‘Change the locks immediately’: Ohio housebuyer arrives at property to find a U-Haul van outside and someone else’s stuff inside

A housebuyer in Ohio was left puzzled and a little bit concerned after picking up the keys and heading over to his new property, only to find it looked as though someone else was in the process of moving in. A U-Haul truck parked outside and a house full of belongings set off alarm bells, as people on TikTok advised the man to act immediately.

The man, who goes by “@Naepfeorst” on TikTok, claimed that he arrived at the property to meet with his contractor and “run over some things.” However, when he arrived, he noticed a U-Haul van parked right outside his house. “My first thought [was], ‘Why the hell is there a U-Haul truck in here?’” He said.

Upon opening the door, he would quickly find out why the U-Haul van was there. Inside, what he claimed had been an empty property when he bought it was now an assortment of items, clothes, furniture, and even a TV, which suggested someone was moving in. “None of this stuff was here when I bought it,” Naepfeorst claimed.

TikTok advises the housebuyer to change the locks

The video quickly blew up on TikTok, receiving millions of views. Commenters were certain that they knew what was going on and believed that it might be linked to a known scam. “Someone rented out your house. It’s a big scam in FB,” claimed one commenter. “call uhaul the person moving in might be victim of a scam,” advised another.

Others in the comment section suspected that the person moving in might have been a squatter, telling the man to “change the locks immediately.” Another concerned commenter agreed, telling the man, “Do not leave. If they get inside you’re toast.” The concerns regarding squatters come from the fear of “Squatter’s Rights,” which dictate that someone can claim ownership of an empty property if certain legal conditions are met, according to the American Apartment Owners Association.

Other commenters expressed doubts as to whether any squatters would have a legal right to the property in the video.

In an update video, Naepfeorst dismissed viewer concerns regarding the alleged scam and the possibility of squatters. He claimed that he was able to get in contact with the old seller, who allegedly revealed that it was his stuff at the property. “No squatters, no scams,” Naepfeorst said, “just an idiot that stored his stuff here after I had already bought the house.”

The housebuyer chose not to claim the stuff that had been left on his property as his own, instead giving the seller two hours to come and pick up their stuff before he changed the locks. Viewers still advised contacting the police over the matter to make a “paper trail.” Others didn’t buy the story, claiming it “looked like someone was moving in.”

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