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Squatting
Nowhere to live?
Thinking about squatting ?
If you are then below are a few pointers to help you.
'Squatter' is a term which has no legal meaning of its own and is often used to cover two different groups:-
- people who entered premises without permission and stay without permission. In law, people in this situation are trespassers.
- people who previously entered a property as squatters but have now been given permission to occupy. This permission will almost always be on a temporary. If you’re in this situation you may be called a ‘'licensed squatter” but you are in fact an excluded occupier and have very few rights to stay there if your landlord wants you out.
Firstly try and find out who is the owner of the intended premises. Squatting in private property owned by an individual is not usually encouraged by squatting organisations. You may want to approach the owner to see if its possible to negotiate a short-term licence to occupy the property.
Be very careful as you enter the property because if you do damage you could be charged with criminal damage. One of the first things you need to do is post a legal notice to say you are in the property. By doing this you will prevent the landlord from using violence to get you out. Make sure you always leave someone in the property as the owner or is agents can break in if there is nobody there. For more information about this contact your local CAB or email us.
If you are staying in a building the water board will have connect you to the system – you will have to pay for the connection and the supply. When it comes to gas and electricity things are a bit more complicated. Gas should be supplied if you live within 23m of a gas main and are willing to pay any deposit that may be required and it would be safe to do so. With the electric similar conditions apply but you don’t have to live as close. For more info contact your local CAB. If the squat is your main home then you will be liable to council tax in the normal way.
Just because you’re a squatter it doesn’t mean you can’t get benefits.
It is also possible for you to become the legal occupier if you make an arrangement with the owner or you live there for 12 years.
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