Homeowners, property investors and landlords the length and breadth of the UK will be delighted to know that squatting is soon to be recognised as a criminal offence.
The news will come as a huge relief and it should also mean a cut in landlord insurance premiums in the long term. Squatting, which is currently only a civil offence, will become a criminal offence from September 1st 2012 mainly because of continued campaigning by landlords and homeowners over a number of years. The new offence will be backed up by fines up to a maximum of £5,000 and in some cases prison sentences of up to 6 months may be passed down by a judge.
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action and a prime mover in taking the campaign to Parliament, welcomed the news saying: “Squatting cases have been on the rise for some time now, many by organised gangs whom have travelled thousands of miles to engage in squatting knowing they will be protected by the law. It was only when some high profile cases hit the headlines that people sat up and took notice of the growing injustice on homeowners.”
The new law should eradicate the problem of homeowners fighting long and expensive legal battles to claim back their own property in the future. A fact welcomed by several leading landlord organisations, however, they warned property owners that the threat from squatters would not disappear overnight and encouraged people who may be vulnerable to try and avoid leaving their properties empty whenever possible.