Family of squatters move into home after it sold, change locks

News.com.au

a day ago

A US homeowner had the surprise of his life when he discovered a family allegedly squatting in his home.
Mike Haskell had spent tens of thousands renovating his four-bedroom house in Windsor Mill, Maryland.
He was 24-hours away from finalising the sale of his property when he received a phone call.
By the next morning, he'd learned that an unknown family of four had been living on the property for at least a week — without his permission, Realtor reports.
'There should be nobody there'
Speaking with Spotlight on Maryland, Mr Haskell explained that his buyer actually alerted him to the squatters.
They had spotted a moving truck parked outside the property and called Mr Haskell to see what was up.
'They thought it was maybe being unstaged for advertising, and I said, 'No, that was done way earlier. There should be nobody there,'' Mr Haskell said.
According to Mr Haskell, he was forced to call the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) after he and his colleagues noticed that the locks on the property had been changed, and the sale sign had been removed from the front yard.
The police treated the initial call as a 'civil matter,' according to documents obtained by Spotlight on Maryland.
No official charges or arrests were made, and the squatters were not removed.
When the local outlet came to check in on the situation themselves with Mr Haskell, they approached the family, who confessed to Spotlight that they were 'unlawfully occupying Mr Haskell's property and recognised that their presence allegedly interfered with an active sale to prospective buyers'.
Speaking with the outlet, a man and a woman explained how they found the home through a social media advertisement offering a one-time fee of $US7500 ($A11,500) to move into the Windsor Mill property.
They met the poster at Mr Haskell's home, handed over a cash payment, and signed a lease document before moving in, which they shared with the reporter. The couple refused to share the original advertisement they allegedly saw online.
In the end, Mr Haskell was able to persuade the family, who had two young children, to leave the property and hand over the keys for $US3,000 ($A4,600).
Removing squatters isn't easy
According to Realtor, once a squatter has made their way into a home, it's very difficult to have them removed.
Experts agree that the best way to ensure squatters can't get access to your home is to make sure the property is monitored regularly, even when it's not occupied.
'The key to protecting yourself from squatters is preventing them from entering in the first place,' real estate professional and lawyer Bruce Ailion, of Re/Max Town & Country in Atlanta, told Realtor.
In Mr Haskell's case, the family not only entered the home, but the locks were changed as well, giving them a level of access synonymous with ownership.
Mr Ailion advises forgoing cheap locks and deadbolts, which he suggests can be opened 'in about 10 seconds.'
Instead, he recommends buying directly from a locksmith, who has 'higher-grade locks that are hard to compromise.'
'As soon as you list a home for sale or lease, invest in cameras and security systems,' adds David Metzger, a lawyer at Williams Teusink, a real estate firm in Atlanta.
In Australia, homeowners should immediately issue a formal notice of trespass upon discovering squatters.
According to James & Jaramillo Lawyers, 'the occupants have no legal right to be on the property and must vacate immediately'.
'If squatters refuse to leave, seek legal advice promptly. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to apply for an interim possession order,' the website states.
'This court order allows for quick removal of trespassers and restoration of the property to the rightful owner.
'Keep detailed records of all interactions with unauthorised occupants and any damage to the property.
'These documents can be crucial if legal proceedings become necessary.'
Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and the New York Post and were republished with permission.