Squatter scandal

Alex Gore • Published 12 Feb 2012 08:00 10 Comments

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PROFESSIONAL squatters are scouring Reading for homes left empty when the owner dies, and moving people in illegally until they can claim possession.

The scam was uncovered by a research company tracing Ukrainian relatives who inherited a house when a Reading pensioner died.

Forensic genealogists Celtic Research were asked by the Treasury Solicitors to trace relatives of Volodymyr 'Johnny' Bogusz, who died in 2003, to settle his estate, including a house in east Reading.

The family tree experts, who traced the 81-year-old's family in the Ukraine, went to the terraced house at 2 Eldon Street but discovered a squatter living there. The man was evicted in December and detained under the Mental Health Act, leaving Celtic Research with a £20,000 bill to bring the filthy property up to its true market value before it can be sold.

The Chronicle understands the squatter was installed in the empty house by a man who does the same thing regularly across Reading in the hope of gaining ownership of properties through adverse possession.

Senior partner Peter Birchwood said: "The house had been empty for around five years. We checked it was properly registered to the deceased and approached an estate agent to sell it.

"But it had fallen into the hands of squatters. After the man was removed from the house we were able to send a locksmith and workmen in.

"The locksmith said he had never seen a house in a worse condition, it was absolutely filthy. Rubbish was piled to within three feet of the ceiling and the basement was flooded and full of rats."

Estate agents advised that the house - bought by factory worker Mr Bogusz in the 1950s - could fetch up to £190,000 but would go for less than half that in its current condition.

Mr Birchwood added: "All of this is down to somebody who saw an empty house and thought he could make a few quid out of it. I feel disgusted."

The saga facing Celtic Research has been filmed for series seven of Heir Hunters, which will be shown on the BBC next year.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 11 Feb 12

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Pilgrim
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Feb 12, 09:44
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Considering the general fleecing of the UK by our borders being left open to all and sundry this really comes as no surprise. No wonder the Tories are having such a hard time justifying our membership in the EU now every criminal element from eastern Europe is running riot...

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BarbaraC
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Feb 12, 10:04
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Squatters should be rounded up and shot - they are nothing more than filthy thieving scum!

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jesush
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Feb 12, 19:22
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So an empty house housed a homeless man. What a scandal!! This badly-written article uses words such as 'scam' and 'illegally' but were charges brought against anyone? Squatting is not a crime so were I involved I'd want some answers from Alex Gore.

The only potential crimes surrounding this story are libel and the brainless comment by BarbaraC, who seems to advocate murder for seeking shelter.

The standard of journalism mixed in with the knee-jerk reactions of people like BarbaraC are why the rich and powerful in this country get away with such appalling liberties.

Recommend? Yes 12 No 73
jeremy
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Feb 13, 10:20
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I agree with Pilgrim and BarbaraC; squatters, criminals, illegal immigrants, bankers, public servants, the entire EU project, dole scroungers and politicians are all in the same boat for me. They all screw over the hard working tax payer and should be removed from our lives.

As for you jesush, it is your lefty agenda that has ruined this country.

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Incorrect Correct
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Feb 13, 10:41
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"As for you jesush, it is your lefty agenda that has ruined this country".

Never a truer sentence typed. What I always find amusing is how your jesush/lefty type feels very safe advocating the rights of the dregs of society whilst comfortably housed miles away from any of them. Were he and the entire "human rights" brigade housed next door to such people (Newtown perhaps or Katesgrove) it would be an entirely different POV of course. Smirk.

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jesush
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Feb 13, 19:18
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I am totally apolitical and can't stand either right, left or middle. All politicians are self-interest populist pimps that say what people want to hear. You know, stuff like 'shoot squatters'.

I just hope that if either Jeremy or Incorrect Correct find themselves homeless and in need of shelter one day they don't meet people as callous and inhuman as they are.

Recommend? Yes 9 No 32
raizia iqbal
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Feb 14, 16:24
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@jesush: What you are failing to see is that the homeless person in this article broke into and ruined a perfectly good house that will now cost £20,000 to put right. How can you justify that?

Desperation is no excuse for having a lack of respect for someone elses property. Wouldn't it be nice to read, for once, a story about a squatter who actually takes pride in the property he/she "legally" occupies and leaves the property in a fit state when the actual owners want to retake control of their house.

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jesush
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Feb 15, 17:46
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I changed my mind; they should be shot.

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Hector Birchwood
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Mar 5, 21:23
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Although there are some inaccuracies in the article, this is not an instance of a homeless individual seeking shelter, but an example of an organised gang that preys on vulnerable individuals. These gangs target mentally ill or mentally disabled persons and place them in vacant properties to profit from squatting rights; using them to acquire homes through adverse possession, or to demand payment from the rightful owners, who face costly legal fees to remove squatters.

The individual who was residing in the house suffers from a mental illness and is unable to care for himself. Reading council was able to section him, fearing for his welfare, because his living habits encouraged the infestation of vermin in the premises. As I understand, this person is now receiving the care he needs. Reading Council's main concerns were for the welfare of the squatter and the public's health & safety.

I would like to note that Celtic Research were not asked by the Treasury Solicitor to find the relatives of the deceased, but looked for his relatives when the case was advertised on the Bona Vacantia list some time ago.

I hope this helps to clarify the facts.

Sincerely,

Hector Birchwood

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Peter Birchwood
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Mar 6, 10:13
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To add to the comment above from my son Hector, the squatter was placed in the house for commercial motives, the idea being that after a number of years the house would be available by the doctrine of adverse possession. The squatter himself was either mentally ill or became so after living in the house and was rightly put into secure accomodation for his own protection. The house itself has very little value at the moment; it will need to be cleared by hazardous waste specialists. We have managed to get the rats eliminated and the flooded cellar problem repaired and pumped-out.

Peter Birchwood, Celtic Research.

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******
May 2, 09:12
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