Retirees Struggling to Evict Squatter Who Refuses to Leave Their $2M Estate

A New York couple is living a nightmare after the home they bought to retire in came with a squatter they can’t evict. Joseph and Susana Landa bought a $2 million home in Douglaston Queens, a stone’s throw from the home in which they raised their three children, back in October.

“We’re looking to hopefully retire and most of all provide for my son Alex, who has Down Syndrome,” said Susana told ABC 7.

But the previous occupant, Brett Flores, 32, refuses to leave the home. It’s been four months, and the Landa’s still have no immediate prospect of evicting their unwanted tenant.

“It has become a nightmare, a total nightmare,” Joseph said.

Records indicate that Flores was paid $3,000 each week to care for the home’s previous owner, a since-deceased 80-year-old man who had no nearby relations. Flores claims this man gave him a “license” to stay in the home, but he has no active lease and refuses to pay rent or utilities on the property.

According to The Daily Mail, Flores is renting out rooms in the house for $50 per night while the Landas foot his electricity bills, which are well in excess of $2,000 each month. Susana noted that Flores has been “leaving windows open 24 hours” in the dead of winter whilst the heater is running.

There’s little that the Landas can do, considering New York provides relatively iron-clad rights to squatters. If they occupy a residence for 30 continuous days, squatters may file adverse possession claims.

The buyers have already attended five civil court hearings with the intent of booting Flores from the estate, but he’s managed to drag the process out exponentially. Flores arrived at the last hearing on January 9 to declare bankruptcy, sans lawyer, which effectively halted the case from proceeding any further.

“If you have no lease and you’re not paying rent, what is your right?” Joseph raged to ABC 7.

Flores has apparently retained counsel since the January court date, directing questions from ABC to his counsel. They, in turn, told the outlet they had “no comment” regarding the imbroglio but expected it to be resolved “soon” in court.

In the meantime, the Landas are stuck footing Flores’ bill.

“It’s very crazy, our system is broken,” Susana lamented. “I never would imagine we have no rights, no rights at all, nothing, zero.”

“It makes me feel completely forgotten in this legal system and not able to do anything,” Joseph added.