Your home is meant to be a sanctuary, but for some homeowners, it can quickly turn into a source of anxiety and distress.
Francesca Lucia, an Italian property developer with multiple homes in Cape Town who faced immense agony and financial loss due to a squatter, spoke out.
Lucia's ordeal began in 2021 when she purchased a charming yet rundown four-bedroom house in Vredehoek, Cape Town, Cape {town} Etc reports.
She envisioned transforming it into a high-quality, affordable guesthouse inspired by hostels around the world. The renovation process took three to four months, and when she finally got the keys, she was devastated to discover that the property came with an unexpected tenant - a squatter.
Initially, her real estate agent and the previous owner claimed that the squatter, who had been living rent-free for 13 years, was a temporary tenant who would leave once he found new accommodation. They suggested that she might consider letting him stay in exchange for maintenance work on the property. Lucia, however, had other plans for the space and was concerned about his safety, given the buildings condition.
