SQUAT THE HELL?
I was furious after squatters moved into my elderly mum’s home – but they fled after I got my own back
A HANDYMAN outsmarted squatters who moved into his elderly mum's home and forced them to flee.
Flash Shelton says his mum had to leave the house in California after his dad died as she was unable to live there alone.
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They decided against selling the property and instead put it on the rental market.
They were contacted by a female prison guard who asked to take on the property, but she was dismissed as she had no money or credit.
But despite the refusal, a truck full of furniture and other belongings arrived at the home.
He said on his YouTube channel : "She said that it was delivered by accident and she was getting rid of it.
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"But I started hearing from realtors who were going there trying to list the house saying that there was a lady and people there, and a house full of furniture and there was nothing they could do."
Neighbours also said they had seen lights on and people in the house, so Flash called the cops.
But to his fury, they said they were unable to help and he would have to go through the court system.
Flash said: "Even though you're at your house, and you're paying the mortgage at some point, squatters feel like they have more rights than you, so they don't have incentive to leave until a judge tells them to.
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"And that could take months, six months, it could take years. I don't know. I didn't want to take that chance."
Flash decided to take matters into his own hands and wrote up a lease agreement with his mum, making him the legal resident.
He loaded up some guns and his dog into his Jeep and drove 12 hours to California.
Flash got there at 4am, and so waited down the street for the squatters to leave before letting himself into the house.
Flash said: "If they could take a house, then I could take a house.
"They're the squatter, and they have rights.
"Well, then, if I become the squatter on the squatter, then I should have rights, right?"
When he went into the house, Flash found it full of furniture as well as boxes of belongings.
He decided to put up security cameras, and as he installed them the squatters arrived back.
In a clip of their conversation, a woman can be heard saying: "I'm really sorry about all this. It's a nightmare and beyond."
Flash told them to remove their belongings before midnight or he would have it all removed.
His quest was successful, as they quickly got the furniture out of the property before getting it taken away.
He said: "I think just the fact that I was there was enough.
"It was actually fun to do it. I won't lie about that. I'm glad it was successful."
"Not everyone should walk through that door not knowing what you're gonna find.
"It's not always going to be peaceful like that."
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In California, squatters' rights kick in if they have lived at the property for five years.
Before this, they can be evicted - but this can often involve a court battle and take several months.
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