My home had a squatter for 5 years – when I finally took her to court I was bullied out of £50k & nearly left homeless

A SINGLE mum has told how her house was taken over by a squatter for five years - and claims she was "bullied" out of nearly £50,000 in court.

Alexis Cusenza represented herself, while the rogue occupant was afforded legal aid to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds.

Alexis, 51, said she was being threatened with having to foot the bill by the opposing legal team during the hearing in October and agreed to sign a court order foregoing up to £30,000 rent arrears owed.

She even had to pay E.ON the £18,300 energy bill the squatter had racked up in order to get her keys back, as per a court document seen by The Sun.

Mum-of-two Alexis told us: “They had me over a barrel - I didn’t want to sign it but that was the only way I was going to get my house back.”

She claims the squatter - who had originally been a legitimate renter before refusing to pay rent or bills - was able to call on the services of a “top London barrister”.

She said: “It petrified me and I thought I could lose my whole house over this. I just have to settle and, unfortunately, the settlement was the electricity bill and me waiving the arrears.”

Alexis said the house itself is in much need of work, which will cost her thousands, including a massive damp patch where the ceiling needs cutting out and replastering.

“There’s cobwebs like you wouldn’t believe… there’s ivy growing all over and it’s just tired,” she explained.

“It looks like The Nightmare Before Christmas - and that’s putting it nicely.”

Alexis has had to borrow the money to pay off the E.ON bill from her dad, and claims the firm had agreed over the phone to reduce the bill to just over £7,000 before denying such a conversation ever happened.

RENT ARREARS

She explained that the rent arrears had built up since 2019 and she was on the brink of being made homeless as she tried to force out the squatter.

Alexis began renting out her two-bedroom Grade II listed cottage in the village of Aldenham, near Watford, Hertfordshire, the previous year.

The skin therapist had just had her second child and needed a bigger home, so began renting one for her and her children nearby.

In the meantime, she covered the mortgage on the cottage by renting it out.

However, in early 2019 the tenant started paying her rent late and then cut it back by £400 a month, before stopping paying completely, Alexis claims.

Alexis was able to persuade the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to pay the tenant’s monthly housing benefit to her as part of the dispute - but she continued to make a major loss.

Prior to going to court, she claims she was still paying out £300 a month on the mortgage, as well as her own rent - meaning she had almost no money left.

Alexis said: “It has ruined my life for five years. My relationship, everything is done. It’s horrific.”

She claims she served the tenant multiple money claims, and then a Ground 1 notice, as per the Housing Act.

If successful, this allows a landlord to repossess a property if they used to occupy it as their main home.

The tenant is also understood to have previously submitted a 20-part counter claim for disrepair in an effort to get compensation and nullify Alexis’ money claims.

Alexis struggled to find the funds to pay for solicitors fees, while the tenant was granted legal aid, she says.

Their lawyers were also able to find another loophole as the estate agent failed to file Alexis’ deposit within the correct time when she moved in, and she even tried to have Alexis struck off the rental register, she claims.

Alexis said: “It seems that it’s all on the side of the tenant, and I haven’t been able to get any help.

“I have used all my money to try and fight this.”

The Sun has contacted E.ON for comment.

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