Evicting Squatters

Commonly known as ‘squatting’ a person can exercise their legal right to occupy a vacant property under the law of 'adverse possession'. If a squatter has occupied a property for ten years or more, they can apply to the Land Registry to become the registered owner of the land.

To successfully evict squatters you must follow a formal legal process to secure possession. However, it is critical that all actions are undertaken correctly, or the eviction may fail, and you could be liable to the squatters you are trying to evict. 



There is a chance that you can secure the property again if you can enter your property while nobody is there or obtain possession of the property, without force. In the event of any accusations made against you, you should always ensure that you have a witness with you to observe any dealings you have with squatters.

You must start formal proceedings within 28 days of finding squatters, and whilst this action has been made easier, your solicitor may advise you to make informal agreements instead, which can be cheaper than formal action. In each case a solicitor will be able to advise of the full costs and time scales involved.