Is it possible to file a claim for an empty house after paying the fee? In
Dallas, Texas, one man did just that. After paying the $16 filing fee for an empty, $340,000 home, he moved all his belongings in, and became a national celebrity. Now, he's being kicked out.
Kenneth Robinson filed an 'adverse possession' claim for the then-abandoned home that features 3,200 square feet and a swimming pool. Now Bank of America, which aquired the home in January for $400k, is beginning
foreclosure, and a
Texas judge has ordered him to vacate the home in the affluent Flower Mound area if he does not provide $8,900 in rent.
Although Robinson is not facing any charges yet, Tarrant County officials are investigating his claim and actions, which have spawned supporters and copycats. Reports of more than $8 million in homes have been 'squat-in,' though mostly of them done illegally, with violators being prosecuted. Robinson knew back in July when he first began his occupation of the home that the possibility of losing it loomed. He wrote a book and started a 'How-To' website to promote 'adverse possessions.'
Although Robinson expected a settlement, Bank of America stated that there will be no such payments made.
