when I was out there

locksdown

locksdown wrote: »

none that ive seen, didn't go into attic etc as was on my own when I was out there

Are you sure you have the right keys? Seems strange they would go to the trouble to change front and back, then leave, leaving no evidence of having stayed there. Do squatters usually tidy up before they leave?

punisher5112

Dav010 wrote: »

Are you sure you have the right keys? Seems strange they would go to the trouble to change front and back, then leave, leaving no evidence of having stayed there.

But there is stuff left that the op didnt...

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

But there is stuff left that the op didnt...

No clothes, personal effects, food/rubbish, etc? If Carlsberg did squatters.

locksdown

there is stuff there, but nothing that anyone would be crying over.
my gut would be that locks were only recently done, defo right keys. even tried my emergency spare from glove box

locksdown

pretty much... it was like boarding the marie celeste, but no rubbish etc

Atlantic Dawn

For electricity reconnection after 6 month's disconnected you need to get it recertified, more than 2 years gets more expensive...

https://www.esbnetworks.ie/existing-connection/reconnecting-supply

punisher5112

Maybe they're all in the attic!!

What the cops say

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

Maybe they're all in the attic!!

https://www.google.ie/search?sxsrf=ALeKk023i1Q6M10SGbKOIeN8VExB9mZfEQ%3A1597607526793&source=hp&ei=Zo45X9D5KfWl1fAP_7u94A0&q=pin+face&oq=pin+face&gs_lcp=ChFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocBABGAEyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoHCCMQ6gIQJzoHCC4Q6gIQJzoECCMQJzoHCAAQsQMQQzoCCC46CAguELEDEIMBOgUILhCRAjoFCAAQkQI6BAgAEEM6BQguELEDOgUIABCxAzoECAAQClC1JVj-QGD0UGgBcAB4AIABrgKIAZoIkgEHNi4wLjEuMZgBAKABAbABDw&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp#imgrc=sojlXNe6IdeguM

antix80

Dav010 wrote: »

Are you sure you have the right keys? Seems strange they would go to the trouble to change front and back, then leave, leaving no evidence of having stayed there. Do squatters usually tidy up before they leave?

Making. Stuff. Up

Why

Where does this nonsense come from?

antix80

antix80 wrote: »

Making. Stuff. Up

Why

Where does this nonsense come from?

The first bit was a question, the op posted the rest.

locksdown wrote: »

So came "home" to find both my front and back door locks changed, no real sign of anyone living in house

locksdown wrote: »

pretty much... it was like boarding the marie celeste, but no rubbish etc

beauf

locksdown wrote: »

Hi looking for advice, have had let a house sit idle for period and haven't been able to go there with lockdown & work & housemates cocooning etc. So came "home" to find both my front and back door locks changed, no real sign of anyone living in house (water and electric not connected) small damage interior damage that didn't make any logical sense and some random furniture added to my house - ie not a bed or table - again which didn't make any sense... no sign that anyone sleeping there etc.
Obviously locksmiths booked, guards called but just wondering has anyone come across anything similar ???

Is it possible to spend some time in the house randomly. So whom ever is doing this sees you about. Go down and basically camp in the house at random.

I've had to do this with vacant houses in the past.

Del2005

Can you set up a hidden trail camera? That way you can see who is going to the house

the_syco

locksdown wrote: »

Ill check with local couriers also... no neighbours close to house, house out on its own in the country.

How many people would it sleep? Check AirBnB, etc.

locksdown wrote: »

I'm the fool paying the mortgage so I'd like to hope it will be mine at some point like...

Check your mortgage T&C; could the insurance be void if no-one has being living there for a certain amount of time?

An Ri rua

Put an Android phone with the Alfred app on it running discretely in a front or back window. Get a cheap data SIM é.g. 48 months or Gomo.

Or get a cheap trail camera and leave it running in the garden. Put it up somewhere discreet.

At least you'll get an idea of what you're dealing with. If the trail camera gets stolen, that's worth the price alone.
Or get a 2G 3G or 4G trail camera and you'll get an as it happens warning that you need to ring the Guards or maybe your own heavies.

An Ri rua

locksdown wrote: »

Hi looking for advice, have had let a house sit idle for period and haven't been able to go there with lockdown & work & housemates cocooning etc. So came "home" to find both my front and back door locks changed, no real sign of anyone living in house (water and electric not connected) small damage interior damage that didn't make any logical sense and some random furniture added to my house - ie not a bed or table - again which didn't make any sense... no sign that anyone sleeping there etc.
Obviously locksmiths booked, guards called but just wondering has anyone come across anything similar ???

Is it 'home'? Your PPR? If so, rent a room to a licencee. Don't let the house unless it suits you to.

punisher5112

An Ri rua wrote: »

Is it 'home'? Your PPR? If so, rent a room to a licencee. Don't let the house unless it suits you to.

If they're not living there how?

An Ri rua

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they're not living there how?

?
If it's your PPR, you're living there. Whether you're there or not.

the_syco

An Ri rua wrote: »

?
If it's your PPR, you're living there. Whether you're there or not.

If it's their PPR, they have to be "there" a certain amount of days per year.

beauf

the_syco wrote: »

...Check your mortgage T&C; could the insurance be void if no-one has being living there for a certain amount of time?

They generally only cover a house 3rd Party if empty.

An Ri rua

the_syco wrote: »

If it's their PPR, they have to be "there" a certain amount of days per year.

No, only your post has to be. Unless you're sleeping with a Revenue official.

Manion

You should check with the land registry to see if there has been any recent filing for the property. They also have a service, which is free, were you can get an email notification if there is any submissions on your folio. I was in and out of the land registry a lot about a year ago and apparently it's a relatively common scam they see by people who know a property is empty or by tenants who can intercept mail.

locksdown

So been onto my bank(just in case) not them, contacted my electric providers to see if anyone tried to reconnect or had reconnected power or had tried to change account name all a no.

Have booked reconnection to avoid re certing, but will leave turned off at inside mains thingy,

Been on to local social welfare no claims to address.

I am really at a loss as to what was the plan... maybe I caught in play or just in time.

locksdown

Manion wrote: »

You should check with the land registry to see if there has been any recent filing for the property. They also have a service, which is free, were you can get an email notification if there is any submissions on your folio. I was in and out of the land registry a lot about a year ago and apparently it's a relatively common scam they see by people who know a property is empty or by tenants who can intercept mail.

Will defo look into this thank you

Treppen

Thin film of powder on any of the furniture???

Know someone who rented to perfect tenants for 6 months. When they moved out she went to tidy up but everything was exact same as when she left it (new mattress still on the bed unwrapped). Only thing left behind was very thin film of powder on all the furniture in one room. It was a cutting agent for coke.

locksdown

didn't notice anything like that, just normal dust,,, that's mad ****e altogether