New Legislation for the Protection of Home Owners
It has been announced today that the government has introduced new legislation in the combat of Squatters Rights, and from 01/09/2012 property owners will now have the legal right to enforce criminal action against individuals who illegally enter and reside at a property. Persistent offenders could face a prison term of 6 months and up to a £5,000 fine.
Previous to this legislation, should a property owner experience someone residing within their empty or furnished property, they were only entitled to pursue civil action against this individual. This process, not only lengthy and costly is not immediate and can leave homeless people living in a property, perhaps causing damage and leaving the home owner, not only pushed out from their own property but also with no security for the future.
This new enforcement will also assist landlords who wish to serve their tenants section notices to end their tenancy and take criminal action against them to evict them from the property should thet choose not to leave.
