Do you agree with Squatting Laws? 🧎‍♀️🧎

This is the story of a couple in my city and their saga with Squatters on a property they own in the state of North Carolina.

In 2015 the Dunlaps (not their real name) purchased a home in North Carolina with the intention of using it as rental property as their permanent place of residence is Florida. They rented the home to a single woman and her children. A year passes without incidence. Then suddenly the woman stops paying rent and they could not get a hold of her. They decided to visit the home. They found her and 8 other adults as well as 5 children living in the home. They gave the adults a chance to pay the back owed rent, but none did, so everyone was evicted.

Most likely out of spite, the renters wrecked the home upon eviction. Not shown on photographs but all of the piping was purposely clogged and there were holes in the roof made with what they believe to have been a hammer of some sort.

So it’s 2017, and the Dunlaps went back to Florida. They do not do anything with the property to have it cleaned up or repaired. They continued paying the mortgage but have let it sit since then and also have not visited it.

Now it is 2021. They decided they wanted to sell the home in North Carolina. They went to visit it for the first time since December 2017. And they find... people living in it!

Since 2018, the Isaacs (not their real name) have lived in the home, consisting of a husband, wife, and three children. The Isaacs stated they noticed the abandoned rural home and did not think anyone was going to ever come back to it. So they moved in, and began fixing it up, as well as put all utilities in their name. According to North Carolina law, this is called Adverse Possession of a Property. A seemingly abandoned property may legally, without any exchange of payment, belong to a “Squatter” if they have resided on the property for a certain number of months. The Isaacs have lived on this property for YEARS. So legally, it is theirs. The Dunlaps cannot evict them or force them off the property, even though they are financially responsible for the mortgage and still legally own the home.

What are your thoughts on this situation? It’s been the talk of our community for a while. Some support the Dunlaps and think they should regain possession of the home since they’re still legally required to pay the monthly mortgage. Some support the Isaacs and say the Dunlaps should have never let their dilapidated home sit for years without ever checking on it. The Isaacs were just opportunists who saw a cheap way of legal living for their family. Who do you support? Do you support Squatting Laws like this?