Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Crime, Film and TV, Netflix, Reddit, Property
Lucy Devine
Viewers of the Netflix true-crime show Worst Roommate Ever were left in shock after discovering laws around 'housemates' in the US.
The first season of the true crime doc was based on a New York Magazine article of the same name by William Brennan.
It focused on what was described as 'the ultimate Craigslist nightmare’, in which a serial squatter moved into a woman's home and was able to squeeze her out.
The second season saw four new terrifying stories, involving the dark web, a horrible landlord, and even a shocking case in which a 'best friend' had been poisoning her roommate with a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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The series shot straight to the top of Netflix’s charts in the US, with fans calling it ‘insane’ and ‘wild’.
But many people were left reeling after watching the first season, and subsequently looking into the laws regarding roommates in the US.
"I am so angry at the incompetence of police officers and the scary laws America has," one person wrote on Reddit.
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"As a British person, I’ve never heard a story where someone who moves into another persons home has more rights than they do?
"It’s crazy what the hell. I’m talking specifically about ep3 (although I’m angry at all of them) and I hate how these victims have lost their homes due to stupid laws.
"Feel like I’m late to the story but I think it’s time Americans demand changes within the law."
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According to the American Apartment Owners Association, most states in the US have squatters' rights, allowing someone who lives in your home the right to gain legal title to your property.
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They explain: "Many residential and commercial property owners are now apprehensive about leaving their buildings unoccupied due to concerns that onlookers may view it as a squatting opportunity.
"Even landlords seeking tenants must be exceptionally vigilant when it comes to screening potential renters, as some may pay their rent for a short period of time before deciding to occupy the space unlawfully."
They add that squatters' rights only apply if the person has been 'illegitimately occupying a space for a specific period of time'.
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"In New York, for example, a squatter can be awarded 'adverse possession' under state law if they have been living in a property for 10 years or more," they explain.
Meanwhile, in Montana and California, a person only has to be living there for five years, while in Tennessee, it jumps slightly to seven years.