Property Law
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 creates a new offence of squatting in a residential building (Section 144).
The Act received Royal Assent on 1 May 2012. There is currently no date set for when Section 144 will come in to force.
Under the act a criminal offence will be committed when
- A person is in a residential building as a trespasser, having entered it as a trespasser
- The person knows or ought to have known that he or she is a trespasser
- The person is living in the building or intends to live there for any period.
An offence is not committed if the person is holding over after the end of a lease or license (even if they have left the property and returned).
Section 144 does not apply to commercial properties.
If you would like advice regarding property and potential disputes please contact us.
Jacqueline Penfold
Tina Ripley
Please note the above is for information purposes only and is intended to be a short summary. It should not be treated as a comprehensive guide and should not be acted on without qualified legal advice.
