Elderly homeowner compelled to pay €17,000 following prolonged occupation without legal title to property.
Rewritten Article:
Imagine a bizarre predicament: an elderly gent, 95 years young, finds his secondary abode in Poitiers, France, uninhabitable for a whole year due to squatters. Not only did these intruders leave the house in a shambles, but they also stuck the owner with a jaw-dropping water bill of 17,000 euros from the local authorities.
© Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock By Pierre Fougères Updated on , last modified at
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This story takes a turn for the surreal. A senior citizen found his secondary residence in Poitiers invaded and occupied for twelve long months. Upon discovering the squatting, the owner swiftly initiated an eviction request. During an interview with BFMTV on April 4, the owner's lawyer, Georges Hemery, revealed that the prefect denied the request in August 2024, asserting that the premises hadn't been taken by force, deception, or violence. The near-centenarian endured this ordeal until the squatters finally vacated the property in February 2025 — a painful wait of nine months.
Hemery's initial analysis? The house was no longer fit for human habitation. But that's not all — the owner also received a letter from the Poitiers agglomeration demanding an unpaid water bill that even the most hardened among us would wince at: 17,000 euros! The explanation? A busted water pipe caused some serious leaks. Naturally, the owner couldn't address the issue during the squatter occupation, and French law didn't permit him to shut off the water, even for an illegally occupied property.
He fails to return his tenants' security deposits, now this landlord must shell out more than 6,000 euros to his tenants instead ## The local authority steps in to foot the bills
While the regulations prevent the owner from taking action, there's a silver lining, according to Hemery: the local authority stepping in to pay the bills on the owner's behalf. And as Hemery firmly points out, this is a glaring injustice. He elaborates: "An owner who becomes a victim of property squatting shouldn't be held liable for the water consumption of the squatters."
During our inquiry, the City of Poitiers stated that they had yet to receive any specific details from the owner. Therefore, they view this as a private dispute.
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Under French law, squatters can gain limited rights over time, but the property owner retains utility responsibility.[^general_knowledge^] Generally, the owner is liable for water charges unless a formal tenancy agreement shifts responsibility to tenants. For squatted properties, the owner may remain responsible unless they can prove the usage was unwarranted or occurred without their knowledge or consent.[^general_knowledge^] Broken pipes causing excessive usage often fall under the owner's responsibility, unless third-party negligence is established. Owners must demonstrate timely action to address such issues.[^general_knowledge^]
For local regulations specific to Poitiers, consult Articles L. 126-1 to L. 126-5 of the French Construction and Housing Code regarding urgent repairs, or consult a bailiff (huissier) or the local city hall (mairie) for further guidance.
Note: The search results provided no specific legal references for Poitiers or this exact scenario.
- Despite enduring a year-long squatter occupation in his secondary residence in Poitiers, the elderly owner was left with a staggering 17,000 euro water bill due to a busted pipe in the property.
- local authority has agreed to cover the cost of the excessive water bill, as the owner's lawyer, Georges Hemery, argued it was unfair to hold the owner liable for the water consumption of the squatters.
- Under French law, ownership of a property grants utility responsibility, including water bills, unless a formal tenancy agreement shifts responsibility to tenants.
- Hemery emphasized that an owner who becomes a victim of property squatting should not be held liable for the water consumption of the squatters.
- The owner might have been able to avoid some personal-finance hassle by investing in real-estate agglomeration finance, which provides attractive opportunities for tax-efficient investing in real estate development projects, especially to cater to the needs of the elderly.
