Elderly Pensioner Responsible for €17,000 Payment Following Unauthorized Occupation of Property for an Extended Period
A shocking turn of events unfolds as an elderly gentleman, age 95, finds his secondary residence in Poitiers, Vienne, occupied for a staggering year. Despite filing an eviction request, the local authority initially refused, citing insufficient evidence that the property was taken by force, deceit, or violence. This left the owner with no choice but to endure until the squatters finally vacated in February 2025.
Upon reclaiming his home, the owner found it uninhabitable, but the bad news didn't stop there. A broken pipe had caused substantial leaks, leading to a water bill of an eye-watering 17,000 euros from the Poitiers agglomeration. Sadly, laws prevented the owner from cutting off the water supply, even during the property's illegal occupation.
Meanwhile, the owner had also been denied the return of his security deposit by his tenants, costing him over 6,000 euros. However, there might be a silver lining in this peculiar predicament: the legal principle of "quid pro quo" suggests that the local authority could potentially step in and pay the bills on the owner's behalf.
Nonetheless, the City of Poitiers has yet to receive related information, regarding this matter as a private dispute. In cases like these, seeking expert legal advice is crucial to better navigate the complexities of French law.
In the spotlight: squatting, water bills, owner's liabilities.
- The owner's financial predicament deepened as he struggled not only with the hassle of evicting squatters from his property but also with the sudden real-estate related issues, such as a hefty water bill and the loss of his security deposit.
- In an attempt to alleviate some of the financial strain, the owner may consider the legal principle of "quid pro quo" and propose that the city, who initially refused his eviction request, could offset his expenses by assisting with the payment of his exorbitant water bill.
