Campaign to make squatting a crime gathers pace

An early day motion calling for squatting to be criminalised and a petition to be presented on April 4 at Downing Street are part of a new campaign.

The proposed new law will mean that home owners will no longer have to go through the civil courts in order to evict squatters from their properties.

Instead the police will be able to force entry and arrest anyone who has occupied a property without the consent of its owners. In Scotland, squatting is illegal and offenders can be jailed for up to 21 days.

At present, squatters may legally enter an empty property provided they do not cause damage when gaining access. Existing laws protect squatters by preventing a homeowner from forcing their way back into a property using force.

Click here to read the full story Campaign to make squatting a crime gathers pace