Squatter Problem: Factors to Consider Before Letting Someone Move Into Your Home

Length of Stay - The person may overstay their welcome. Helping someone with a place to stay temporarily could turn into a permanent stay. The person may get comfortable with you paying the bills and stop looking for their own place. The length of stay could put you at risk of a lease violation if the person is not on your lease.

Change & Responsibility - Allowing someone to move into your home or apartment can cause a change in routine, privacy, and loss of personal space. You may feel responsible for taking care of their needs, which may be emotionally and financially draining. The person may try to talk you into putting their name on the deed to your home. Don't do that. Contact the Disability & Aging Crime Victims Unit (DACVU) first. 

Safety Problems - There could be a strain in the relationship if they don’t move out. You may begin to feel unsafe, especially if they have threatened or emotionally/physically abused you. You may feel you must leave your home to be safe. 

Financial & Liability Issues - When someone stays in your home or apartment, there is always a risk of accidental or intentional property damage. This could cause a strain on your relationship and create financial liability issues for you. 

Client Story

DRC Client, "M", let two friends move into his apartment. It didn't take long for problems to begin to arise. The two friends were verbally abusive to each other and would yell loudly. M worried that his neighbors were going to call the police. One of the friends began to drink alcohol heavily, making him "mean and hateful". When M was sick, this friend tried to pressure M into driving him to pick up another person whom he wanted to move into M's apartment. When M said no, and told him he would get in trouble with his landlord, the friend became angry and began threatening M. 

M contacted the DRC and was connected with an advocate and attorney on the DACVU team. The advocate advised M to go to his local domestic violence resource center to file a Protection From Abuse petition (PFA). When the PFA was filed, M didn't feel safe in his apartment, so DRC provided him with money for his stay in a hotel until the PFA hearing. M's DRC attorney represented him in court, where the judge ordered his friends to leave his apartment. DRC helped to pay for M's locks to be changed and he was able to return to his apartment. 

*Client name abbreviated and details changed/removed from story to protect client confidentiality