[Cyborgt800]

When I was in CO, went to do some finishing touches on one of my rentals but people were fully moved in! I called the cops and they informed the people that they had to go right then!

[youngwildfree]

Originally Posted by logline

The cops should have immediately entered to interrupt a crime in progress. If the big dog attacks... use the pepper spray. I can't believe how impotent the police are in situations like these.

Exactly. It seems like squatters have more rights and leeway than people who actually lose the house they tried to pay for. Plus I didn't know you were technically a squatter if you've been there less than 24 hours.

[Packrat1]

Often these squatters will call up and have power turned on in their names and then show a power bill in their name to the police. If it is a same day thing the police might have been able to throw them out but maybe local rules prevent it. It might have been a rookie cop or one that has been in trouble a lot and didnt want to bust down the door for fear of getting a complaint. Could have gotten a locksmith though.

[LasVegasPlayer]

I'm in Summerlin and a house in my neighborhood was squatted for a while. The owner died and the house was not yet in foreclosure.

They were stealing power from their neighbors and had very young prostitutes in it. It took months for SWAT to finally evict them, then they came back. The police then removed them again. They came back later and stole all the appliances. That was about a year ago. The house still sits in shambles.

The house is destroyed and the bank has yet to take possession because they need a fortune just to bring the house into HOA compliance. It sounds like as long as they don't repo the house they don't have to pay the HOA fines and cannot be subjected to a lawsuit to force bringing up to code by the county or HOA.

The squatters claimed that they had a lease signed by the dead homeowner, which was impossible to disprove I suppose. That added to the problems.

Surely there is a way to remove these people without waiting for them to destroy the property, especially since they were stealing electricity.

[ddrhazy]

@LasVegasPlayer - The HOA just continues levying a fine. If the bank doesn't pay then the next buyer will eventually have to.

[LasVegasPlayer]

Originally Posted by ddrhazy

@LasVegasPlayer - The HOA just continues levying a fine. If the bank doesn't pay then the next buyer will eventually have to.

Right, but since the bank has not taken possession and the owner is dead there is nobody to compel into fixing the property. That would generally how you would motivate someone to fix the problem.

[Packrat1]

The best way would be for the bank to post no trespassing signs on the inside of the windows but often the house is mired in legal court wranglings with the previous foreclosed homeowner. Banks that actually own the home should be threatened with nuisance abatement if the squatters are causing trouble by the city but that would require a proactive city council. Used to be done on drug houses.

[CityWok]

So unfortunately there is also the chance the people who moved in don't realize they're squatting, as they could have "leased it" from someone who claimed to be the owner even though they were not. This bogus property manager could have obtained the key from the lockbox, signed a fake lease, collected some rent, and ran. Therefore the police could be giving them the occupants the benefit of the doubt, even though the bank confirmed they're trespassing, these people may not realize it yet.

If the neighbor saw them exchanging the refrigerator for an old one though, that should give the police probable cause to take a more aggressive stance.

[ddrhazy]

OP said the squatters took down the for sale sign. Shows malice in my mind.

[Packrat1]

The fake lease is a common tool with squatters.