BUYING A DREAM HOME TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE. YOU HEARD HIM. FOR THIS FAMILY FROM QUEENS. THE HOUSE CAME WITH SOMETHING. THE NEW OWNERS DID NOT BARGAIN FOR A SQUATTER. MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THAT HOME, THE FAMILY SAYS THEY STILL CAN'T GO INSIDE, AND THEY FACED A ROADBLOCK AFTER ROADBLOCK TRYING TO GET THE MAN WHO IS STAYING THERE OUT, OUT. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER DAN KRAUTH JOINS US NOW WITH MORE. SANDRA THE FAMILY SAYS THEY'VE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THE MAN LIVING INSIDE THEIR HOME TO COURT. >> AND DESPITE HAVING HEARING AFTER HEARING, THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOVE IN. >> IT HAS JUST TAKEN OVER, OVER EVERYTHING. >> EVERYTHING SUZANNA AND JOSEPH ISLANDIA BOUGHT WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THEIR DREAM RETIREMENT HOME IN DOUGLASTON, QUEENS. >> WE'RE LOOKING TO HOPEFULLY RETIRE AND MOST OF ALL PROVIDE FOR MY SON ALEX, WHO HAS DOWN SYNDROME. HE HAS A DISABILITY. >> THE NEW HOUSE IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO FAMILY MEMBERS. I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT I CAN DIE TOMORROW AND HE'S NEXT TO HIS BROTHER. THEY SIGNED THE DEED BACK IN OCTOBER. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS? THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS. THE HOUSE CAME WITH SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. A MAN LIVING IN THEIR HOME WHO THEY SAY REFUSES TO LEAVE. >> WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. WE COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. >> HIS NAME IS BRETT FLORES. >> THEY CANNOT COME HERE EARLY. WHEN I'M NOT HERE. >> THEY HAVE KEYS THERE. THE OWNER. >> THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE LANDIS TRIED TO ENTER WITH AN INSURANCE INSPECTOR. THEY SAY FLORES CALLED THE COPS ON THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THEY GAVE HIM TEN DAY NOTICE. HE WASN'T A RENTER. NEVER. YOU DIDN'T SIGN DOCUMENTS THAT SAID WE HAVE A TENANT, CORRECT? COURT DOCUMENTS DETAIL IN FLORES OWN WORDS. WHY? HE'S THERE. A SIGNED STATEMENT SAYS HE WAS HIRED BY THE FORMER HOMEOWNER AS HIS CARETAKER WAS PAID $3,000 A WEEK, AND HIS EMPLOYMENT ENDED IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR WHEN THE MAN DIED. HE CLAIMS HE HAS A LICENSE TO STAY IN THE HOUSE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS IN NEW YORK, SQUATTERS HAVE RIGHTS. AFTER 30 DAYS, 30 DAYS, HOW CAN YOU HAVE RIGHTS IF YOU HAVE NO LEASE? >> YOU'RE NOT PAYING RENT. SO WHAT IS YOUR RIGHT? >> NOT ONLY HAS FLORES BEEN LIVING THERE, THEY CLAIM HE LISTED THE HOME ONLINE TO RENT ROOMS TO OTHER PEOPLE. THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND GET HIM OUT, THEY'RE TAKING HIM TO LANDLORD TENANT COURT, TRYING TO GET HIM EVICTED. >> WE HAVE HAD ALREADY FILED FIVE HEARINGS AT CIVIL COURT. >> HE SHOWS UP. NO ATTORNEY. >> IF IT'S NOT ONE EXCUSE, THERE'S ANOTHER EXCUSE. >> HE FILED A BANKRUPTCY. SO THAT PREVENTS EVERYTHING FROM GOING FORWARD. >> MEANWHILE, THEY'VE BEEN PAYING ALL THE BILLS, LEAVING WITH EYES WIDE OPEN 24 HOURS, INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN UTILITIES. >> IT MAKES ME FEEL COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM, NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. >> AS FOR FLORES, NO ONE ANSWERED THE DOOR. HE DID ANSWER THE PHONE. I'M DOING MY BEST TO TRY TO GET YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME TO CALL YOUR ATTORNEY? AN ATTORNEY WHO TOLD ME YOU'RE GOING TO SETTLE IT THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM? NO COMMENT. >> OUR SYSTEM IS BROKEN. WE HAVE NO RIGHTS. WE HAVE NO RIGHTS AT ALL. NOTHING. NOTHING ZERO. AND THIS ISSUE MAY NOT BE RESOLVED ANY TIME SOON. >> THE NEXT COURT HEA
