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Homeowners need to adapt to the evolving tactics of squatters to protect their property from unwanted residents, said Flash Shelton a handyman-turned-squatter hunter.
Two alleged squatters attempting to oust the legal property owner of a New York duplex included a fast food receipt as part of their evidence that they legally lived in the residence, according to court filings.
Juliya Fulman bought the Queens property several years ago through an LLC, Lakewood Queens Property, and invested $530,000 in it. But in early March, Top Nest Properties broker Ejona Bardhi Shyti told Fulman and her husband Denis Kurlyand that two squatters had moved in, changed the locks and refused to leave, the Daily Mail reported.
"This is an abuse of the system and real tenant right," Rizpah Morrow, Kurlyand and Fulman's attorney, told the Daily Mail. "Now we are waiting until April 5 for a resolution."
The two alleged squatters, Lance Hunt Jr. and Rondie L. Francis, brought mattresses and luxury items into the Queens duplex, including a massage table and flat screen television, according to the Daily Mail. They quickly claimed the property was legally theirs and on March 14 sued Lakewood Queens Property and Shyti to prove their rights to the unit and for damages.
Two alleged squatters are suing to claim a New York property in Jamaica, Queens, is legally theirs. They provided a Shake Shack receipt among other documentation to prove their legal residency. (Courtesy: From the court filing)
The property, located in the Jamaica neighborhood, is listed for nearly $930,000 dollars, according to Zillow.
Hunt and Francis submitted a residential lease agreement, utility bills and mail addressed to them at the duplex, along with a $25.27 Shake Shack receipt delivered through Uber Eats to the Queens address on Jan. 15, 2024, as proof of legal residency. They also claimed that they had paid $4,000 for the security deposit and $2,000 for the first month's rent, according to the legal filing.
The alleged squatters' lawyer said ample documentation was provided for proof the two occupants were legally living in the home before getting forced out. (Courtesy: From the court filing)
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The alleged squatters in the suit also claimed that, with the help of the police, they were "illegally and unlawfully forced" out of the premises and found the front door locks were changed.
But Kurlyand told the New York Post on Sunday that the alleged squatters provided counterfeit documents.
"Everything they’re presenting is fraudulent," Kurlyand told the Post. Fulman said the documents were "clearly photoshopped."
A Shake Shack receipt submitted to the court from the alleged squatters' attorney was used to prove residency. (Courtesy: From the court filing)
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Squatters and tenants' rights laws vary across the country. In some states where laws make it difficult for police to intervene, including New York, homeowners and landlords are left with few options to reclaim their property. Many victims are forced to submit to costly and lengthy civil processes.
"The system is what failed us and that is why we are now in court having to pay attorney fees just to deal with these squatters," Shyti told the Daily Mail. "Enough is enough. It's time for the homeowners to fight back."
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Dennis Harris, the alleged squatters' attorney, told the Daily Mail that his clients provided ample documentation.
"They showed me a rental application, a lease, text messages and correspondence," Harris said. "They showed me enough for me to believe they were living there."
"Is it possible that this is a big scam? Certainly anything is possible, but I don't believe it," he continued. "If there is a scam, they may have been scammed by someone else pretending to be the landlord."
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An emergency lockout hearing was scheduled on March 22, and the next court date is April 5, the Daily Mail reported.
Morrow did not respond to requests for comment. Harris declined to comment without his clients' consent and pointed Fox News to the court filing. Fulman also declined to comment.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify that Fulman is the sole owner of the Queens property.
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