# Abandoned.. Not so abandoned



## ZeaJane (Mar 30, 2014)

Have you ever entered a building you had thought to be abandoned, only to find it occupied? Or signs of recent life? For example, a squatter had taken up residence, and was in the building or there were things to indicate they had recently been there? 
Just curious about other people's experiences after my first one like this (post to come soon)


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## MrDan (Mar 30, 2014)

I have come across many squatter dwellings that are either still lived in or have recently been lived in. Mostly I try to keep out of those rooms which are being inhabited, as in theory it is their home and I wouldn't like to intrude. 
I have once met a group of squatters in an old car dealership, they were really nice people and even asked if we would help them decorate, we politely declined and asked their permission to come in and take photos, it was granted. 

I have recently come across a home believed to be derelict, after several visits to knock with no answer, we walked around the back to find the window next to the back door smashed.. 2 weeks later we went back, knocked again, and then walked around the back once more... the window was still smashed. As one of us went to step through the window someone appeared the other side shouting, needless to say we ran scared, within seconds we were laughing but it wasn't a comfortable experience at the time.


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## chazman (Mar 30, 2014)

hello all,i can mention this one now as the security firm it was thru no longer trade. got a call out to secure a pub in the eastern area as a board had been forced from a door.as usual i had to do a building sweep before resecuring.in the old saloon bar area i found what can only be described as 3 young males enjoying each others company! oh dear. theres plenty more but none suitable really for a decent site like this.


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## ZeaJane (Mar 30, 2014)

Haha really? Wow, what decorating ideas did they have in mind?! 
To have the guy appear in the smashed window would have freaked me out; I probably would've had a heart attack!
When I figure out how to post the pictures then I'll write more about my experience, but essentially, I was in the house (which had no windows or doors) on the middle level when my friend saw a man appear at the window on the top floor. I ran out so quick and yelled a quick "Hi! Sorry!" over my shoulder!


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## ZeaJane (Mar 30, 2014)

MrDan said:


> I have come across many squatter dwellings that are either still lived in or have recently been lived in. Mostly I try to keep out of those rooms which are being inhabited, as in theory it is their home and I wouldn't like to intrude.
> I have once met a group of squatters in an old car dealership, they were really nice people and even asked if we would help them decorate, we politely declined and asked their permission to come in and take photos, it was granted.
> 
> I have recently come across a home believed to be derelict, after several visits to knock with no answer, we walked around the back to find the window next to the back door smashed.. 2 weeks later we went back, knocked again, and then walked around the back once more... the window was still smashed. As one of us went to step through the window someone appeared the other side shouting, needless to say we ran scared, within seconds we were laughing but it wasn't a comfortable experience at the time.



Haha really? Wow, what decorating ideas did they have in mind?! 
To have the guy appear in the smashed window would have freaked me out; I probably would've had a heart attack!
When I figure out how to post the pictures then I'll write more about my experience, but essentially, I was in the house (which had no windows or doors) on the middle level when my friend saw a man appear at the window on the top floor. I ran out so quick and yelled a quick "Hi! Sorry!" over my shoulder!


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## Judderman62 (Apr 6, 2014)

We saw this place on a journey elsewhere. We decided to drop by on our way home. We peered through various windows and there seemed no sign of life, not much furniture and a crate or two in one of the rooms.

We checked out back and there were a few cars in various state and a few tractors.

We decided we'd just do the vehicles and outbuildings. We went round fairly quick (for us) and as we were about to leave I did try one door - locked.

Went to the back of the car to put gear away and my partner in crime motioned up to an upstairs window where an elderly gent in cardigan was looking at us. Oops !!!

Time to GTFO


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## ZeaJane (Apr 8, 2014)

Judderman62 said:


> We saw this place on a journey elsewhere. We decided to drop by on our way home. We peered through various windows and there seemed no sign of life, not much furniture and a crate or two in one of the rooms.
> 
> We checked out back and there were a few cars in various state and a few tractors.
> 
> ...



That's pretty similar to what happened to me! But the thing that seriously creeped us out was that when we approached the house, we could see chains hanging from the walls in the top room where the man would appear.. No idea what they were for..


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## krela (Apr 8, 2014)

They were to chain up nosey parkers who invade peoples houses...


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## ZeaJane (Apr 8, 2014)

krela said:


> They were to chain up nosey parkers who invade peoples houses...



Hahaha I'd believe it!
But I learnt my lesson: just because a place has no doors or windows, doesn't mean someone hasn't taken up residence inside!


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## Big C (Apr 30, 2014)

Did this just last night... 

I'm on holiday in padstow this week and didn't want to go back empty handed.
I sniffed out a hotel that's stopped trading and it was looking pretty damn empty..
Managed access pretty easily and had a quick run around just with just me phone and torch and returned home for some food and to get me camera.... Rather excited at this point.
I went back after dark to find a load of lights on upstairs and I could see folk through the windows.

Oops!

I'm just pleased that nobody was there to discover a 6'1" bonehead nosing round in the dark.
That's one of my main worries going into some of these places; disturbing some poor old dear and giving her a heart attack.


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## ZeaJane (Apr 30, 2014)

Oh haha lucky you weren't up stairs when they came home! 
It's a little weird though: sometimes abandoned places look lived in, but it's rare for lived in places to look abandoned!


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## Nighttemptress (Apr 30, 2014)

Big C said:


> Did this just last night...
> 
> I'm on holiday in padstow this week and didn't want to go back empty handed.
> I sniffed out a hotel that's stopped trading and it was looking pretty damn empty..
> ...



Oh how the shoe onthe other foot works!! Lol


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## tad102 (Apr 30, 2014)

I was looking around one place and there had obviously been someone sleeping in an old sun lounger chair, then me mate informed me that they had taken a dump in a toilet that was in the room that wasn't even plumbed in yuk!, also readin the other posts, I had a friend at school some 20 years ago and he lived in a house that most people who call derelict, there were pains of glass missing, slipped tiles trees growing in the gutters I even mistook thick cobwebs by the window for net curtains to my embarrassment! Last time I was there, about the same time, his father had put up scaffolding to fix the roof, I drove past this house a few months ago and the scaffolding was still there and I know his parents still live there!


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## UrbanX (Apr 30, 2014)

Place near where I work, I was keeping my eye on it...they took the bins out this week


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## ZeaJane (May 1, 2014)

UrbanX said:


> Place near where I work, I was keeping my eye on it...they took the bins out this week



Hahah as much as I do love derelict places, I hope I never live in a house in such a state that it has explorers eyeing it up!


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## ZeaJane (May 1, 2014)

tad102 said:


> I drove past this house a few months ago and the scaffolding was still there and I know his parents still live there!



Tad, I wonder why they never did anything with it? Sounds a sad story


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## tad102 (May 1, 2014)

ZeaJane said:


> Tad, I wonder why they never did anything with it? Sounds a sad story



lol, I dunno! they were really nice everyday people, but they just seemed to be content to live in a house that was falling down!


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## ZeaJane (May 1, 2014)

Oh haha well that's cool, I guess I'm content with living out of my backpack half the year. Each to their own


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## urban-ographer (May 1, 2014)

ZeaJane said:


> Oh haha lucky you weren't up stairs when they came home!
> It's a little weird though: sometimes abandoned places look lived in, but it's rare for lived in places to look abandoned!



Myself and a mate went to check out a cottage... it had mold growing from the windows, the curtains looked dirty and wet and the place was falling apart. My mate went to the rear gate - looked for access, nothing. I came to the front - opened the door, it opened and I then heard, erm the TV on in the lounge!!!! SO I legged it!!!! 

The place stank - what can I say, some people live a weird life!


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## krela (May 1, 2014)

Am I the only one who finds this thread has taken a bit of a disturbing turn? Talking about invading peoples homes? 

Having stopped to think about it it's not a great thing to be bringing to a public forum so I'm going to lock this and let it die quietly.


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## krela (May 1, 2014)

I would also like to add that the majority of these properties are probably inhabited by people who live reclusive lives, usually caused by psychological health issues. This means that they do not like interacting with the outside world and will take great lengths to not have to, including living in sub-standard conditions because the living standards to them are less stressful than the thought of the required interaction with the outside world to fix them (getting glazers in, decorating, etc etc). It also means that they are highly unlikely to answer the door to you if you knock/ring.

What this also means is that finding one of you lot in their house is potentially even more traumatic for them than it would be for anyone else.

I'm not making any great moral statement about what you should / shouldn't be doing, I'm just suggesting you should be aware of these things and why they happen.


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