The pensioner who misplaced her house to gang of overseas squatters: Woman in her 80s returned house to search out ‘Eastern Europeans’ had taken her home… and police say they can not assist

A gang of suspected foreign criminals seized the home of a frail pensioner while she was visiting her ‘lonely’ 102-year-old friend, sparking an ‘absurd’ two-month legal battle to remove them.

Shameless squatters allegedly broke into the elderly woman’s £590,000 terraced property in Chingford, north-east London, at the end of April and have refused to leave.

The retired woman, who is believed to be in her 80s and living alone, is thought to have been ‘deliberately targeted’ by an organised crime group from Eastern Europe.

She has been left effectively homeless as a result and is understood to have suffered a serious health condition following her nightmare ordeal. 

However, despite her home now being in the hands of strangers, the Metropolitan Police has refused to take action to remove the group, claiming the matter is a civil offence and not a criminal one.

And those now allegedly holding the pensioner’s property ransom have defiantly told MailOnline ‘it’s all fine’ and ‘nothing is happening’ – before refusing to say when or if they would be leaving.

The fiasco has sparked outrage among neighbours, with one 63-year-old fuming: ‘They’re taking the p***. This elderly woman has worked so hard for this country and paid her taxes and now this has happened… It’s f***ing outrageous.’

Meanwhile, former Conservative Party leader, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, blasted the squatters, saying it was both ‘absurd’ and ‘astonishing’ they had not been evicted.

‘They’re scum,’ Sir Iain said last night. ‘It’s the only thing you can say about them.

‘This whole thing is organised – it’s an organised crime… [but] trying to get police to take action on this is completely astonishing.’

When MailOnline visited the quiet suburban street, a number of families were seen coming in and out of the three-bed terraced house.

One was driving an untaxed, grey Mercedes C class. Others appeared to be driving a luxury BMW X5. 

The group was also accompanied by at least three young children.

It’s unclear whether those spotted entering and leaving the home are among the alleged squatters.

Locals claimed to have seen dozens of people visiting the property in recent weeks – while others alleged that human faeces had been smeared on neighbouring homes. 

The elderly homeowner, thought to be a widowed mother, is now understood to be living with family in the West Country, after having suffered a serious health condition. 

Neighbours say they’ve heard those living in the house claim to have a tenancy agreement saying they can stay there. However, this has been disputed, with Sir Iain branding the claim ‘total rubbish’. 

Speaking to MailOnline, one man living on the street said the squatters were a nightmare who had left neighbours ‘paranoid’ and fearing for their homes.

‘They have been here since April,’ the man, who asked not to be named, said.

‘There has been trouble. Apparently there’s a lot of people in there and a lot of children.’

A woman added: ‘There’s two old ladies either side [of the house] and they are kept up every night with loud music and doors slamming.

‘It has been reported to the police and they said they can’t do anything. When [the elderly woman] does go back, how can they live there?

‘They are not even hiding that they are squatting. They just don’t care.’

Local MP Sir Iain has been battling to try and remove the group since the beginning of May, regularly liaising with the police.  

But the former Tory minister told MailOnline he has been left stunned by the seeming inaction from authorities to kick the group out. 

The Chingford and Woodford Green MP claims confusion over whether the squatters’ actions constituted a civil or criminal breach had effectively paralysed authorities.

He said the Met was refusing to take action in the belief it was a civil breach – while delays in arranging a court order due to the ‘complexities’ in the case had left the pensioner effectively homeless for months.

The MP added: ‘There’s no question I think [the squatters] broke in, which is an offence, and squatting in a residential building which is occupied – that’s an offence.’

Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there.

Under UK law, it is illegal to squat in a residential building such as a flat or house. It carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison, a £5,000 fine – or both. 

However, when someone originally enters a property with permission of the landlord, it is not squatting – for instance those who have a rental or tenancy agreement. 

Although squatting in non-residential building or land is not in itself illegal, it is a crime to damage the property.

And it’s usually a crime not to leave land or property when you’re instructed to do so by the homeowner, police, the council or through a repossession order.

There is a similar offence dubbed ‘cuckooing’, which is when a home is taken over by a group – often criminals – while the resident is still living there.

There have been instances of drug dealers forcing their way into homes of disabled or vulnerable residents before setting up a narcotics factory there. 

Cuckooing has recently been made a criminal offence as part of the Government’s new Crime and Policing Bill. It followed an amendment to the legislation, put forward by Sir Iain. 

However, the Tory MP claimed the law still needed to be toughened up to stop crime gangs from seizing homes.  

‘The law is too soft and too vague on this,’ he added. ‘Here we have something that’s meant to be an offence but police don’t get involved because it’s under the civil code.’ 

It comes after Sir Iain claimed there had been other alleged instances of squatters seizing people’s homes in the Waltham Forest area. 

It’s feared organised crime groups are targeting the properties of vulnerable or isolated individuals before moving in while homeowners are away.

‘They can see there is a gap in the law,’ Sir Iain said. ‘Once they understand that they know exactly how they can operate and exploit it. They move just before the law can act.’

MailOnline understands a court hearing is due to take place on July 8 about the home allegedly seized in Chingford. 

Speaking of the effect the ordeal has had on the elderly woman, Sir Iain added: ‘The impact on her has been profound as it would be on anybody. 

‘But for someone of her age, the impact would be even greater.’

When MailOnline approached those living in the home in Chingford, a woman claimed she had spoken to police who had told her ‘everything is good’.

After being asked about allegations squatters had moved into the home, the woman said: ‘I am still awaiting a response from the police.’

Pressed on claims they had kicked out the elderly woman to squat in the home, she added: ‘The police said everything is good.

‘They said it’s all fine. We don’t speak anymore. Nothing is happening and it’s fine.’

The Metropolitan Police is understood to be examining the disputed tenancy agreement the alleged squatters claim to have to establish whether any criminal offence has taken place.  If it has, the force will act. 

A spokeswoman for the Met added: ‘We are aware of reports of squatting at a property in Chingford.

‘Officers are working with the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams and in partnership with the local authority to resolve the issue and support the property owner.

‘Patrols have also been stepped up in the local area and our enquiries are ongoing.’

Waltham Forest Council said it was ‘aware of allegations regarding a privately-owned house in Chingford’ and the upcoming court case next month about this. 

A spokesman added: ‘The council’s anti-social behaviour team is supporting the police to ensure local residents are kept safe while this issue is resolved. 

‘We are attempting to make contact with the householder via their family to see what further support we may be able to offer.’