A Texas woman says a repair man she found through TikTok started living in her home. Terri Boyette, a resident of Mesquite, Texas, told WFAA that everything was going well with the repairman she found on TikTok until she had to go to Florida to take care of her mom. She says she became aware of a problem when a friend went to her house to get her mail and saw that someone appeared to be living there, reported WFAA.
The friend assumed that the man staying at the house was a tenant renting the place while Boyette was away — but Boyette says it was the repairman, and there was no lease.
Boyette testified at a Texas Senate committee meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. She showed the senators what her home allegedly looked like due to the "squatter" and also said that he sold some of the stuff in her home, according to FOX 4.
She previously told the New York Post that the repairman staying in her home also let other people stay there, and they reportedly trashed the place.
Although Boyette claims the alleged "squatting" began in June 2023, FOX4 reported that the Mesquite Police Department did not receive a call related to squatting at that time. Instead, police say they were notified on March 1, 2024, and the repairman was reportedly evicted later that month, according to the outlet. He was also arrested.
Similarly, WFAA reported that the police said that they did receive calls related to that particular home, but the calls were not about squatting.
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In a statement, Mesquite police explained the situation, as per WFAA:
“The Mesquite Police Department and other law enforcement agencies constantly exercise caution when investigating property claims because many disputes fall under civil law, especially those related to evictions. In such cases, the police role is to primarily maintain peace and order, rather than to arbitrate property disputes. It is the stance of the Mesquite Police Department that all calls regarding Boyette’s residence have been handled appropriately and professionally, with due regard for existing state law.”
