Squatter in france who earns €6,000 a month evicted after six years

THE MAN HAS A JOB ACROSS THE SWISS BORDER AND WAS DEEMED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT INCOME TO PAY FOR ACCOMMODATION FOR HIM AND HIS SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON A family has been evicted from a flat after six

years spent squatting in it after the _Conseil d’État_ (France’s highest appeal court) overturned a previous decision to extend the eviction deadline. The squatters – a man and his son,

together with a woman “and at least one other child” according to neighbours – had spent up to six years in the flat. The administrative court in Grenoble had originally said an immediate

eviction was not possible as the squatters and children would have found themselves "without a solution for rehousing or accommodation” during winter. However, the state overturned the

decision, citing the salary of the man as “sheltering him from any need, including to quickly find a suitable alternative accommodation for his seven-year-old son.” The man is earning the

equivalent of €6,000 per month working across the border in what the court called a “stable position” in Switzerland. ‘HUGE RELIEF FOR OTHER RESIDENTS’ The residents in the co-owned building

in Annemasse (a popular commuter town for workers in Switzerland) had already dealt with squatters in other properties in the complex. However, it took six years for the people in this

particular property to be evicted, partly because of the presence of the children. “The police went to see the squatters this morning. They have 24 hours to leave… it’s a huge relief!” said

one of the residents to Le Figaro. The police later stated that the squatters “left the building before the deadline expired”, complying with the order. “In all cases, we will be vigilant to

ensure that the squatter’s dignity and that of the people living with him are respected,” it added. “I'm relieved, particularly for my sister… who also owns a flat in this residence…

but I hope that the social services will find a rehousing solution for the children,” said another owner of a property in the complex. READ ALSO: I HAVE A SECOND HOME IN FRANCE, WHAT SHOULD

I DO IF SQUATTERS GET IN? NOT PROTECTED BY WINTER TRUCE Tenants who are in arrears cannot be evicted between November 1 and March 31 in France, due to the _trêve hivernale_, or winter truce.

The truce prevents eviction orders in cases where a rental contract has been signed. We wrote last month about someone who used a short-term AirBnB let to REMAIN INSIDE A PRIVATE RESIDENCE

LONG AFTER A RENTAL PERIOD ENDED, as they were protected by the winter truce. However, the protection does not apply to squatters. READ ALSO WHY DOES A NEW FRENCH ANTI-SQUATTING LAW APPEAR

TO PROTECT SQUATTERS? IS IT TRUE THAT SQUATTERS CAN SUE PROPERTY OWNERS IN FRANCE?