By IANS,
London : An Indian origin hotelier left his 700,000 pounds five-bedroom home in Britain while it was being refurbished and on return he was shocked to find that 15 jobless Italians had moved in.
Connan Gupta felt that he deserved a week-off while refurbishing his Victorian home in Camberwell, London. So, he shifted to his sister’s home Oct 10, a decision he now regrets.
The Italians not only changed the locks, they also moved in their three dogs and two cats. They claim the fact they cannot afford to rent, Daily Mail reported Thursday.
Police can’t intervene as squatting is a civil rather than criminal offence.
Gupta, 40, is staying at another accommodation and he has instructed a solicitor to have the intruders evicted.
“This is just ridiculous,” he said.
“Everything’s in there. All my worldly possessions, clothes, valuables, and medication I need for a skin condition. It is hellish. I always triple-lock the house and when I went away I made sure everything was locked.”
“It is really scary that you can go on holiday and come back and your house has been taken. I’m profoundly shocked that this can happen,” Gupta was quoted as saying.
“I tried to open the door and found the locks had been changed. I…banged on the door saying I was the owner and a voice inside said ‘Just go away’. I just have to sit here and wait. It’s as if the squatters have more rights than I do.”
The squatters claimed that the front door was open when they came to the house two weeks ago.
A squatter said: “None of us have any money or jobs. I don’t feel guilty about being here because no one else had been here for at least two years, the neighbours told us.”
“There’s no sink, no running water, no electricity, no carpets and the place was filthy. All of the owner’s stuff was packed away and stored.”