On February 28, two people illegally occupying accommodation on rue des Tuileries filed a lawsuit against the landlord for having evicted them before the March 31 deadline, set by the court. The judge’s decision fell on Tuesday
The owner of the building was ordered by the administrative court of Lyon (Rhône) to pay 2,000 euros to each of them in compensation for the damage suffered, after recovering their property by their own means. Two of the occupants (among twenty) who initiated the procedure asked to return to their home without delay and a restoration, reports Le Figaro.
According to Anne Gagneux, the owner, the squatters carried out commercial activities such as mechanics, locksmiths, prostitution and drug trafficking, and completely devastated the building. She confides to ActuLyon that the state of the building is catastrophic and that she has to face more than 500,000 euros in repair costs. She also mentions that the building was occupied by about twenty people and that an above-ground swimming pool had even been installed on the roof.
The discussions focused on the question of the right to housing versus the right to property. A first court decision had ordered the return of the premises, but not before March 31, 2023. In January, it seemed that the building had been emptied of its occupants. The owner then closed and condemned the accesses, which was described as “obstruction of justice” and “eviction before the time allowed by justice” by the lawyer for one of the squatters.
The court ruled the landlords prematurely evicted the two squatters – a locksmith and a teacher in their 20s – before they could collect their belongings. However, the court did not grant them permission to return to their home, as they wished.
