Squatting is now a criminal offence in residential properties following a change in the law last year. But that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily any easier than it was to remove squatters. Landlords need to be aware that there is still a risk that their property will be squatted.
Preventing squatters
Prevention is always better than cure. The best way to make sure your property is not squatted is not to leave it empty. How easy this is to do depends on how good the rental market is in your particular area. In some parts of the country, the market is booming, and it’s unlikely that your property will ever need to be left empty. Where the market is slower, void periods are more likely and squatting more of a risk.
That said, squatters are unlikely to move in to a property that is in good condition and obviously recently lived in. It is in their interests to find somewhere that looks as if it is long-term empty. If you do need to leave a property empty long-term, deter squatters by doing what you can to make it look lived in. Keep it in good repair, put lights on timers and make sure the lawn is mowed.
If all that fails make sure you know your rights.
Dealing with squatters
Now that squatting is a criminal offence, the first step to take if you find squatters in your property is to call the police. The law change means that they will have to deal with the problem.
The law applies to people who have entered a building as trespassers. Tenants who stay on after their contract has ended are not criminalised under the new law. If you have a problem with tenants refusing to leave, you should use the usual eviction process to remove them.
Protect yourself
While dealing with squatters is easier than it once was, they could still cause damage to your property. Making regular checks on any empty properties is the best way to stop this before it happens. If it is already too late, then make sure you follow the correct legal procedure to remove squatters, working with the police, rather than trying to evict them yourself. You may also want to consider adding squatters protection to your landlords insurance, especially if you know you will need to leave your property empty for a time.