Commercial squatting

When, five years ago, it became a criminal offence to squat in a residential building, the amount of incidents of squatting in commercial properties steadily increased. The government is yet to give in to pressure to extend the offence of squatting to commercial buildings, and this means owners who fall victim to commercial squatting are facing lengthy legal battles followed by costly repair bills.

This article provides risk management tips to commercial property owners on how to prevent unauthorised access and highlights key issues to consider.

Topics covered:
• Financial consequences of having squatters.
• Business issues.
• Property owners' rights.
• Eviction orders.
• Methods of prevention.