This is a question to the blog clinic from Sarah (not her real name), who is a landlord in England.
Our tenants have moved out, and we’ve changed the locks. New tenants haven’t moved in yet. What happens if a previous tenant who is now homeless decides to break in and squat?
Answer
The most important thing, if you think this is likely, is to secure the property so they can’t get in.
You say you have changed the locks. Make sure also that all the windows have locks on them, and maybe consult a security company.
There are companies which specialise in making rented properties secure after evictions and during voids. Prevention is always best.
If you find that your property has been entered and occupied by squatters, then speak to the police.
If squatters occupy someone’s home, or somewhere which is about to be occupied as a home, and remain after being asked to leave, this is a criminal offence. So the police should help you recover possession.
Do not do this yourself. If you use force or the threat of force you will yourself be committing a crime.
If the Police refuse to help then make a complaint. This may or may not make them take action for you.
Failing police action, you will need to bring court proceedings for possession using the special procedure for squatters. It is best to use solicitors for this – one firm which offers this service is Landlord Action.
However, you should not need to do this as the police should help you.
Note that you should also notify your insurers of the situation, as this will affect your insurance (particularly if you don’t tell them!). They may also be able to help – for example, the cost of eviction may be covered by your insurance.