Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

[Legal Beagles]

A family moved into their new home only to discover 12 illegal immigrants living in the roof.

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[WendyB]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

I heard about this 2 days ago. The previous tenant, Shirley, is one of my best friends. She hasn't spoken to the papers at all, only person in authority she's spoken to is the policeman who phoned her to ask if she knew anything about them. She says the way the copper was asking her questions, she got the idea that he thought she was a "madam" and was running a brothel in her loft pmsl!!. I told her it probably explains why she's never got any food in the fridge and the phone bills are so high - she always blames her two sons for eating all the food. Now we know better lmao.

[WendyB]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

We think the "police" who phoned my mate was really a newspaper reporter trying to get info. Good jub they have't quoted the bit where she said she thought she'd got squirrels in the loft pmsl.

this is a link to the article in The Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1286166.ece


Seriously though, there are issues arising from this, well sort of anyway. Am gonna start a thread in landlords.

And it turns out that the tenancy is only in the new womans name, not the blokes. They are both on benefits, claiming as single people we think. Not very bright of them to get their faces splashed all over The Sun, is it?? Wonder if the benefits agency will be asking for details? And will they knock off the 600 quid they've received for the story off their benefits? or is this allowed as unearned income?

[Amethyst]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

God some of the comments on the Sun site are awful.

Those poor folks. How desperate do you have to be to live in someone elses loft with a baby. ffs. There some evil gits in the world.

[madbutterfly]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

We think the "police" who phoned my mate was really a newspaper reporter trying to get info. Good jub they have't quoted the bit where she said she thought she'd got squirrels in the loft pmsl.

this is a link to the article in The Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1286166.ece


Seriously though, there are issues arising from this, well sort of anyway. Am gonna start a thread in landlords.

And it turns out that the tenancy is only in the new womans name, not the blokes. They are both on benefits, claiming as single people we think. Not very bright of them to get their faces splashed all over The Sun, is it?? Wonder if the benefits agency will be asking for details? And will they knock off the 600 quid they've received for the story off their benefits? or is this allowed as unearned income?

She could have the tenancy in her name and he could claim housing benefit as a lodger to make up the rent. It is highly unlikely she would get full HB in her own name for the whole house.

They don't have to claim as a couple, although if it was proved they were a couple then they would have to, but it wouldn't change the amount of money they get.
It may be she is entitled to IS and he is only entitled to JSA, or something similar so they couldn't claim jointly if they are entitled to different benefits anyway.
Not sure about the £600, but I would think they have to declare it and their benefits - depending on what ones they are claiming, may be reduced accordingly.

I wonder where that family took the baby and what they have been living on all this time?

[WendyB]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

Sorry, didn't mean to imply anything horrible about them. Just wondering out loud........ And it states they're man and wife anyway, so thats that question answered.

The family in the loft could have been there years for all we know. But just because they were living in the loft doesn't mean they hadn't got income from working, casually or illegally. They could also have friends/contacts locally that they've gone to.

[Amethyst]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

Looking at the pictures of the loft it doesnt look like they have been there all that long.

Its sad that they have to go on the run, and hide out in horrible conditions - lofts aren't exactly the best air quality and heating wise, rather than go into our bizarre immigration system and risk being sent back to wherever they are running from.

[WendyB]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

They could have been there ages, Shirley says she's heard odd noises for ages but put it down to the fact that its old houses etc (and apart from that i always said she was strange lol).

The immigrant family have not knocked the walls down between the lofts, they've been like that for years.

And yes it is sad that they have to go on the run, and hide out, if indeed that is the case. Or if they've been bought into the country by unscrupulous "human traders". But tbh there is a very high immigrant population in the area, so I can't see why they would have to do that, knowing how our local council operates housing wouldn't be a problem. I personally think they must have had "inside help" from one of the tenants in the row of houses, or how would they have got the mattresses etc up there in the first place? Surely you would notice a strange family of people carting their belongings in through the door, through the living room, dining room, up the stairs and into your loft?

[Amy]

Re: Father-of-four finds 12-strong colony of illegal immigrants living in his LOFT

Its sad that they have to go on the run, and hide out in horrible conditions - lofts aren't exactly the best air quality and heating wise, rather than go into our bizarre immigration system and risk being sent back to wherever they are running from.

Hot air rises, so it'll be the warmest place in the whole house, but I agree with you about the strange immigration system in this Country.

It was recently reported that a medical student was told by Immigration Officials that he must leave the Country despite the fact he was born and bred here and was going to go on to make a living as a doctor. Not to mention the contribution to society he would make and all this to the Country that took his parents in, gave them refuge and gave them a home.

Then only today we learnt of the illegal immigrant who was deemed by a judge not to be dangerous despite the fact he had abused a young girl for three years, had broken the law to get here and then broke it again once he was here, yet he is allowed to stay.

Then we have the immigrants that came here - apparently to find a better life, but are now trying to sneak out of the Country and incidentally they are being stopped and detained because they do not possess the correct paperwork.

Although quite how they cannot be detected on entry in the first instance and/or in possession of the correct paperwork is beyond me.

Some of the reasons given for their departures were that it is not warm enough here and it is too expensive.