A Dallas-area woman is documenting her nightmare experience after a squatter allegedly trashed her home and sold her belongings while she was taking care of a family member in another state.
Terri Boyette shared how squatters took over her home last year while she was in Florida caring for her sick mother in videos that recently went viral on social media.
When she tried to report the break-in to law enforcement, she was told squatters' rights laws protected the "tenant" because he had been there over ten days and she had to go through the eviction process.
In her TikTok posts, she shared the frustrating, months-long process it took to legally evict the inhabitant.
FLORIDA SHERIFF WARNS SQUATTERS HE WILL BE THEIR 'WORST ENEMY' AND HAS A PLACE FOR THEM IN JAIL
After gaining access to her home again on March 20, she discovered most of her furniture and appliances had been stolen or damaged beyond repair.
In a video shared with her social media followers, Boyette walked through her home, revealing how the squatter had wrecked the house and left piles of trash, clothes and rotting food.
She told The New York Post the person also left crack pipes in her oven and needles in a drawer, turning her home into a "drug den." A neighbor informed her the squatter even sold some of her belongings online and in a garage sale.
All this happened "while I was still not allowed to be on the property because of, you know, ‘squatters’ rights'," Boyette remarked on TikTok. "This is bull—."
Red states around the country are moving to eliminate squatters' rights, which have proven to be a costly headache for property owners in cities around the country. These rights allow people to be considered tenants after occupying a property for a certain amount of time, tying the hands of legal property owners who try to remove the unwanted inhabitants.
DESANTIS ELIMINATES ‘SQUATTERS’ RIGHTS' IN FLORIDA, GIVES POWER TO COPS TO REMOVE OFFENDERS
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed legislation into law that eliminates squatters’ rights in the Sunshine State and increases penalties against offenders.
The law outlines that squatters will face criminal charges for illegally moving into a home and allows property owners to file an affidavit showing they legally own a property.
A spokesperson for the Mesquite Police Department, however, pushed back against the Texas homeowners' story in comments to The New York Post.
"In Texas, a squatter can claim adverse possession, but this is a very involved process. It requires them having a recorded deed for the property and paying property tax on the property for at least 5 years or occupying and improving the land for at least 10 years (I’ve never seen this myself)," the spokesperson said.
They added, "The eviction process is recommended for squatters to ensure that any adverse claims filed are invalid."
