Squatters broke into Yves’ house in Limal to occupy it. This is the second time he has faced this kind of situation. Following a message via our orange Alert us button, we met the witness. Dislodging the squatters is very complicated.
For 48 hours, Yves’ house in Limal (Wavre) has been occupied by squatters who broke into them. “It is a house that has been empty since 2019, in particular for unsanitary conditions“, he confides to us.
Warned by neighbors, the owner called the police. Arrived on the spot, the agents might only note the facts. “The police tell us: ‘Okay, we’re just taking your complaint and giving you a copy, you have to go see the justice of the peace who can issue an eviction notice, followed by the intervention of a bailiff with a locksmith and mover’. Anyway, unimaginable costs“, explains Yves.
A dialogue takes place
During our filming on location, one of the occupants comes to meet Yves. A dialogue begins. “There is no more current, there is no more water. It’s a house that’s not healthy and it’s not normal for two, three or four of you to settle in there. This is not normal, I’m sorry“, reacts Yves.
“Everyone has their level of comfort. Everyone has their own comfort needs.“, replies the squatter. Faced with the owner’s arguments, the young man feels misunderstood.”He’d rather have it empty and be sure it’s really empty, while it’s useless, than to help people who need to spend a night in the warmth, or three months in the warmth. We need three months“, indicates the squatter.
Why can’t the police evict them directly?
Taking possession of a dwelling and changing the locks constitutes an offense of which the public prosecutor’s office is informed. Legally, however, the police cannot evict the occupants. “We are not authorized to evacuate the premises of a private dwelling. Because it constitutes a home for the people who actually occupy the building. So we either have to have permission from a judge or have a call from inside, that is, the people inside are in danger, and then we can enter the home.“, indicates Bernard De Maertelaere, head of the Wavre Police Zone.
The squatter offers to maintain the house
Seeking to avoid an eviction ordered by the justice of the peace, the squatters offer an amicable solution: a lease contract with renovation. They do work around the house. In exchange, they can occupy it. “Just the fact of occupying a house that is empty, you also have to realize that for the owner, it is not particularly negative. In fact, we also offer the maintenance of a house“, confides the young squatter to us.
It would be irresponsible
Yves does not seem interested. “It would be irresponsible to tell them: ‘Yes, stay in there during the winter’. What will happen if tomorrow there is a fire? There is no insurance. If they set the house on fire. Or if someone freezes to death inside. As an owner, we can’t leave things as they are“, reacts our witness.
For Yves, the law must be toughened. Now he plans to sell or demolish the house to carry out a real estate project. But before that, he will have to regain possession of the premises by legal means.