Squatter Who Moved Into Pensioner’s Home For Free Sells The Property For £540k Says He Did Not Steal The House

A squatter who moved into an empty house that belonged to a pensioner and then sold it for £540,000 has insisted he did not ‘steal’ the house.

Builder, Keith Best gained legal ownership over the east London property in 2016 following four years of legal proceedings.

Best, 58, said: “I’ve been portrayed as a thief who cheated an old man out of his home but that’s not true. The whole thing has been a nightmare,”

Best claims he has been left £255,000 out of pocket after spending £400,000 in legal fees.

“It affected my health and cost me a lot of money. I never made anything from this and yet it’s being made out that I robbed a pensioner. I have not made a profit.”

The home originally owned by Doris Curtis who died in the 80s, was left to her son Colin who moved in 1996 to another house he inherited. 

Speaking on the previous owner Best said:

“He didn’t care about the house, never went there and he didn’t even know about it. He wasn’t poor. He inherited another property and never went back to the house in Newbury Park.”

Its current owner, Atiq Hayat, 35, said: “His name appeared on all the documents related to this house, and everything was done properly, and we have nothing to worry about. I never met Mr Best, but my sisters did twice when they came to see the property. It was in a very good condition, and he seemed like a very genuine man,”

“The sale was done in the proper legal way through solicitors, so we didn’t have a lot to do with him,” he added.