All language subtitles for 1 Squatters.2025.S01E08.480p

Coming in.

Hello, anyone in here?

Smells like mold, big time.

We got ice on the floor here. We got
ceiling caved in.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Don't shoot. You need to vacate this
house because this house is mine.

I'm the owner of this house.

I'm Flash Shelton. In 2019, Squatters
took over my mom's home. The sheriff

couldn't get him out, so I did.

Turns out my family is not alone.

Across America, thousands of homeowners
get locked out when a squatter moves in.

Now my team and I, we're coming in,
travel across the country confronting

these squatters face to face. We're not
going anywhere to help families get

their homes back.

Get out of my house.

Today, I'm in Cleveland, Ohio.

where the loopholes in the legal system
are protecting squatters, but failing

hardworking families that are ready for
the next chapter of their lives.

Ray, how you doing, man? How you doing?

Flash.

Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, too.
So I understand you have a squatter

situation going on.

Yes, I had a squatter in my home
probably at least nine months at this

point. It's a horrible situation.

different levels. It's a home that I
bought eight, nine years ago with the

intentions of renting it initially and
then eventually moving my family back

here. Where would you be moving from?

California. Okay. I grew up in Cleveland
and it's a place that we wanted to

create more good memories. My home is
part of my legacy that I can pass on to

my children. So it ain't just a home.

This is a family's life and a life work.

When was the first time you found out
that you had a squatter? Former tenant

was an elderly gentleman. He passed
away, which was sad. But there was

opportunity for me and my wife to move
back into my home. Next thing I know, I

get an anonymous call that there might
be squatters in my home.

Someone took over your home before you
were able to get here.

Correct. I flew out here. I called law
enforcement to escort me there. I'm

former law enforcement myself.

I didn't even know. Yeah. And so when
I...

Knocked on the door, female and a male
answered the door.

The female approaches me like she knows
me.

And she said, we just have a
misunderstanding.

And I said, first of all, I don't know
you. I need you to get out of my home.

So I asked law enforcement, is there
anything they can do? And that's when

they told me it's a civil matter.

They knew exactly what to say to law
enforcement to create that reasonable

doubt. It just appears as though they
knew exactly what they were doing.

The deception was intentional.

Do you know, like, how the squatters
ended up in the home? I do not know.

Have you done anything in the eviction
process?

Yes, I've served two 30 days, and I
didn't get the results that I wanted.

The squatters know how to play the game,
and they manipulate the system all the

time. And that's what puts people at a
disadvantage that know they're playing a

game. You feel violated on so many
levels.

Sorry, I'm a little bit emotional trying
to fight back tears and anger.

Absolutely understandable.

This altered our life mentally,
physically, and emotionally.

I need these people out of my home as
soon as possible.

I'm prepared to take over the property
as your tenant. Are you okay with

leasing the property on a temporary
basis to me? This is a renovation lease,

allowing me to do improvements or
modifications as I see fit to remove

your occupant. Being former law
enforcement, he thought, hey, the law is

supposed to be on my side. Awesome. I
can see how this is hurting him deeper

than you can even imagine.

All right, we're going to get to work.
Thank you.

This really motivates me to get these
squatters out of here.

We have a number of how many people, how
many occupants are in the house. We've

got one male and one female.

Okay. Yeah, see that second house, that
little yellow one right there?

I'm going to drop a 24-hour notice to
enter. I have keys to the property, but

if for some reason they change the
locks, that notice will also allow us to

gain access.

So I'll get a clear view. I'll be able
to look in the windows, see if I see any

signs of life.

If I can access the mailbox, I'll look
and see if there's any mail addressed to

the squatters. Before I arrived at this
house, I actually sent mail in my name.

This, along with being on the lease,
allows me to check out the mail, and I

can gather information and get the names
of occupants.

I have no intention to engage until we
know what we're dealing with. If they

come to the door, I will just tell them
to refer to the notice and walk away.

Be careful.

Yeah, eyes peeled.

All right, I'm going to post a notice
and check the mail.

This is our mail.

That was sent just a few days ago.

Then we got mail on the porch.

Let's look at the names on the mail.

And this is Winfred, the former deceased
tenant.

Okay, here's one that we haven't heard
before.

Andre.

We got to remember that name.

Could be one of the occupants.

All right, we've got our notice up right
next to the notice to vacate.

We'll be back in 24 hours.

What did you see?

Got a bunch of mail with names that we
can confirm. They're either the deceased

former tenant or the names we're going
to find of the squatters.

Right now it's quiet.

Either they are away, which is going to
give us a golden opportunity to take

over this home, or, you know, they're
trying to avoid detection, trying to lay

low. Trying to hide under the radar.

Oh, yeah.

All right, let me see if I can get Mike
on.

Hey, Dad.

Hey, Mike. What do you got for us?

Andre is the deceased son.

Okay. So it's possible that that's the
man that Ray sought.

All right, we need you here as backup. I
got to get you on a plane ASAP.

All right, I'm on my way to Cleveland.

Based on the name on the mail, the
squatter may be the son of the

homeowner's deceased tenant.

But in Ohio, you don't inherit a rented
property.

since the tenant passed away. No one has
paid rent on that house for nine months.

How was your flight? Good.

You're all geared up, ready to go? Yes,
sir.

Okay. Something about this case feels
off to me.

It's like I'm missing a piece of the
puzzle.

So I'm bringing Mike in.

for an extra set of eyes and ears.

We're going to enter today and we're
going to clear this home. But we have to

keep in mind that Ohio is an open carry
state and it also is a stand your ground

state, which means they know that they
can defend the home that they believe

they have rights to. So every door we go
into, every corner we go around, there

could be somebody waiting with a
firearm.

Hey, that looks like a fresh set of tire
tracks.

Looks like we might have company.

Someone was here recently.

Yeah.

Body cans on red.

Interesting. There has been movement at
the house.

Got cameras up too.

Right here on this front corner.

Alright. Wasn't there before or I didn't
see it.

There's a camera right up underneath the
eave here, and the cable appears to go

up through that window and into a
bedroom.

Someone may be monitoring that. I'm
extremely concerned.

We need to shut that down.

I'll put eyes on this backside.

Hello, anyone in here?

The backyard's clear.

No windows appear to be open.

If they don't want to answer the door,
that's fine with me.

Ray gave me a key.

So being on the lease, I can legally see
if that key works.

All right, I'm going in.

We're in.

Cam, get over here.

Hello, anyone in here?

Coming in.

Smells like mold.

Big time.

Hello? Who's in here?

Mike, check the basement.

Hello?

All good down there, Mike?

Just some major water damage.

This smells so bad.

Is there a breaker box down there?

Let me see.

If there is, I want you to kill all the
breakers. Yeah.

All right, I found it. Kill them.

If there's anyone monitoring these
cameras, that shuts it off.

Hello? Oh, man.

Disgusting.

Get all this frozen.

Here's the water leak, then.

I can't imagine anybody living in here.

I've seen squatters living in worse.

Anyone in here?

We got ice on the floor here, which
means there hasn't been heat. We got

feelings caved in.

Whoa. Damn.

Oh, shit.

Are you okay?

Ah.

Holy shit. I almost put my foot through
the floor.

Hey, watch your step, man.

Okay, see that?

See that floor right there, Mike? That's
crazy.

Yeah, right?

That's so weird.

It's a complete disaster inside, man.
It's kind of reeking.

The floor is very soggy. You can
literally fall through the damn floor.

Downstairs is all clear. All right, just
really moldy.

Upstairs, coming up.

Hello.

Okay, we got water damage here as well.

Bathroom clear.

Bedroom and closet clear.

All right, let's get out of here. Okay.

Get out of here and get some masks.

Yeah.

Ray's going to have a lot of work to do.

This place has been demolished.

This is absolutely unlivable.

This is going to take a lot more time
and a lot more money before the

homeowner can safely relocate his family
to Ohio.

This is going to be devastating to him.

This house is dangerous to human life
right now.

All right, Mike, here's a mask.

We're going to go inside.

I want all windows locked, closed and
locked, doors closed and locked.

We're looking for any personal items,
anything that might belong to a

squatter. This entire place is toxic.

It needs to be torn down to the studs.
Cam, I'm going to have you stay out. We

have every reason to believe somebody's
going to come back here. I don't want to

let them in the house.

It's not safe. Okay, copy.

As of right now, there's no one in the
house, but we can't risk a squatter

coming back. People get sick and die
living in these conditions.

Smells better through the mask.

Slider.

We're going to make sure that windows
and doors are locked upstairs.

Slider. Well, it looks like they were
maybe trying to manage the leak. Yeah, I

think there's buckets that are catching
water.

We've got photographs.

There's definitely evidence of... things
that were left behind that I'd have to

believe someone's coming back for.

I'm going to look and see if there are
any personal items that we need to

remove. Legally, it's the responsibility
of the homeowner to store all the items.

We don't want to leave anything in here
that will give a squatter any claim to

this house. This stuff, I just noticed
there is no water in this container.

It's dry.

Everything else here is full of water.

There's no water inside there.

And it's not undercover, which means
somebody was taking stuff out of the

house, or they were bringing stuff.

And remember, I said there was a fresh
set of tracks on the driveway? I mean,

that, like, solidifies my concern about
somebody coming back here.

Everything's nasty in there. I don't
want to touch anything else.

It is so thick in mold.

I'm trying to figure out a way to mark
that floor so nobody walks on it.

Okay. That's the one that's, like,
really spongy. What if I just rope off

this whole room?

Hey, guys, we got company.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Guys, guys,
guys.

Oh, don't shoot.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Where are you?

What's going on?

Are you guys police?

We're not the police.

If you're not police, you need to get
out of my house.

We are not the police.

And we've taken over this home. I have a
lease for this property.

Who are you?

This is my dad's house. This is not your
dad's house. This is my house.

You're a squatter, and I have a lease
for this house.

You need to vacate this house because
this house is mine.

No, I'm the owner of this house. You're
the owner of this house. Can you prove

that to me? Yeah. Yeah? So you have the
deed?

I literally have the keys. You're going
to tell me this is not my house. So you

have a lease?

The owner of this house's name is Ray.

I don't know who Ray is. Okay, so Ray is
the owner of this house. My dad has

lived here for a long time.

So your dad passed away about nine
months ago?

All right. And have you been living here
since then?

Yeah. Okay, so you've been a squatter in
this residence since nine months ago.

Does a woman live here too?

Yeah. Where is she?

In a now.

Okay. No one's been paying rent on this
house since your dad passed away.

When's the last time you were in this
house?

It's been about a week. My camera went
out, so I'll figure out what's going on.

All right. Well, we had to cut the
power.

I'm going to tell you that the
conditions of this house is not livable

for anyone.

Why is that?

I'll show you.

Look at the floor there. See the water?

Yeah, see that? See the ceiling caved
in? You smell that?

That's mold.

That isn't safe.

You want to live in here like this?

It's my house, so, you know.

You need to vacate this house because I
can't let you in this house.

Well, I hear what you're saying, but we
also needed time just to, you know, get

all the belongings out. If you would
have reached out to the owner and you

would have explained that, he would have
understood. But nine months without

contact? The thing that gets me is you
just walked past a notice on that door

to get out, to vacate. That notice has
been there for months. It's faded.

I thought it was a misunderstanding.

I'm not here to judge you, but I am here
to get the house back.

The whole house is filled with my dad's
stuff.

I want you to be able to get your
belongings.

But one of the things I would like from
you is an agreement that you are

denouncing your tenancy. You work with
me. You sign that. You get everything

that you need. You understand that? I
understand. I need you to step out to

the front yard, please.

You know, everyone has a story, and it's
really hard sometimes to filter through

what is the truth and what isn't. But a
grown adult knows if you're in a house,

you pay rent for a mortgage.

So I don't forgive that part of it.

Let's not forget about there are notices
on both doors that say vacate. That was

a constant reminder that they are a
trespasser in a house and that they are

a squatter.

Okay? When can I start getting my stuff
out then? Well, either I or the owner

will reach out to you by tomorrow. Okay.
When the mold remediation company comes

in, they'll be directed to put anything
that is salvageable into the back

garage. That way you won't have to enter
the home.

All right. All right.

Well, that's how the phone goes.

That, yeah.

Morning, how you doing? Morning. Thanks
for meeting me, man. So today's the day,

man. Your key's back and your squatter
is gone.

All right, thank you. So today is a good
day that you got your house back.

Appreciate it. This usually is my
favorite part.

Last night, lost sleep over it because
there is some damage in the house.

We actually need to mask up to walk in
the house.

Smells pretty bad in there. Okay. As
much as I don't want to walk through the

house with Ray, I feel like it's
reality. It's something he's going to

have to deal with.

All right. So let's go in.

The window was broken.

Yeah. That's my dresser I put in here.

Okay. It's horrible.

So you can see water dripping right now.

You can see all the ice on the floor.

He never had to give back a house.

As bad as this.

I know it must be devastating for you,
and it's heartbreaking for me.

Yeah.

I think right now I'm truly in shock.

These horrible individuals come in here
and disrespect my family.

I put the floor in myself.

I'm not a rich man.

You put time, and time is something I
can't get back.

The squatters, they don't give a shit.

And then it causes issues throughout the
neighborhood.

Infestations, mice, rats, water damage,
decreasing the value of your property.

I had enough. I don't need to see
anymore.

Okay.

Unfortunately, most states don't see
squatting as a crime at all.

But... Laws only change when there's
awareness and people start talking about

it. This is not a victimless crime.

At this point, the emotion is purely
anger.

Yeah. And the thing is, this could have
been avoided.

I did everything to prevent this.

It's heart-wrenching. Yeah, absolutely.

But for the last nine months, you
couldn't see an ending.

True. From this day forward, this is
your house, and you don't have to deal

with any squatter or any tenant. You
guys have been more helpful than

anything else.

Yeah. Thank you. I wish you and your
family absolutely the best in whatever

you decide to do with this house.

Take care, man. All right? Thank you.
Okay.

As my grandparents used to say, you got
a healthy mind and a strong back and two

hands, but for a little time, a little
money and effort, you can be whatever

you want.

And we just put our nose down and grind
it out and make things happen.