Squatters can be a big problem for landlords and as anyone who has had to deal with squatters knows only too well, it can cost a great deal of money and time to try and evict them. Unfortunately, as the law currently stands, any landlord who attempts to force their way into a property will be in the wrong.
I was hoping that plans for proposed new legislation designed to criminalise squatting in residential and commercial properties would be a big step forward towards solving this difficult issue, but it would seem that perhaps the proposed changes do not actually address the biggest problem, namely the length of time it can take to remove squatters from a property.
At the moment, the biggest protection landlords have from squatters is to take out unoccupied property insurance. Such a policy will cover the costs of damage caused by squatters as well as offering protection against floods and fire.
However, for legislation to prove more effective, it needs to be made easier for landlords to evict squatters immediately. As things stand, it can take as long as three months before landlords are able to lawfully regain possession of their rental properties, and as we all know only too well, time is money! I also feel it would be helpful if the proposed legislation gave greater powers to the police so that they were able to actively discourage squatters from returning to a property.
