A couple, who thought they found their dream home to live out their golden years of retirement, found their plans shattered upon discovering a squatter living under the same roof and refusing to leave.
Susana and Joseph Landa are now engaged in a legal battle, hoping to drag squatter Brett Flores to court so that they can finally enjoy their $2 million home all to themselves. The couple had picked the house keeping their son Alex in mind.
"We're looking to hopefully retire and most of all provide for my son Alex, who has Down syndrome," Susana told ABC 7.
They chose a house that would allow them to be close to their loved ones, who can look after Alex in case anything happened to them.
“I just want to know that I can die tomorrow and he’s next to his brother,” Susana said.
The couple have been trying to get rid of the squatter for months, saying: "It has become a nightmare, a total nightmare"
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It was only after they bought the house in October when they discovered that the house came with a squatter, who proved to be a “nightmare.” Susana and Joseph said they invested four months in trying to get rid of him, but their efforts led to no avail.
"It has become a nightmare, a total nightmare," said Joseph.
"I wake up and I go to sleep about the same thing, when is this guy going to come out?" Susana added.
The mother of three revealed that Brett has been living in the house since the former owner passed away and even rented some of the rooms out.
One room had been advertised by Brett as the “The Prince Room” for $50 a night, the New York Post reported.
The couple picked the $2 million house so they could be close to their loved ones
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Court documents show that the previous owner had hired Brett as a caretaker and paid him a weekly sum of $3,000 to take care of him. Brett now claims that the previous owner, who passed away in January 2023, gave him a “license” to reside in the house.
"If you have no lease and you're not paying rent, what is your right?" said Joseph, who is now hoping to get Brett evicted through legal proceedings.
Susana and Joseph have faced several hurdles in their quest to evict Brett, who showed up in court on Jan. 9 this year without an attorney.
Brett had also filed for bankruptcy, which in turns allows him to occupy the house.
"So that prevents everything from going forward," Joseph told ABC 7.
Susana and Joseph revealed that they have been taking care of all the bills for the house
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What makes matters worse is that Susana and Joseph have been financially taking care of all the bills, including bills for utilities that can climb up to thousands of dollars.
"It's very crazy, our system is broken," Susana said. "I never would imagine we have no rights, no rights at all, nothing, zero."
As the couple wait for their next court date in April, they can’t help feeling exasperated by the situation.
"It makes me feel completely forgotten in this legal system, unfair and not able to do anything," Joseph added.