Cutting A/C to sweat out a squatter?

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SFR Investor · WY · Member since 2011 · 115 posts · 15 votes

14y

Ick- sticky situation. If it were me, I'd call a RE attorney...

Jon Klaus

Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

14y

Why not just evict them?

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J ScottPro Member

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Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes

14y

Why not break into the house when they're not there, remove all their stuff and then change the locks on them. Then set up a security camera, and if they come back and break in, have them arrested for B&E, theft, DOP, etc.

This assumes they have no evidence that they have any legal right to be there.

2 Reply

Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

14y

I think that legally, you will need to evict them.

However, if you want to play dirty, I would do one of the following:

Call the elctric company and tell them that they are squatters and used a fake lease to get power. Go there after dark and pull the electric meter out (quickly) and take off with it. (Deny this til you die). They will have no power and the electric company should not bring them a new meter.

or

Go there when no one is home and take the front door off and take it with you.

I have dealt with squatters and evictions - both legal and illegal. It is never fun. If legally evicting them is going to be a costly and/or lengthy process, your best bet will be to hire a couple of bikers to go there and get them out.

Cutting the A/C will probably not force them out. Squatters are lowlife losers. A/C is a luxury to them and not a necessity. They have probably slept on more couches than you have sat on. They're just happy to have their own place.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

Jon Klaus

Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

14y

Texas evictions don't have to take long.

As for the do it yourself eviction, do you really want to pour accelerant on an adversarial relationship with a criminal with far less to lose than you? Without law enforcement there to keep it civil?

Bryan Hancock

Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

14y

Is this in Williamson County by chance? If so, the police will be more than willing to crack some skulls for ya ;-)

I like the idea of evicting. This is an easy process in Texas. John Daves (his site = John Daves) is a good point of contact for this type of procedure if you need some legal assistance to make sure procedure is followed properly.

John Chapman

Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2009 · 718 posts · 913 votes

14y

I'm usually one to take the more conservative route, but I've got to agree with J Scott on this. If there's absolutely no basis for them to be there, then they are trespassing and you've got every right to enter, get rid of their stuff, and have them arrested. Eviction is easy here in Texas but, based on your description, this strikes me as a particularly egregious situation. Again, this assumes there is no basis for them to be there and they haven't been there a while. Either way, take decisive action immediately as the longer they are there, the more likely it will appear they have some right to be there.

Casey S.

OP

Real Estate Investor · College Station, TX · Member since 2011 · 105 posts · 18 votes

14y

Thanks for the thoughts foks. I actually already posted a 3 day notice to get the legal ball rolling since Im not sure what the constable is going to say. This is Brazos county and after the shootout and constable death last week over an eviction I have a feeling they wont be cutting any slack on deadbeats.

Steve Babiak

Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes

14y

Rob K is correct. In fact, I have seen a few houses that had just had squatters removed (one just this past week). They are happy to just have a roof over their heads. Even electricity is a luxury to some of them; as I recall, one had no electricity for quite some time, and candles and melted wax were found throughout that place. Don't open the fridge when you see that ... unless you are prepared to smell awfully rotten stuff ...

Michael Quarles

Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

14y

an MMA friend and his buddies use to hire themselves out to move in with the squatters. Legally. They enjoyed the money and the trouble.

Bill Gulley

Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes

14y

If it's a squatter, go in there and clear it out if they have not been there for awhie with the tenant. If they were there as a guset of the tenant they will be a hold over and do an eviction. However, sometimes you need to get things done on your own toughness, if you don't have any toughness to spare, get a 6' 6" 280 pound friend to help you clean the place out..... :)

Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

14y

My buddy had a squatter move in once. He called the police and they were less than helpful. Me and him went to the house. We were both armed, but everything was settled peacefully. We told the bum to pack up his S#%t and get the F#@$ out. He was a little guy and twitching really bad. He gathered up all of his dirty clothes and disgusting sleeping bag and left. The house was a mess.

I will never forget the kitchen. There were empty pizza boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling and every bit of counter space was empty rum bottles. They were all Captain Morgan spiced rum (gross) and Jet's Pizza (also gross) boxes. He must not have liked variety. You think he would've thrown McDonalds into the mix or maybe a different brand of pizza. A real creature of habit.

Another time, I was looking at a house to buy which was supposedly vacant. While inside, I heard the shower on and then heard it go off. I announced my presence. I don't know if the guy was a squatter or what, but he came running out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He then went straight to the doorwall without saying a word, opened the doorwall, and ran out with the door still open. I don't know where he was going in only a towel, but it was one of those weird things that you would never expect.

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Joel OwensBusiness Member

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Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes

14y

Yeah if you cut the power as mentioned they do the candles and wax thing all over the place not to mention it could start a fire and burn your place down.

The carpet will need replacing as well as the burnt counter tops if you have the laminate stuff.

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Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

14y

Michael Quarles That's the best idea I've heard in awhile. Fight squatters with other squatters. I guess if the first group moved in illegally and now have rights, why couldn't a second group also move in and claim their rights? If the first group calls the police, the second group can claim they have just as much right to be there. That sounds like the best way to deal with them. Send in some bigger guys and have them take over.

Just tell them that the house needs to stay in nice shape. Squatter #1's possessions and body parts are fair game.

Joe Bertolino

Investor · El Dorado Hills, CA · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

14y

As someone already mentioned... be very wary of starting a pissing match with a low life that has little to lose. I have a current insurance client that had a few bikers "help" with an eviction... The Tenant didn't back down and he ended up with a broken arm/collar bone and we ended up with a lawsuit for which he may or may not have coverage for as they are calling it an intentional act. To play that game you have to be willing to escalate things one step farther than a low life squatter and most of us are not in a position to be able to do that without serious fallout.

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Karen MargraveBusiness Member

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Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes

14y

I don't know about Texas, but in California in certain areas we have a lot of meth or other drug addicts; and you never know what can happen entering a place. The smart thing to do is legally evict them. You have no idea who is there, how many people, if they have a gun or knife on them, to many variables.

On the other hand, if you have a few big friends you might want to try going over and telling them that they're moving in, and then all of you plan on spending the night, hopefully the squatter will move on.

Mark Forest

Real Estate Investor · Fenton, MI · Member since 2008 · 946 posts · 153 votes

14y

If the squatter cannot show a lease to the police I do not know why they cannot make him leave. If someone shoplifts they cannot produce a receipt so they are arrested. What tis the difference?

Peter Lee

Real Estate Investor · Member since 2011 · 56 posts · 9 votes

14y

Please keep us updated Casey S.

Manuel A.

Rehabber · Albuquerque, NM - New Mexico · Member since 2011 · 283 posts · 38 votes

14y

This idea just popped into my head, and I don't know any of the legalities in these situations nor have every been in anything close to it, but:

What if you wait till they leave, then put 3-5 vicious looking and aggressive guard dogs in the yard. I wouldn't go in anyway.

Jon Klaus

Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

14y

Manuel, I've considered this in a vacant property where I had multiple break ins and copper theft. I did not because of the liability of the dogs actually hurting someone, maybe an innocent kid, the extra work of caring for the dogs, and the need for good fencing. I would not leave dogs IN the house.

Also, in the situation in this thread the squatters to moved in before the legitimate tenant moved out.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19779374/forced-to-live-with-squatter-in-my-detroit-house-woman-says

Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

13y

Casey S. What happened with your squatter?

Here's a story from Detroit about a squatter that moved into a woman's house and won't leave. The two are now living in the same house while the woman tries to evict the squatter.

If I were the homeowner in this story, I would burn this house to the ground. If the squatter survived, I would blame her for the arson, have her thrown in jail, collect the insurance money, and move to the burbs.

Casey S.

OP

Real Estate Investor · College Station, TX · Member since 2011 · 105 posts · 18 votes

13y

At first they kept staying but the neighbor said they must have forgotten to pay their utility bill and decided to move along. Suprisingly, they left the place in decent shape considering.

Patrick H.

Member since 2011 · 9 posts · 0 votes

13y

Casey S. Sounds like everything worked out! Glad you didn't have to call in the Bikers!

Marc Freislinger

Flipper · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2009 · 973 posts · 679 votes

13y

I'm glad you got this all worked out Casey S. As mentioned earlier in this thread, self help evictions are generally a terrible idea. We always had the best luck getting rid of squatters by doing frequent checks of our vacant units, and making sure all the neighbors had our contact information. When we managed to make it to a property shortly after the squatter entered, it was fairly straightforward to have the cops remove them.

Of course, like MikeOH used to say, when performing inspections on vacant units in these neighborhoods, it's best to protect yourself.