Florida bill to revoke squatters' rights, protect property owners

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Remember all those foreclosures during the housing crash? When the owners finally got moved out, sometimes it took more than a year for the bank to get around to even looking at the house and plenty of homeless people moved in usually with some BS story about renting from the owner. All they need is a piece of mail with his name on it and claim they were renting to own in cash.

Ah, the mail with deadbeats name is a nice touch.

A recording (offsite) video system would allow you better piece of mind and show when the people actually started living there.
Lights on timers, or maybe even a nest system of lights to give the look of someone living there.
Having someone to clear off all those fliers people leave on your door. I think some of these are to see who and how fast they get removed for possible targets.
Have someone else there when the police show up that has a ‘lease’ from you so there are dueling claims.

Wouldn’t want to actually have to shoot people, but considering the castle defense laws- and the damage that someone can do to your house, not to mention the cost of other living arrangements, plus legal- it might end up being cheaper. These people have ZERO interest in keeping the place up, and every fixture and piece of copper will be GONE by the time you get the property back.

Lady on next door was saying that it should be illegal for people to have two houses when there are homeless people.

I understand why we have the adverse property laws, especially around the 7 year mark. It helps to smooth over issues around poor surveying or other issues. But that is more in the realm of no one realized the issue, so no real harm. But these aren’t the same thing. It does seem that these people could be charged with fraud and then destruction of property and at least do time, (ha, ha I know).

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

He's already got a house. I always tapped one of my guys who was living in an apartment or still living at home.

Ewwwwwhhhhh.

Not saying that there is anything wrong with it.

[Entryteam]

Had some idiot throw this in my face during an eviction I was serving. She thought she could just get grandma's house after she died. The house was bought as a foreclosure and she thought she had squaters rights to stay. I told her she could squat in jail after I kicked the door in. She packed her shit and left. I looked up squaters rights in MO and if you can prove you lived there for more than 10 years without a contact, you could stay.

Yep. That's kinda how I handled it in my jurisdiction in AR.... no lease? GTFO or I'll remove you forcefully. Wanna Squat, go to the bathroom. But not here, because you aint welcome. And I LOVED having to help serve a writ of possession... as in AR.... once it's signed.... everything they own but their toiletries STAYS until a judge decides how much of their shit to give the property owner to pay for rent/bills. LOL. "Can i pack my stuff?".... "funny you should ask"

[glocktogo]

I think every state has some type of 811 Call Before You Dig number or website. You call, they come out and mark all your utility lines for you. There should be a similar number for registered property owners to call and lock or unlock utility rights. Once your utilities are set up, you lock them in place so someone else can't come along and start or stop service there without you unlocking it. If you transfer those rights to a lessee, that certifies their rights as a tenant and locks you into civil dispute resolution with THAT leaseholder at that address. Everyone else has no rights and can be removed by law enforcement upon the property owner invoking trespass.

My state has something similar at the county level for property deeds/titles. You notify the county that you wish to lock your title and it can't be transferred without you unlocking it. You get the added benefit of being notified anytime a lien is filed on your property. It's a free service that each state needs, to step up and strengthen property rights in light of this explosion in squatting.

[Alpha-17]

If squatters refuse to leave after being told to do so by the lawful owner it should be legal to shoot them. You get ONE warning/request to vacate, after that the range is hot!

Agreed. They are trespassers, invaders, who have demonstrated their aggression by entering and refusing to leave. After that, you should have the right to defend your property with any and all force required.

[Averageman]

Well there's a sidegig for you, Squater Swatter.
Thinking about the population of Florida and it being a retirement Mecca, I would imagine this hits older folks harder than anyone.
Have a heart attack and spend three weeks in the Hospital, come home to a Meth Lab in your kitchen.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I think every state has some type of 811 Call Before You Dig number or website. You call, they come out and mark all your utility lines for you. There should be a similar number for registered property owners to call and lock or unlock utility rights. Once your utilities are set up, you lock them in place so someone else can't come along and start or stop service there without you unlocking it. If you transfer those rights to a lessee, that certifies their rights as a tenant and locks you into civil dispute resolution with THAT leaseholder at that address. Everyone else has no rights and can be removed by law enforcement upon the property owner invoking trespass.

My state has something similar at the county level for property deeds/titles. You notify the county that you wish to lock your title and it can't be transferred without you unlocking it. You get the added benefit of being notified anytime a lien is filed on your property. It's a free service that each state needs, to step up and strengthen property rights in light of this explosion in squatting.

I hear those ads for the locking of your title. Is the title route used for the squatters, or is that mainly for people ‘selling’ your house or using it as collateral, not an actual physical taking?

Almost all of us, even in an off-season home, probably have firearms in the house. If you think that I’m leaving the guns in a house with squatters with all kinds of free time to try to breach my safe, you are crazy.

As to squatter swatters, it seems like a good side gig for some sheriff deputies. Hire them off duty to take out the trash. If the squatters call the cops, well, we all know response times can be reallllly long…

[glocktogo]

I hear those ads for the locking of your title. Is the title route used for the squatters, or is that mainly for people ‘selling’ your house or using it as collateral, not an actual physical taking?

Almost all of us, even in an off-season home, probably have firearms in the house. If you think that I’m leaving the guns in a house with squatters with all kinds of free time to try to breach my safe, you are crazy.

As to squatter swatters, it seems like a good side gig for some sheriff deputies. Hire them off duty to take out the trash. If the squatters call the cops, well, we all know response times can be reallllly long…

To be clear, the for-profit title lock services are essentially monitoring your title and provide insurance payout if they fail. The true title "lock" is usually a free service by whatever government registrar of deeds or clerk of courts your deed/title is registered with. Usually, the home title scam is used to obtain loans by fraudsters, which you're then on the hook for. (Don't get me started on how it should be the lender, not the title owner who's on the hook for that!)

Some squatters also commit title fraud, but most of the time they're just looking for a free place to crash until they can't anymore, then they find someplace else. Kind of a "homed" homeless population.

[henri]

The whole concept of "squatters rights" is absolute bullshit. These worthless criminal pigs have to rights. The term is criminal trespass or breaking and entering. The risk of me having to deal with squatters in beyond exceedingly remote / close to nonexistent; one home in upscale 24 hour guard gated community, the other 27th floor/ 24 hour manned security condo. Both have roving guards 24/7. I also live in Florida, so the alligator, python, & panther infested everglades is a very short drive away.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

To be clear, the for-profit title lock services are essentially monitoring your title and provide insurance payout if they fail. The true title "lock" is usually a free service by whatever government registrar of deeds or clerk of courts your deed/title is registered with. Usually, the home title scam is used to obtain loans by fraudsters, which you're then on the hook for. (Don't get me started on how it should be the lender, not the title owner who's on the hook for that!)

Some squatters also commit title fraud, but most of the time they're just looking for a free place to crash until they can't anymore, then they find someplace else. Kind of a "homed" homeless population.

Yea, I’ve never understood why the homeowner is on the hook for that kind of fraud. I guess proving the fraud might take some time, but a bank being duped comes under “Not my problem”.