Post date: Jan 07, 2011 7:24:20 PM
Latvian man squatting in 10 million pound London house says British law makes the country attractive to foreign squatters.
LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 7, 2011) ITN - A group of thirty squatters has taken over a 10 million pound house in a leafy London suburb after entering through an open bathroom window on the day after Christmas (December 26).
The group have attracted media attention in Britain after their leader, a twenty-one-year-old Latvian man, was quoted by newspapers as saying he came to live in Britain because of its legal protections for squatters.Most of the group, made up of other eastern Europeans, as well as people from France, New Zealand and Britain, moved into the empty 10 bedroom house after they were evicted from a squat in a pub in the neighbourhood.
Latvian Jason Ruddick said on Friday (January 7) he and the other squatters moved into the house after becoming aware that it was empty.
"Because it was big enough for 30 people, it was empty for seven months, because we were checking this place since summer, I think. I never saw actually work being done. Apparently they were intending to do it but it was empty, nobody lives here so it was possible to move in and live for a few weeks at least," said Ruddick.
In Britain squatting is regarded as a civil rather than criminal matter. Landlords are not able to force their way back into a property and must go through the courts to seek the removal of squatters.
Ruddick, who said he would be arrested for squatting in his native Latvia, admitted that legal rights for squatters in Britain had influenced his decision to move to the country.
"That was certainly part of the reason because I knew that if I came here there was a place to stay at least. You can go anywhere and expect to be able to find accommodation. So I knew that if I come here than at least have a place to live until I find a job or something."
"I don't know. Probably," said Ruddick when pressed on whether he felt that Britain was "soft" on squatters.
"But there are squats in other countries where there is no legal protection so even if they were to make it illegal people would still do it," he added.
British squatter Henry Cris said that it was better that the empty property was put to good use.
"I kind of look at it at almost saving the tax payer money 'cos otherwise we'd be, you know, claiming benefits for somewhere to live and we're saving money there obviously so it probably all balances out in the end or something," said Cris who turned to squatting after being thrown out by his mother.
The Highgate area where the house is situated is home to celebrities including George Michael, Sting and Jude Law.
The squatters have been served with a court order to leave the property by January 19.