A $2 million home bought by an elderly New York City couple has been left derelict and grotty after it was taken over by a shameless squatter.
The large three bed, four bath home= in Little Neck, around 18 miles from Manhattan, was intended to be the idyllic retirement spot for Susana and Joseph Landa, both 68, and their disabled son Alex.
But their dreams were dashed as they discovered the property was being lived in by squatter Brett Flores in October, sparking a months-long struggle to evict him that has left them desperate.
After Flores was caught advertising spare rooms in the mansion, new exclusive images captured by DailyMail.com show the home has been deserted, with garbage scattered across the floors and dust sheets covering furniture and windows.
Ten surveillance cameras monitor the property.
A note purportedly left by Flores on the door of the home told the new owners they ‘don’t have my consent to enter’, and said their attempts to contact him would be ‘interpreted as harassment.’
This $2 million ‘dream home’ bought by an elderly New York City couple has been left derelict and abandoned after it was taken over by a shameless squatter
After months of struggling to evict the squatter, a note has been left on the door telling the new owners they ‘don’t have consent to enter’, and said their attempts to contact the grifter would be ‘interpreted as harassment’
Despite a winter gale blowing through New York on Thursday, many windows and doors of the empty property were left wide open, as the home appeared to not have been lived in for some time
Scattered, unfinished white paint has also been left on the home’s red front door, alongside a key lock holder that had been ripped from its hinges
Months after the property was snapped up for millions, it has fallen into disrepair
Susana (right) and Joseph Landa (left), both 68, purchased the mansion in Little Neck, Long Island in October, where they planned to enjoy retirement before their hopes were dashed
The squatter has been identified as Brett Flores, who is claiming that he has every right to stay
Despite a winter gale blowing through New York on Thursday, many windows and doors of the empty property were left wide open, as the home appeared to not have been lived in for some time.
Scattered, unfinished white paint has also been left on the home’s red front door, alongside a key lock holder that had been ripped from its hinges.
There was no answer when DailyMail.com knocked the door. Flores’ lawyer told DailyMail.com that he had no comment to make ahead of a court hearing scheduled for April 18. It is unclear what that hearing will cover.
No-one local had anything to say about Flores, with one neighbor whose property backs onto the disputed home’s yard saying he’d never even seen him.
When the Landas picked the home to retire in back in October, its location next to family members and in a neighborhood where they lived for decades made it the ideal spot to settle down for good.
The proximity to their family was an added benefit as the elderly couple take care of their disabled son Alex, who has down syndrome.
‘I just want to know that I can die tomorrow and he’s next to his brother,’ Susana said of her disabled son.
But after finding Flores occupying their home, their inability to shift the squatter has become ‘a nightmare’, said Joseph to ABC7.
‘I wake up and I go to sleep thinking about the same thing, when is this guy going to come out?’ Susana, a mother-of-three, said.
The whole time they have been unable to move into the home due to Flores, the couple have been forced to foot the bill for all the utilities and maintenance to keep up the large property.
While the home has fallen into disrepair as the Landas still can’t move in, they also claim Flores was advertising rooms in their home-to-be on rental sites.
In the online listings, which appear to have been deleted, Flores advertised ‘The Prince Room’ for $50 a night to males, female, couples, families or students looking for a place to stay.
His rental services had even garnered three reviews, suggesting that Flores could have hosted paying renters at the Landa’s home.
The sprawling home is in Little Neck, around 18 miles from Manhattan
The exterior of the property has also been fitted with at least a dozen security cameras, including on trees scattered around the estate
Scattered garbage and random splatters of white paint have been left around the multi-million dollar home
Not only has Flores taken over the Landa’s family home to-be, they are claiming the squatter has also advertised the home online to rent the rooms to other people
The family hoped the home would be the ideal spot to settle down with their disabled son Alex, and some of their other family also live in the neighborhood
The Landas are taking Flores to landlord-tenant court to try and get him evicted, but the court hearing is not until April.
‘Long story short, he is still there,’ Susana said.
Flores had been hired as a caretaker by the home’s previous owner, which he argues gives him every right to remain on the property.
Court documents show that Flores, 32, was indeed hired by the former homeowner, and he was paid $3,000 a week to care for the elderly man.
The former homeowner passed away in January 2023, but Flores claimed he has a ‘license’ to stay in the home granted by the old owner.
When DailyMail.com quizzed neighbors about the former homeowner, they didn’t know much about the man, and said he ‘kept himself to himself.’
After he described in court documents why he ‘deserved’ to live for free in the multi-million dollar property, Susana reacted: ‘We couldn’t believe it, we could not believe it.’
Flores’ attorney told DailyMail.com, ‘no comment.’
The homeowners tried to enter the property alongside an insurance inspector and Flores called the cops on them.
The family have already had five hearings in civil court and are complaining that the process keeps getting delayed.
Joseph Landa said his struggles to evict the squatter have become ‘a nightmare, a total nightmare’
The Landa family have already had five hearings in civil court and are complaining that the process keeps getting delayed
While Flores is living rent free in the family’s dream home, they are paying all of the bills to keep the house up and running
Flores has showed up for court without an attorney and filed for bankruptcy on January 9, 2024, which prevented any legal proceedings from going forward.
While Flores is living rent-free in the family’s dream home, they are paying all of the bills to keep the house up and running.
Flores has racked up thousands of dollars in utilities, which Joseph and Susana have had to pay.
Susana said Flores has been ‘leaving windows open 24 hours’ while they are paying the heating bills.
‘It’s very crazy, our system is broken,’ Susana said. ‘I never would imagine we have no rights, no rights at all, nothing, zero.’
‘It makes me feel completely forgotten in this legal system, unfair and not able to do anything,’ Joseph said.