A Place to Call Home
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Here is your chance to help a battler overcome his own housing crisis. Help a modern day squatter, with no problem doing the right thing, win the right to live long term in an abandoned house he cares about.
Australia has a colourful history of squatters in its colonial past and some of these heroes of the bush have become etched into our folklore. With housing affordibility reaching a crisis in Australia, especially for those on a low income over the age of 50. Here is your chance to create a break for a modern day bush hero. Iain Herridge. Iain has lived in Australia since 1988.
Approximately 3 acres of abandoned rural property including a run down house circa 1890 sets the scene for a rare and unusual squatting story. Iain Herridge, a struggling artist, writer, actor, aspiring filmmaker, and now squatter, has a very short time to raise back rates owed to Adelaide Hills Council by an abandoned deceased estate from 2003, for this idealic, but run down Adelaide hills property. Adelaide Hills Council to auction a Carey Gully home complete with squatter
If Iain cannot raise the money to cover these rates plus council's legal costs of preparing and advertising the auction, the hammer will fall on May 25. However, if the financial commitments are met before this date the Adelaide Hills Council is prepared to allow Mr Herridge to continue to live on the property. You can help Iain achieve this with a donation.
Iain has been living in the Carey Gully cottage since October, when he discovered it had been abandoned in 2011 after the owner had died. Iain after doing some research with help from a friend (who was surprised, his band rehearsed there in the 1990's), chose to be open, honest and upfront with council to persue the possibility of living there long term. He offered to pay off the rates over time. As the rates are such a big dollar figure Council have decided to auction the property.
He has been mowing the lawns, pruning trees and has erected new fences – and while he doesn’t have running hot water and the building is in very poor condition internally with major renovations required to make livable, he has connected power to the 126-year-old Carey Gully house which he shares with his dog Amos and goat Patches. “It was an empty house that was only going to get trashed,”
“The toilet had been kicked in when I moved in and all the taps had been removed — but, to be quite honest, I enjoy cleaning up around the place, pruning the trees ... in many ways it’s felt like home to me. I’ve never (squatted) before.”
The property is registered to the estate of Zdzislaw Felix Gajdzinski, a Polish migrant and chicken farmer who bought the house with his wife Anne in the 1950s — but is believed to have died in or about 2003, in Germany.
His son Andrew lived in the property up until his death in January 2011 but the Adelaide Hills Council has been unable to find a next of kin. Iain with help from friends has been trying through Ancestry.com and other internet means, to find if any next of kin exists and so far no results
It is understood that Mr Gajdzinski had no Will. Mayor Bill Spragg said the council will auction the property, valued at $500,000, next month to recoup $32,682 in unpaid rates dating back to 2003.
If Iain is to raise this money by May 25, he needs more again, as the legal plus advertising costs of going to auction bringing this challenge for Ian to over $44,000 by May 25. If this Go Fund Me campaign is successful over $44,000 any excess will help get running water, hot water and basic renovations to make the house safe, comfortable and livable.
In SA squatting is illegal but a squatter can apply for ownership if they can prove they have lived in the property for 15 years without the consent of the legal owner. This may be possible if these initial financial hurdles are overcome.
Iain, who is dedicated to his artistic, writing, acting and filmaking persuits, has been down on his luck in recent years. This will mean a real lot to Iain, who has chosen the path of being honest and upfront with council, to live in this property as a squatter. Lets beat the odds for an honest battler to live his life peacefully and productively, in a place of his own. Please help with a donation and share.
Australia has a colourful history of squatters in its colonial past and some of these heroes of the bush have become etched into our folklore. With housing affordibility reaching a crisis in Australia, especially for those on a low income over the age of 50. Here is your chance to create a break for a modern day bush hero. Iain Herridge. Iain has lived in Australia since 1988.
Approximately 3 acres of abandoned rural property including a run down house circa 1890 sets the scene for a rare and unusual squatting story. Iain Herridge, a struggling artist, writer, actor, aspiring filmmaker, and now squatter, has a very short time to raise back rates owed to Adelaide Hills Council by an abandoned deceased estate from 2003, for this idealic, but run down Adelaide hills property. Adelaide Hills Council to auction a Carey Gully home complete with squatter
If Iain cannot raise the money to cover these rates plus council's legal costs of preparing and advertising the auction, the hammer will fall on May 25. However, if the financial commitments are met before this date the Adelaide Hills Council is prepared to allow Mr Herridge to continue to live on the property. You can help Iain achieve this with a donation.
Iain has been living in the Carey Gully cottage since October, when he discovered it had been abandoned in 2011 after the owner had died. Iain after doing some research with help from a friend (who was surprised, his band rehearsed there in the 1990's), chose to be open, honest and upfront with council to persue the possibility of living there long term. He offered to pay off the rates over time. As the rates are such a big dollar figure Council have decided to auction the property.
He has been mowing the lawns, pruning trees and has erected new fences – and while he doesn’t have running hot water and the building is in very poor condition internally with major renovations required to make livable, he has connected power to the 126-year-old Carey Gully house which he shares with his dog Amos and goat Patches. “It was an empty house that was only going to get trashed,”
“The toilet had been kicked in when I moved in and all the taps had been removed — but, to be quite honest, I enjoy cleaning up around the place, pruning the trees ... in many ways it’s felt like home to me. I’ve never (squatted) before.”
The property is registered to the estate of Zdzislaw Felix Gajdzinski, a Polish migrant and chicken farmer who bought the house with his wife Anne in the 1950s — but is believed to have died in or about 2003, in Germany.
His son Andrew lived in the property up until his death in January 2011 but the Adelaide Hills Council has been unable to find a next of kin. Iain with help from friends has been trying through Ancestry.com and other internet means, to find if any next of kin exists and so far no results
It is understood that Mr Gajdzinski had no Will. Mayor Bill Spragg said the council will auction the property, valued at $500,000, next month to recoup $32,682 in unpaid rates dating back to 2003.
If Iain is to raise this money by May 25, he needs more again, as the legal plus advertising costs of going to auction bringing this challenge for Ian to over $44,000 by May 25. If this Go Fund Me campaign is successful over $44,000 any excess will help get running water, hot water and basic renovations to make the house safe, comfortable and livable.
In SA squatting is illegal but a squatter can apply for ownership if they can prove they have lived in the property for 15 years without the consent of the legal owner. This may be possible if these initial financial hurdles are overcome.
Iain, who is dedicated to his artistic, writing, acting and filmaking persuits, has been down on his luck in recent years. This will mean a real lot to Iain, who has chosen the path of being honest and upfront with council, to live in this property as a squatter. Lets beat the odds for an honest battler to live his life peacefully and productively, in a place of his own. Please help with a donation and share.
Organizer
Iain Herridge
Organizer
Aldgate SA
