Florida lawmakers unanimously pass bill to combat squatting; giving property owners ‘positive hope’
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- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2024
- State lawmakers have unanimously passed a bill to combat squatting. This comes after a News4JAX I-TEAM investigation exposing how a loophole in the law allowed people to live rent-free in a home for weeks while the property’s owner, Patti Peeples, wasn’t allowed on the premises.
All states should have this bill
indeed the very idea of squatters rights is beyond disgusting. Any state that allows this sort of enablement to practically steal property and hold it hostage for months is beyond gross.
Never happen in NY.
Blue states care more about criminals than law abiding citizens.
Unfortunately this kind of squatting situation happens way too often in Texas.
Should go further and allow use of any and all force up to and including deadly force to remove the invaders
Even people who were squatting out of desperation have zero reason to commit vandalism. Those women should have been charged with felonies.
"squatting out of desperation", what the f...
I guarantee you that if they did the same to a local Walmart, they'd be charged with criminal "destruction of property" and possibly "vandalism". Why should it be any different when it's a citizen's home instead of the property of some corporate conglomerate?
You sound like you support the criminals. We property owners should have the right to remove squatters. If they are native born Americans then give them the houses to live in and $1,000 a month that are being given to illegals!!!
America cares nothing about its citizens and everything about illegals.
i once stayed in a partly collapsed house during a blizzard that was only out of desperation.
These women that do this, It's in their GENE'S, again not All people like them do this. it's ashame the owner has to go through the process. If obtaining His property back.
This is NOT a victory for Ms. Peeples...she lost so much in property damage while the criminals just skipped out with no charges against them for the felonies that they committed.
Hopefully there will be laws enacted to imprison squatters and to make them pay restitution no matter how long it takes. This is another example of evil in this world. The people who were wrongfully living there were not raised up in church and taught to walk in faith.
@@christinawhite9256Bottom line is you cannot get blood out of a turnip. Squatters never have anything you can get from them of any value. The law should have went further and made it a felony with mandatory prison time.
The charge would probably be called Criminal Mischief. When someone destroys your house or car its called CM.
She could sell an extra house and makes thousands of dollars. I do not feel bad for her.
@BunnyMan-ec4xg you're an idiot. Sell your house and give her the money. See how stupid you sound.
Why a law had to be passed for this is beyond me! Squatters rights should never have been a thing
How these people are comfortably arguing with the owner of the house, knowing damn well what they did is beyond me, and on top of that they break everything, I feel like they need to be charged and pay for their damages, I am glad there’s a law in place now they will not be able to get away with stuff like this.
I am a homeowner I will be lived.
@@labelledujour5855 * livid
Something tells me some judges got squatters in some of their rental properties and actually give a crap.
It's because local government wants to continue making money off eviction fees and lawyers need money too.
@Nottotv Lawyers don't NEED money, they WANT money. Too much money.
They need to be charged!!!
We don't charge members of the 13% protected class who commit 62% of crime.
Realistically, what would happen? They have no money it seems. Best you could hope for is prison time so they don't do it again.
@@FracturedReality777 In a just world home invaders wouldn't be given the opportunity to do it again.
and blacklist so they could not rent.
@@FracturedReality777Who cares? Your financial status should have nothing to do with whether you're charged with a crime. These thieves stole AND vandalized. Their next free housing should be in jail.
Why dont the cops arrest for breaking and entering???
No one lived in the house.
Because it's a civil issue.
Because it was a rental property.... if someone lived there, then they could arrest
@@BunnyMan-ec4xgdoesn’t matter, these crooks broke into a home that wasn’t theirs.
We found a squatter in a rental and the police said they couldn’t arrest him for trespassing or breaking and entering because we didn’t have a no trespassing sign on the property.
How come they are not immediately arrested❓❓ A misdemeanor? It should be a Felony
What is the $$ limit on Misdemeanor theft? Is there any place in the USA where monthly rent is below that? For each month, that is another FELONY theft.
We already have too many felonies on the books. Felonies are only supposed to be the most serious of crime, mürder, treason, that sort of thing. That's why for years after the foundation of the country there were only about a dozen felonies in the books. People still go to jail over misdemeanors, you should research this issue before complaining publicly about it.
@@PatriotsRule-LiberalsDroolit's Florida, GOP has been in full control of both chambers since 1996 and did squat about it.
@@einyvsquatting did not become the epidemic that has become until recent years. You can't make laws against something you don't know is a problem.
@@einyv
Agree, both sides really screwed the people over this for a very long time.
NO. STOP BLURRING THEIR FACES! STOP IT! THEY DESERVE TO BE MADE PUBLIC.
They only blurred the faces of the ones who weren't living there. You can see the faces of the main two clearly.
Plenty of loose cleveage, though.
Yes don’t protect these criminals!
@@mariebussinger6565Yes I saw that ugly sight!
@mariebus- " loose cleavage " lol 😂 accompanied by a loose brain .
Why do these trashy people need to damage their free house?
Did it notice their skin color? It’s dey cultcha
@@oPt1k4Lwhite people have been shown doing the same thing. Project less
@oPt1k4L do we really wanna talk about whose culture it is to take things that don't belong to them? 😅
@oPt1k4L There are squatters of all races.
Because they did not have to work for it ! It was too easy !!!
Can you imagine you have to keep paying the mortgage while these bums live free.
I don't have to imagine it. I had renters that were thousands of dollars behind in their rent and I still had to pay the mortgage on the rental property. And they had the audacity to tell me that they thought I just owned it and didn't have a mortgage on it. So they apparently thought that cheating me was okay as long as I didn't have a mortgage. They filed bankruptcy, moved to some other poor landlords home, and I got none of my back rent and lost half the value in the sale of the property because I couldn't afford to bring it up to market standards before selling.
I think mortgage fees and criminal damage should be billed to the criminals.
@@skycloud4802 I think it should also. But honestly what do you think is the likelihood of you collecting anything? In my explanation above the deadbeats used the system and bankruptcy to avoid paying me and bunches of other creditors. They played the system and won.
There are many, many people who have lost their homes back to the bank for just this reason. It is absolutely disgusting, and should never happen.
@@mikeslater6246 My parents had a similar thing happen. They started the eviction process when a tenant stopped paying rent. He dragged it out for over 6 months by repeatedly filing for delays and extensions. After they finally evicted him, they filed a lawsuit to try to collect back rent. Only to learn that during those 6 months, he had transferred all his assets into his wife's name, then filed for personal bankruptcy. Only he was on the lease, not his wife, so there was nothing my parents could do. They now require both spouses to sign the lease.
Unwanted guests? Are they kidding, criminals who should be in jail.
PC speak.
All these people were released from the prisons that were emptied out in Venezuela, El Salvador, Cuba etc.. And sent to the US Open border. Now they are all in the USA.
About time to protect the home owners who pay the taxes.
This law needs to be in every state and city
These squatters are now the most hated squatters in the squatting community, they picked the wrong house and set this all into motion! I hope other states follow suit and put an end to the squatting nightmare.
...squatting community?
@@alyssarasmussen1723 Haven't you heard of 'birds of a feather flock together'? Squatters are not hanging out with hard working people who pay their bills, they are hanging out with criminals who break into homes with a fraudulent lease in hand.
@@MA-mh1vsman bro wdf typa Batman shi u just made up 😂
@@KD-wc4rs What you think squatters hang out with hard working people that pay their bills? Hell no they don't they hang out with lowlifes that break into peoples homes to live in them for free just like they do. So yeah, make no mistake there is a community of these freeloaders.
The what community lmfao
Squatters should be jailed.
One thing florida got right more states should follow.
The fact that you need a law for this is really ridiculous. How is this any different from a stolen car?
Because enough lawyers keep arguing successfully and getting criminals off by saying laws that are interpreted as covering certain circumstances are not specific enough to apply to the criminal at hand. So you have to have specific laws for every specific crime. "Thou shalt not steal" and "thou shalt not covet" is no longer good enough.
How are they not being charged with destruction of property?
And theft. They stole the washer and dryer on their way out.
I think that's the main issue here, they are always being investigated and rarely charged.
Justice is too slow, if it ever happens.
They have enhanced melanin privilege. The law does not apply to them because they are perpetual “victims”.
We've been asking for this for YEARS. They're so proud they fixed this after years of ignoring us.
Election year
I honestly doubt this is fixed. I hope it is but time will tell. Doesn't seem to have teeth to me.
This law wasn’t actually necessary. There are many other laws protecting landowners. The problem here rests solely with the District Attorney being a lefty liberal.
To be honest, nothing will make you happy lol
Why is property theft (worth tens of thousands of dollars) not a felony? Stealing a car is!
Is this another loophole? Where real estate falls under Civil rather than Criminal enforcement?
Exactly 💯%
Correct. The damages from loss of potential rent is a civil issue, but the damages to the property itself is definitely criminal law.
You get more time for embezzling than this and it's a personal crime against a homeowner not some insured corporation.
@@willythemailboy2 Property damages are usually also treated as a civil matter and require a separate civil case from the eviction case. I am glad a state is addressing that craziness in the law.
@@willythemailboy2I always thought it was funny that you have more consequences for stealing a carton of cigarettes than ducking out on $20K in back rent.
HOW & WHEN did this start happening, & more importantly HOW do these LOSERS have ANY rights AT ALL. INFURIATING
It happened because a few landlords were scamming people. They would rent the place, collect the money and then two weeks later the real landlord would come by and say what are you doing in my place. So because of a few unscrupulous people everyone has to suffer and i ran into one lady where the day I paid she tried to kick me out of the place. She found out the hard way. You cant kick anyone out at anytime. But you do notice that there is now a felony to trying to rent or house that you dont own
How were landlords scamming people when the people renting out the property was not the landlord. You need to change that word. Scammers were involved but the scammers were not landlords.
landlords would also run scams.... They would make people pay rent and kick them out@@mikeslater6246
@@mikeslater6246 Right
Way past time to get our lawmakers to have some serious skin in the game. This living big life of the politicians needs to come to an end. Time to get their attention.
Why have people like them not be prosecuted for the damages done to the property🤷🏻♀️
Just implement this across the usa please
There should be a law that if the city or state refuses to step in to evict the squatters, then the city or state is responsible for the mortgage, property tax, and damages to the property.
Great job Florida. As far as I know, you are the 1st state in the country to finally pass legislation to stop these squatters. And good on the news team for making this public!
AL has had this law for decades plus Castle Doctrine laws, you may use deadly force to remove an intruder from your home. Squat on property in AL at your risk.
Wild how you can go to jail for stealing a candy bar from a store but not for stealing someones $300k home. This should be a nationwide law
This needs to be made the law everywhere!
In New York. You get in contact with someone who has experience in STREET JUSTICE
New York.. lol. They can’t even manage their illegal aliens and their subways escalated to needing the National Guard to be controlled. New Yorkers are wimps as they can’t even manage simple shoplifters.
Ha 20 years of nyc landlord experience tells me you've either never owned rental property or you own and just got lucky with a tenant that didn't know the laws😅
There was a case last year in Florida. A military man had been assigned duty overseas. When he returned squatters had moved into his house and refused to leave. Surprise , a motor cycle gang told the squatters they were coming to pay them a visit. The squatters were moved out before the motor cycle gang arrived.
You mean it's not already a felony?? Insanity rules!
The woman who owns the house HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE THERE! Those squatters need to leave the premises
My property, my rules and they won't like it for sure.
It's sad people lack the courage to treat these people as home invaders under the castle doctrine.
It wasn't her castle. It's her income revenue. She could easily sell the extra house and male money but then she might have to actually get a job.
The new bill needs to include verbiage to extend castle doctrine to unoccupied houses that people own.
@@BunnyMan-ec4xg This is the thing socialists can't understand. It's her property. She worked to earn the money to buy it. You do not deserve any part of it and getting the government to steal it for you is still theft and will be punished as such.
@@realastuteinvestor😂😂😂😂😂😂😂flipping burgers🤦🏽♀️
@@realastuteinvestor Love it!
Good job Florida. I work everyday to keep a roof over my head.
Do u have 2 roofs you own and one u rent out and make money off someone else's hard work? No you work yourself. This woman in the news article makes money doing nothing. She is lucky enough to own multiple properties and wants us to feel bad for her.
@@BunnyMan-ec4xg how do you think she got the rental property, osmosis? I'm sure she works her a** off to be able to have more than one property. Jealous much?
Landlords are the same as Ticket Scalpers. They buy the tickets and resell them for way more. I'll never respect them
@@BunnyMan-ec4xg you can come and climb up a ladder while I repaint my rental. Then you can come scrub the bathroom, the floors and repair the walls where they hung stuff. When you’re done with that please remove the shrubs in the front as I want to replant that area with new plants. You’re just a pissed off person that won’t bother to work three jobs like I did so I could later become a lazy landlord. 😂
@@BunnyMan-ec4xg They owe you nothing then if this is the opinion you have of them.
Nobody owes you a thing. No matter how they got it.
I never even heard of swatters rights till recently. I can't believe it even exists. Totally mind blowing. Those who destroyed the owners house should go to prison for a long time.
As a retired social worker, I have seen this for years, and it is usually many months of misery. The squatters are dangerous and destructive; may this effort make it's way successfully through the red tape.
Im surprised that more squatters don’t end up in the emergency room.
Well, that's because people will go to prison for aggravated assault. Why ruin your life for a criminal ?
I honestly hate whats going on about these squatters just taking peoples property and completely disrespecting the owners.
One should not have to stoop down to the criminals level, because then you would be in prison while the criminal is laughing and continuing living in your house.
I know its painful, and the process is long, but just let the courts handle it. And hope that your state follows suit of what Florida did.
HALLELUJAH!!! It is about time that COMMON SENSE is being applied in the law. Thanks, Florida lawmakers.
when you can't kick people out of your property on the same day tells me something is very wrong.
It’s about time the law was on the side of “home owners.” Squatters “ethically and legally” have no rights. There should be a law to jail all squatters in “every state.” That’s stealing someone’s house / home. It’s strange you steal from Walmarts or major grocery chain they come and arrest you. You can’t have double standards on the law books.
When biden told renters they could not be evicted or forced to pay their legal mortgages, that is when i decided i would never own another rental property. While these people lived for free the owners still had to pay the mortgages.
Owning rental properties means you make $$$ off other people's hard labor.
@@BunnyMan-ec4xg no
@@BunnyMan-ec4xgso does having a job.
@@BunnyMan-ec4xgyou're a clown and just make dumb statements. Section 8 renter's are not working hard and there's no labor involved.
No one…..NO ONE should be allowed to steal someone’s home. Ever.
It's time to start giving them free room and board in the graybar hotel.
They’re in and out of that hotel all the time. Also rent free.
Honestly this should be a NATIONWIDE law! Kudos to Florida for doing it right
This is long over due, get it passed already- everywhere.
One of the best bills I’ve seen passed! Glad to live in Florida. Thank you legislators and Governor!
This is a no brainer! This should have never have happened to this lady!!!
This law should be in all the States. In every angle squatting is not right. They are not paying, making the house dirty, and they destroy inside. Law makers please make this law in the entire US.
It's a state issue. YOU have to make it happen in YOUR state. The last thing we need is people in DC making laws that apply to every state. Get a clue.
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 Correct. A state issue. 💯
How did these squatters not get charged with property damage?????
This is so sad 😢. I hate to see people going through this type of stuff.
I genuinely do not understand, why in the hell this has even become “legal” here…. Seriously what in the actual hell is wrong with the legal system?
sign it today...gov...sign it this very moment.
It's about time these homeowners are being protected finally.....
why is it always, ALWAYS, those people who do this kind of crap??? Squatting and tearing up the place. They need to go to jail.
It's in their DNA!
@essieessie5399
Those people DNA?
I've seen
White
Spanish
illegals
Black( carribean Haitian,African and Native born black Americans)
squat in homes across America.
I detected a microagression in your comment.
"Those people" include YOUR people as well.😊
Now holdon there. Its not always black ppl. Is it in your dna to do mass sh00t1ngs? @essieessie5399
And so rude, violent, and obnoxious.
@@GillAgainsIsland12 are we talking about black ppl
It's so easy to check who actually owns a property online. No excuse if you're duped.
squatters arent duped. thats just their excuse to prolong the investigation. they know exactly what they are doing.
They wen't duped. They just claim to've been duped.
If they do any damage to the property, they should be charged with it, and gone to jail!
It would be a shame if someone was a victim of a scam but why should it be the owner who has to take the loss? If these crooks robbed someone walking down the street in front of the house would the home owner be responsible for paying them back? That’s why these “squatter’s rights” policies make no sense.
If someone is in your property against your wishes, don’t call police until it’s a one sided story.
Even then dont call the cops,,,,,,, Clean up, and shut up.....tell no one...not even yourself..
She needs to sue these people for damages to her home.
When you sue the best you can expect is to get even and that is far from a guarantee let alone trying to be made whole. But in this case its going to take another $10K in legal fees to get nothing. Courts make judgements they don't enforce them. In that way a judge is about as powerful as a meter maid. Better to just take that $10K, fix things up and live well as that is the best revenge you can get on these turds.
How squatting is legal in America is shocking. This is like legalizing stealing, what a lawless part of our country.
All leases should be recorded with the county, and any time an owner claims a lease doesn't exist, LEOs need to take squatters into custody. This puts controls in place to prevent either side from abusing the system. Any damage needs to be recoverable by whomever was negligent and when the city pays for too many of these, they will step TF up and take care of this garbage
They need to be held accountable, and someone needs to rescue the dog they were just pulling along!
It's not 'what kind of world we are living in' It's what kind of country are we living in!
This isn't just in America, it happens in other countries. Then there are the laws that allow people to use part of other peoples property and eventually they can 'claim' that. (Adverse possesion?)
How has this taken so long is mind boggling.
Process could be sped up and cheaper if the owner placed notice house is to be termite tented...then follow through. They'd have to get out.
Seems ridiculous to need a law for this
as if rents aren't high enough, they have to cover this nonsense. glad to see Florida return to sanity
Awesome for Florida. Every state should do it.
So disgusting and shameful. Truly hope this is enforced.
They need to be thrown in jail!! This is why I will never rent out a house. People want available rentals, but this kind of tenant is the horror story stopping many of us from doing it. PLUS if you sue them for damages its a huge waste of time and money since obviously they don't have the money.
Now they need to make it a crime if a tenant intentionally destroys a property they’re renting because of whatever reason
Why aren't these serial squatters in jail 😤
Jail.
It is inexcusable that this loophole existed in the first place.
Every state legislator who has ever held office since this loophole existed should be ashamed of themselves.
I hope something can be done for these types of people.
No one is going to do anything to these people. They think they are above the law and they are.
Actually they are below it. It's not worth the $ spent.
@@BunnyMan-ec4xgabove the law means there are no legal consequences for illegal activities. You don't even know what above the law means.
Tjis is really unfair! What kind of law would allow people who don't pay rent to live rent free.
They steal a house and don't even get charged?????????
Should never be like this in the first place
This is a serious question: what’s stopping home owners from just going in armed and making these people leave?
As home owners we will be arrested for taking matters into our own hands. The law is protecting them not home owners
@@kandicope4826 couldn’t you claim self defense?
The police.
Home owners have less rights then squatters and it is a shame. And we should be able just to take our homes back
So, who pays for the damages?
Lot more laws need to be passed to stop squatters in their tracks plus laws passed for them all to have to face serious consequences for squatting. Squatting needs to be stopped period.
How is this not Robbery? This is just crazy
It is robbery! States should revoke squatters rights!
They could find and charge them for crimes if they wanted to!!!
Animals such a damn shame
Monsters, not animals. Animals have more dignity and empathy.
Always these people squatting. Smh!!
Meanwhile, in NY, a homeowner in the same situation was arrested and the squatters were allowed back into the home.
Usual suspects.
They give the homes to Squatters in California.
Now that's California way 😂
I have a home in a tiny island. Some visitors noticed my home was empty and decided to stay. About three weeks later, I am up on. A hill alone, the yard man came and found them. After a few phone calls I said the word, remove from my property.
The tourists where three, so I asked for big help. lol they showed up at midnight on horses, about 20+ of my people. They were removed and put on the ferry and they can come back..
Neighbor you have power, you know, you see, so you MUST REPORT IMMEDIATELY!
you are blessed with many good friends and
neighbors.
Do you report to the lord of the estate that he sent, with haste, the entire of King Arthur and the Knights of Justice?
Not sure what you are trying to say, I can understand the word play . English is my third language so sarcasm, jokes things of the nature escape me.
Sorry, I did not get the laugh nor the insult.@@cy9141
One thing, and One thing only, is common in all of these squatters, but I can't say it on YT.
They are all Amish.
Its about time. Unfrikken believable that it was not changed along time ago.
Thank God they did something about this!! Those squatters should absolutely be in jail for what they did to that woman’s home!
Glad to hear City Protecting home owners.
Ignorant and entitlement the ball's on some people.
So why weren't the squatters charged....? Oh, protected species.
Squatters come in all ethnicities! SMH!
@@believer7733 But mostly one race. Sorry, but we have eyes.
Its about time every state should pass this bill if it was my house some one would pay.
Wow. They destroyed that house. I’m sorry for the owners. She doesn’t deserve this. Those people need to go to jail.
The usual suspects
Its called a Gun
Finally, something is heading in the direction of positive resolvement for the homeowner. It's a shame something like this is even needed.
I once owned six rental properties in Florida and Tennessee. After dealing with realtors, agents, and property management people -- not to mention buyers and renters -- I can tell you unequivocally that 99.9999% of the people you meet are dishonest. I could tell story after story of what I went through. I, however, didn't go through something like this but the unfairness and grief and justifiable anger, well..., I can COMPLETELY identify with, believe me! Squatters should have NO rights. NONE.
Oh look it’s those people again
RUclips is a paradise for people who are too cowardly to ever say what they think out loud. Being so weak must be miserable.
@@doriancoreyscloset421 Wrong. It’s called censorship, which RUclips enforces.
@@GillAgainsIsland12 so how many black people have you personally told how you feel?
@@GillAgainsIsland12 there's no censorship in real life. Get out of your average to lower income home and share your thoughts 😂
@@doriancoreyscloset421 Sensible black people agree with me. They are EMBARRASSED by the behavior of many blacks. You should be too. It's not a skin color issue, it's a cultural issue, and you know it. I have met blacks from Africa, who are GREAT people. So, your assumption about me is totally wrong. But I'm sure that won't stop you from false accusations.
2nd Amendment still solves this best.
YEP and fl is a stand your ground state. The owner walking in to their home and sees a strainger, fear for her life...case closed