the residents of this building in Hauts-de-Seine have been going through an ordeal for 12 years

See my news
Follow Paris News

“Plague and cholera. » It is with these terms that the president of the Union Council of this building in Clichy (Hauts-de-Seine) decided to describe the two apartments which “eat up” her life and that of the co-ownership. For many years, in this residence close to metro line 14 and the north of Paris, residents have denounced the squatting of a property and the presence “of a slumlord”.

A superposition of problems

It all started at the end of 2011, after the death of a co-owner. The latter not having an heir, the property located on the ground floor found itself empty for a few months. A man takes the opportunity to enter the home and immediately replaces “the barrel of the lock and the landing door”explains to Paris news the president of the Union Council, who wishes to remain anonymous. A situation which has been going on for twelve years now.

One problem can often hide another. After the squatted apartment, residents deplore the presence of a “slum merchant” who bought a pavilion located at the back of the courtyard in 2016, before divide it into two apartments and offer them for rental.

“We are totally powerless”

For more than a decade, residents say they have “tried everything” and today say they feel “totally helpless”. They deplore the flaws in the French judicial system which prevents owners from taking any action against squatters. “It’s an aberration,” adds the president of the Union Council.

The trustee judged “ineffective and incompetent”he is replaced in 2021 by a judicial administrator. Which has obtained several advances: an eviction notice was issued against the squatter in June 2024 and served by a justice commissioner. After two months, the latter still not having left the apartment, a request for assistance from the public force (CFP) was made to the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture. But the authorities have still not issued this CFP, necessary to allow the squatter to leave, says the president of the Union Council. When contacted, neither the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture nor the judicial administrator responded to our requests.

The “sleep merchant” has go to court in the middle of next year. The co-owners sued him for having annexed part of the common areas, in this case the cellars.

“It has become a financial pit to live in the building”

These twelve years have also had consequences on their joint treasury, since the two people incriminated have not paid their charges for several years. Their debt is estimated at 100,000 euros.

Faced with these unpaid debts, two co-owners left the building. The president of the Union Council, for her part, would like to leave, but can't find a buyer since the sale of his property in 2023.

Today, residents are reluctant to do work after having already “made a major effort” in 2021 to give a facelift to this building dating from the beginning of the 20th century.

We are tired of undertaking work at a loss. Living here has become a money pit.

Residents have, as a last resort, writes a letter to the mayor of ClichyRémi Muzeau (DVD), to expose this number of problems to him. But, there too, she remained unanswered.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.