Rights regarding empty house.

[dantheman123]

Near where I live there is a large detached house that used to be a doctors surgery. When the surgery relocated about 15 years ago boards went up over the windows and it has empty ever since. If I wanted to squat in in or find the owners to buy it what are my rights and what must I do? Thank's in advance.

[buildersmate]

You have no 'rights' - its not your house. You can squat in it - just do it. But you might get evicted. You have to squat in it for 12 years before you can start the process of claiming it by adverse possession (10 yrs if Registered Land to start the process). If you want to find the owner, look on the Land Registry website and pay �2 online to find out who the registered proprietor of the land is (works only for registered land).

[joko]

i would not suggest squatting.

you have no rights as it is not your house, what makes you think you can just claim a house, just because you feel like it?? the owner of a property is entitled to do what they like with it and if that means leaving it empty, that is their business. it does not entitle greedy and cheeky people like you to help themselves.

you don't know who the owners are and what they are capable of.

if anyone squatted in my property i would have no qualms about having you forcibly ejected and you may well get hurt.

you are out of order.

find them and buy it - do not squat

[kempie]

Further to the explanation given by buildersmate and the argument used by joko, adverse possession (squatting) is perfectly legal in specific circumstances, however...

You cannot force entry into the house since Breaking and Entry is not squatting, it is trespassing. If this was not the case someone could break into your house every day and claim to be squatting. The police have powers to remove trespassers immediately so long as the evidence of forced entry is still present.

Uk law concerning adverse possession may in itself be unlawful in regard of the European Convention on Human Rights.

A recent decision by the European Court in a case involving 56 acres of grazing land in Oxfordshire was that it would breach the human rights of the original owners if the title were to pass without any compensation being paid.

http://www.hancockcaffin.co.uk/news/.htm

[lizzydrippin]

If you forcibly removed a squatter from your property joke (unless it was through the courts) you would be in a great deal of trouble, especially I might add, if they did get hurt.
I think you are the one thats well out of order.

[joko]

they would have to prove it, drip

and thats the risk they take if they won't leave when told to.

as has been said, it is breaking and entering