Want family member to vacate

Heighway61

Four months ago an estranged family member got in touch and asked to stay in a vacant property I own, for 3 weeks. They don't pay rent or power (acc in credit).

i want to sell the house but they have said they have nowhere to go and are not moving out.

What's the best way to handle this?

StormForce13

The best way would be to buy a time machine, go back four months and 1 day, and say a very firm "NO" to the estranged family. But that ship has sailed.

I fear that you may be in for a lot of hassle and possible expense. As the cynical old saying has it no good deed should ever go unpunished.

Unless you can change the locks when they're all out, you're probably going to have a big problem getting rid of them quickly.

Why not give FLAC a call on Monday: https://www.flac.ie/help/infoline/

1874

4 months, they are not tenants, they have no rights, physically chuck them out. Also, you are an idiot (no offence) but thats the dumbest thing Ive read in a long time, you shouldnt own property.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876252#Comment_122876252

I assume the OP missed the member in the opening line of their post. It's not an entire family, just one person. The title is "Want Family Member to Vacate".

I would advise keeping it amicable for as long as possible. Otherwise, if it goes the legal route it will get expensive.

Is this person working? If you found somewhere for them, could you pay the deposit for them to "help" them move out?

herbalplants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058381891/want-family-member-to-vacate

Go in, change the locks even pull the toilet out.

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876298#Comment_122876298

If it's only one person then my advice re. changing the locks when the individual is out becomes a lot more feasible.

I don't know whether he can legally have the electricity supply disconnected, but he should check it out.

Heighway61

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876287#Comment_122876287

I don't think that's fair comment. You don't know the circumstances.

1874

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876301#Comment_122876301

The OP could do with saying if this is one person or multiple. As for the toilet? what if they just use a sink. Change locks, then encourage them out or force them (as a trespasser) out and/or prevent them returning. Make sure their belongings are cleared up ready to move them too.

1874

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876324#Comment_122876324

You didn't put in any circumstances, either you want them out or not. Your judgement must be poor if you thought what you did was a good move, then counter it with "circumstances"

SupaCat95

The real question mark is do they have any paperwork? I would be going in and changing the locks and selling the house ASAP. No paperwork, no bills, no contract = never had an agreement. I mean so fast that your head will spin. Any Estate agent worth their salt has a list of people looking to buy a house in the morning within your price bracket. The faster the better. If you do it right the house can be sold so quickly, the family member will have no idea what has happened legally until it is too late.

Contact a solicitor ASAP. Have tradesmen and Estate Agent ready to go.

Oscar_Madison

I don’t see the situation as any different than a friend sofa surfing for a few weeks - if it were me I’d seek legal advice around what I can and can’t do legally - but if it’s as simple as telling them to leave changing the locks and advising the Gardai if they break back in, then that’s the way I’d go- I wouldn’t hesitate for an instant - you were good enough to put a roof over their head for a few weeks- they’re now trying to take advantage of that - don’t let them is my view. I don’t care how cold it is or what season it is- they’re clearly taking the pizz of your good will - act now but act legally - don’t take advice from a randomer on the internet - you’ve one chance to get this right.
If you can legally kick them out without any legal recourse or block, then ensure you bring witnesses - a lot of witnesses - you don’t want any nasty stuff happening - but wait until they’re out before changing the locks if it comes to that - then stand your legal ground assuming you have some

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122876324#Comment_122876324

It might sound harsh but you literally gave someone a free house and now expect them to just hand it back to you. Of course they will fight this to the last drop of energy, no one is going to hand a free house back.

The person is not a tenant, they are a scrounger who sees you as a soft touch. Just remove them from the house without violence and say goodbye.

bcklschaps

I got into a situation one time where I effectively had a squatter in a house I owned. He was a musician and a party guy, doing drugs with his mates etc. I was paying the utility bills and he was paying absolutely nothing.... I had asked him to move out several times, no dice.

One day I called over, cleared out one of the rooms, and moved in... After a couple of days of passive aggressive politeness his mates stopped coming around and eventually (inside maybe a month) he moved out too... very amicably too I might add.

Having me living in the house unsettled him and kinda wrecked his buzz

SupaCat95

The more desperate the housing situation becomes the more aggressive people will become.

Bogey Lowenstein

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122877769#Comment_122877769

That might work for the OP, if they could rent out the rest of the bedrooms short-term the relative might get annoyed not having the place to himself anymore and move on.

SupaCat95

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122879425#Comment_122879425

Nah I have a feeling this relative had hit rock bottom, that s/he needed to force to ask family for help.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122879485#Comment_122879485

The OP did help but this leech is not the OP's responsibility and also not a tenant and so they have no tenant rights and the OP should have no regrets fecking them out on their ear!