Have the Tories made squatting harder?

[nick h.]

They had a go earlier this month - story below. Is this a concern? I'm thinking about squatting and am wondering how quickly one gets evicted these days.


From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11707517

Guide to stop squatters published online

Landlords can find evicting squatters is a problem
A guide for homeowners, aimed at stopping squatters "invading" their property, has been published online.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps says he wants to end the "anti-social, undesirable and unfair" practice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Squatting is a crime in Scotland.

The guide outlining people's rights is a response to websites set up to help squatters get round the law.

The Advisory Service for Squatters said Mr Shapps was "scaremongering".

Changing locks

The new advice highlights that people can apply for an Interim Possession Order, requiring squatters to leave their property within 24 hours or face up to six months in jail.

Owners may need to provide evidence that the property is theirs.

Mr Shapps told the BBC: "Squatting is anti-social, undesirable, and unfair on homeowners who find they have their homes taken over.

"This government is not prepared to stand that situation continuing, and in particular we're keen to provide better advice for people who find that they are victims of squatters as well."


He said it was a "huge issue" for families who found squatters had invaded and said it could be very difficult for landlords to remove them.

Mr Shapps took aim at the ASS, which according to its website "provides legal and practical advice to squatters and other homeless people".

He said: "Surprisingly, there's an awful lot of advice out there for squatters, including a squatters advice line - an office almost acting as an estate agent for squatters... but actually very little help for people who find they're the victim."

"Ask someone to look out for your property if you go away," he advised.

"It shouldn't be that the squatters get the upper hand - that's happening far too often at the moment and the government is determined to put people back in charge of their own property."

Continue reading the main story
Case study
Having had a buy-to-let property squatted while empty for one week between tenancies I feel very strongly that squatting should be criminalised.

I had the expense of losing rent, paying for alternative accommodation for the rightful tenants, replacing beds, carpets and redecorating.

To cap it all I had to pay for the gas and electricity used by the squatters as well as the council tax while the place was "empty".

After then paying £3,000 to get them out in the courts, they wandered across the street and broke in to another house.

They were seen doing this and the police were called but they just said that the door had been left open and the police left them to it.

Simon Gould, Landlord, Brighton

Your experiences of squatting
Send your comments
But Katharine Hibbert, a former squatter who works informally for the ASS, said Mr Shapps was scaremongering as squatters "do not and cannot invade [people's] homes".

She told the BBC: "It's really unnecessarily alarmist to talk about people's homes in this kind of context.

"You have to find a place that's empty and the law as it stands does protect homes that are in use as homes."

A squatter living in a pub in London told the BBC he could not afford rent in the city while he looked for work.

The Latvian national, giving his name as Jason, said there were lots of empty properties around.

"I just walk around the area I want to live and then I find houses which look empty and I check them over a period of time and see if they're really empty," he said.

"It's better than people living on the street. I mean most squatters live, like, normally, not like damaging stuff."

In Scotland, squatting is a criminal as well as a civil offence but in England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a civil offence only.

In Scotland, owners can evict squatters without notice and they could face a fine or a prison sentence.

 

[rover07]

Is squatting a church a good idea?

There is one down the bottom of our road thats been empty for about 10 years now. Its got a side hall with a kitchen. The roof looks ok. Some of the windows are broken. I guess it would be bloody freezing but there are probably side rooms which would be useable. It belongs to Chichester Diocese.

 

[nick h.]

Yes. You'd be doing the diocese a favour by protecting it from vandals. I hope the side hall has a bathroom! Perhaps you could put in a free standing shower unit which heats its own water.

 

[rover07]

I'd love to have a look round but dont see any way in. All the windows are either stained glass with lead or those reinforced safety ones. Some have small holes you can peer in. All the doors look pretty solid. I would guess there is a toilet.

 

[pinkmonkey]

I used a camp shower on the boat before I got the hot water sorted out, boil a kettle, half boiling water half cold in the bottle is enough of a shower for one.

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=122160&Referrer=affiliatewindow&source=affwin

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

I wish someone would squat Grant Shapps, the shiny-headed dick.

 

[zenie]

I'd love to have a look round but dont see any way in. All the windows are either stained glass with lead or those reinforced safety ones. Some have small holes you can peer in. All the doors look pretty solid. I would guess there is a toilet.

Get someone else to break it for you, then you just 'climbed in' an open window

I'm not sure if this new legislation will come in, nor do I think it's aimed at the majority of squatters. It's the ones who move into recently or still inhabited houses that are taking the piss and ruining it for the others who live in abandoned leaky, cold, stinking often commercial buidlings and do them up and make 'em habitable.

 

[rover07]

Im paying £100 a week rent at the moment but i've quit my job so need to reduce my outgoings! Plus i would like to get a place of my own as im renting the spare room in a friends house. I was thinking if i got a campervan as back-up then squatting might be an option. I dont like the thought of being evicted at short notice and having nowhere to sleep.

Any idea how long it would be before the church wanted their building back? Is it a good idea to offer to church-sit for them?

 

[zenie]

Plenty of companies have set up do it, although I think they're a bit of a piss take, Camelot Securities is one. 'Protection by occupation' it's called, it's worth an ask, because if you get the buidling owner's permission it makes life so much easier

 

[nick h.]

Camelot require work references, payslips etc. Not for the likes of dole scum like me.

Not sure about breaking into a church if it means forcing a heavy door. You could do a lot of damage and might not be able to shift the blame to 'vandals unknown.'

 

[i'mnotsofast]

I just dug out some recent references to squatting in House of Commons questions. I guess it doesn't include whatever has been said in speeches. There certainly does seem to be some anti-squatting pressure coming from Conservative MPs....

26th Oct:

Squatting

Rehman Chishti (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the number of properties occupied by squatters. [19614]

Andrew Stunell (Lib Dem): Information on the number of properties occupied by squatters is not held centrally.

2nd Nov:

Squatting

Mike Weatherley (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences related to non-payment of council tax in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (2) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences of robbery in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (3) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences related to carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (4) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences of television licence evasion in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (5) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences of criminal damage in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (6) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences of arson in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (7) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences of trespass in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (8) how many people squatting in premises were prosecuted for offences relating to using utilities without contacting the suppliers in respect of those premises in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; (9) how many people were prosecuted for breaking and entering where their apparent purpose was to squat in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009; and how many of these had previously been subject to an anti-social behaviour order.

Crispin Blunt (Conservative): Data held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is therefore not possible to separately identify whether offences were committed by squatters for: non-payment of council tax; robbery; carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building; television licence evasion; criminal damage; arson; trespass; or using utilities without contacting the suppliers. Similarly it is not possible to separately identify those persons prosecuted for burglary whose apparent purpose was to squat.

3rd Nov:

Squatting

Mike Weatherley (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend legislation on squatting; and if he will make a statement. [20911]

Crispin Blunt (Conservative): We are considering whether the law in relation to squatting and the way it is enforced, should be strengthened, but we have not yet reached any firm conclusions.

Squatting: Evictions

Christopher Pincher (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to extend the rights of property owners and local authorities to evict squatters from private property. [21247]

Crispin Blunt (Conservative): We are reviewing with other Government Departments whether the law in relation to squatting and the way it is enforced, should be strengthened, but we have yet to reach a conclusion.

8th Nov:

Squatting

David Amess (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require local authorities to report to his Department annually on the number of properties in their locality that are occupied by squatters; what recent discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with local authorities on squatters; and if he will make a statement. [21934]

Andrew Stunell (Lib Dem): We have no plans to introduce a requirement for local authorities to report the number of properties occupied by squatters. No discussions have taken place with local authorities. However, we will be taking steps to help get empty homes back into productive and lawful use, reducing the scope for squatting. We are also providing more guidance to home owners on their legal rights against illegal squatting on their property.

David Amess (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on managing squatters in each of the last three years; what guidance his Department plans to issue in the next year; and if he will make a statement. [22006]

Grant Shapps (Conservative): The Department has not issued any guidance to local authorities on managing squatters but has today made available on the DCLG website advice to home owners affected by squatters at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/advicesquatters

Empty Dwelling Management Orders: Squatting

David Amess (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received from (a) members of the public, (b) local government councillors and (c) hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords on properties occupied by squatters; what response he provided in each case; and if he will make a statement. [21935]

Crispin Blunt (Conservative): Following recent media coverage about the harm caused by squatters in residential and non-residential property, I have received a number of representations from members of the public and Members of Parliament calling for the law to be strengthened. To date, I have not received any representations from Members of the House of Lords or local councillors on this issue.

I have asked my officials to look at the existing law on trespass and the way it is enforced to see if it can be strengthened. They are working with officials in other Government Departments, including the Home Office, and with the Association of Chief Police Officers and CPS to see what, if any, changes may need to made, including to police guidance on dealing with squatters. No firm conclusions have been reached.

Squatting

David Amess (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance her Department issues to the police on the treatment of squatters; what recent discussions she has had with the police on treatment of squatters; and if she will make a statement; [21982]
(2) what recent representations she has received on the adequacy of police powers to remove squatters from residential property; what response she provided in each case; and if she will make a statement. [21983]

Nick Herbert (Conservative): I have not received any specific representations on the adequacy of police powers to remove squatters from residential property, but I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor (Mr Clarke) has received a number of representations on the subject. The Home Office has not issued any specific guidance to the police on the treatment of squatters.

The Ministry of Justice is currently looking at the law on trespass, and the way it is enforced, in association with the Association of Chief Police Officers, other Government Departments, including the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service, to see if any strengthening or guidance is needed.

11th Nov:

Squatting: Dartford

Gareth Johnson (Conservative): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many evictions of squatters from properties in Dartford constituency there have been in each of the last five years. [22804]

Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative): I have been asked to reply.

The Ministry of Justice holds statistical information in relation to the number of possession orders against squatters or trespassers made in the county courts of England and Wales, and the number of interim possession orders made, upon delivery of which squatters must leave within 24 hours or be guilty of a criminal offence. There was one possession order made against squatters or trespassers in Dartford county court in 2008 and none in each other year from 2005 to 2009. There were no interim possession orders made in Dartford county court between 2005 and 2009.

Central administrative databases are not able to separately identify how many of these orders were in relation to squatters specifically. The Ministry of Justice also does not hold any statistical information about the number of evictions of squatters from properties.

The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, county courts' jurisdictions are not coterminous with constituency boundaries. The above figures do not therefore necessarily relate to properties located in the Dartford constituency area.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Plenty of companies have set up do it, although I think they're a bit of a piss take, Camelot Securities is one. 'Protection by occupation' it's called, it's worth an ask, because if you get the buidling owner's permission it makes life so much easier

Camelot = the anti-squatting company, please do not consider going with them!

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Is squatting a church a good idea?

No, I don't think it is. I'd never squat a church/former church. Either it really isn't a suitable space to live; or there will be people in the area who feel very strongly about your being there.

Some friends of mine got rather violently thrown out of the old cinema on Essex Road, N1, which had been bought by an evangelical church and then left to rot. It was the church congregation that broke in and threw them out. There's a video here: http://microfilmswebtv.com/films/s/VHS_basements_illegal_eviction/20084

and discussion thread here: http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/th...from-Essex-Road-cinema-by-church-congregation

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

Camelot require work references, payslips etc. Not for the likes of dole scum like me.

.'

Indeed, and a years worth of work history to boot. If you've got that, you might as well mainstream let, IMHO.

ETA, there is also a 500-600 pound deposit. Again, you might as well go for a mainstream let if you are able to stump that up....