This kind of think happens in England a lot, thats where the law comes from

This banker is a squatter, does anyone know him?
I wonder what his employer thinks?
If it happened to me I would go back in and change the locks..
but I suspect the owner doesn't know about it?


The Redfern banker claiming squatter's rights

 

Common

Common in Spain also. If you tried changing the locks or interfering with the person living in the property the owner would get in big trouble and charged with illegal trespassing.
Squatters break down doors to get in and live in unoccupied properties, there are tens of thousands of them here, some are very well organised. Few weeks ago some were evicted from living inside an abandoned bank, there were riots in the street. Strangely they have a lot of public support, even from lawyers and some public officials, especially if the unoccupied property is a repossession owned by a bank (which are pariahs of society in many peoples eyes).

 

He would have to occupy the place for 12 years.

 

He plans on renting it out, so I don't think he would qualify? ( I'm not a lawyer)

 

Does that mean I can get a locksmith to open the door where he is squatting and then change the locks and start squatting there myself ?

 

I was thinking along those lines, too but how did he get a structural engineer to go in? If I was a tenant I would wonder about any surety?

 

Few weeks ago some were evicted from living inside an abandoned bank, there were riots in the street.
I can understand the Spanish people's actions. Cities with a lot of unemployed people and peoples homes being repossessed by the bank.

I suspect this is a banker who thinks there is a loophole in the law, and has the resources to challenge it.
For me it opens up a lot of questions, (I know that house), and makes me 'think why bother having title deeds?'

 

I wonder how come the house was vacant for so long...

 

How is possession defined in this case? Could someone else not go in there and change the locks?

Ultimately if someone really wanted to they could get the property back if they were creative enough, especially if a property was land value only

 

Yep any one could change the locks and go in - they would be tresspassing against the owner, but it looks like he is missing in China and possibly dead.

Maybe someone could apply to get a death certificate for the owner and the house would pass according to his will or intestacy laws.

 

As the squatter is a banker I wonder if he knew something about this property from his "professional life" and its a wonder that the Chinese embassy isn't getting involved trying to track down the owner.

The next step is the Chinese press are going to get coverage of this and 10,000 fake "descendants of Mr Wong" are going to turn up at Sydney demanding the deeds be handed over to them because they produce fake docs showing that he died years ago and they inherited his estate

 

Would be fun in the equity court.

 

From memory, if someone hasn't been seen or heard from for 7 years or more they can be declared dead. Not sure who would want to bring such an application, but if there are any relatives who could benefit by intestacy they would be a good candidate.

 

Also, no one has a right to change the locks as this is trespass, but with a missing owner there is no one to sue for trespass. So another person could just change the locks and kick out the banker - he has no right to sue for trespass as he is not the owner.

It could come down to a fight of locksmiths - who ever has the biggest lock wins.

And did you see the inside of the house - its all basically disintegrated so nobody is going to be able to live there anytime soon without spending up big. Wonder what the toilet is like!!!

 

It would interesting if some picked the locks and squatted there with a bunch of bikies / triads after this guy renovates it. That would make for a good story. what would he do then? Go to the police? Haha

 

This banker is now exposed. Should be interesting from now.

 

He won't last the 12 years!

 

Wonder why the council did the repairs and why they haven't sold the property to recover their rates.

 

This also happens with the English...

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1740567156215859

 

This is what I had in mind when I posted this thread,
Pensioner's anger as squatter wins right to keep his £400,000 house
Unfortunately for this poor man the consequences are even worse.