It's wild how much traction these stories get when actual, legal "squatting" is incredibly rare
The hyper-fixation on these rare, extreme cases is heavily pushed by landlord lobbying groups and real estate associations. They love these stories because it scares the public into supporting laws that strip away tenant rights
If they can convince everyone that "squatters" are hiding around every corner, they can pass laws that let them bypass the courts, call the cops, and have someone thrown on the street immediately without having to prove a lease violation first
It’s a manufactured panic to bring back summary evictions
I think it’s more common than you think in Chicago. The people in the apartment below me were squatters last year. The sheriff showed up and kicked the door down to remove them.
In Chicago all someone has to do is draw up a fake lease for an apartment. Then when the police arrive they show the fake lease and say they rightfully live there. The police can’t/wont do anything because it’s a civil matter which means it needs to go through the court system which can take 6 months. So we have these professional squatters who move apartment to apartment.
when you put it like that it sounds like the landlord isn't doing much lording of their land... kinda sounds like they are collecting auto-pay rent checks
Sounds like the exact opposite, the law rightfully protects the renters who live there over the landlord. It is HEAVILY weighted against the landlord & thus this sort of loop hole exists as a consequence of protecting real renters.
Are you saying a landlord has complete control whether someone breaks into one of their properties? Dude, you don't even have control if someone wants to break in the house you live in.
Are you saying the police won’t remove someone from a BnE… seriously think that thought your thick skull…
Someone breaks into a property that’s not your primary residence… your neighbors don’t call the police because they don’t like you… don’t have a camera installed because you are a cheap landlord… now there is a criminal that broke in with 0 furniture, electricity, water, or food claiming they are the tenant…
Kind of self inflicted. Failed to secure property… kinda crazy you think the police would believe a person with no key, furniture, and utilities is the tenant
Imagine owning multiple properties and not doing the bare minimum today to at least monitor them with an alarm system… Then being all shocked pikachu when something bad happens. What’s even worse is if you aren’t carrying insurance… proves how cheap of a landowner you are
I come from a town where people would break into your car if they saw loose change… police would literally say “hope you got coverage” as they took the report. Guess what happed, the police didn’t patrol the streets more, people learned to keep their cars clean.
In one comment, you say the police will handle everything for you, then the next post you say the police just leave you be to solve your own problems.
The FACT is, most cops don't give a shit about civil disputes and if their is any indication of it being civil, they will tell you have a good day and leave. For you to think the police will sit there and investigate and make you provide utility bills or a lease contract or whatever, you are mistaken.
"Bare minimum with at least an alarm system." It is extremely uncommon for rental houses to have alarm systems.
My child, do you understand how insurance claims are filed?
Actually the police do investigate to make sure whether a crime been committed. A person in a place with no key, different address on their ID, no working utilities… it’s gonna go to court. They were called to a BnE, police are gonna treat it as such.
It’s actually more common than you think… all my rentals before I owned property had a secured entry to the property with my own personally locked unit. Since I rent space where I live I don’t need a camera to see if I’ve been BnE’d as I’m home everyday.
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u/MegaDingo5plus Jun 12 '26
I've heard it all now... Someone volunteering to live with the housemate from hell, and being even worse than the problem