Squatting now a criminal offence - Coleman Street tower block residents pleased

10:30am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News By Laura Smith

EMBATTLED residents of Southend’s tower blocks have welcomed a new law designed to put a stop to squatting.

People living in town centre high-rises, such as Malvern, Quantock, Pennine, Chiltern, Temple Court and Sutton Court, believe the changes could stop people occupying homes.

On Saturday, it became a criminal offence to squat, and anyone convicted of the offence could face six months jail or a £5,000 fine.

Mike McKenzie, who lives in Sutton Court, said: “We’ve had trouble with squatters blocking off the drying rooms. They managed to walk in behind a genuine resident and then set up there, bolting the door shut.

“It stopped us from using the rooms.

“A law like this should help. No one should have the right, just because you’ve got an open front door, to come in and say: ‘That’s mine now’.”

A mother-of-two, who lives in Malvern tower block, off Queensway, repeatedly complained to South Essex Homes after a group of squatters moved into a neighbouring flat.

They were finally booted out in May after a court order, but residents had to put up with months of aggravation first.

The woman, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “I think it would definitely help. We had problems with them having rowdy parties and throwing bottles out of the window.

“I was worried for my children because of the broken glass they left outside.”

Before Saturday, squatting was treated as a civil offence.

This meant landlords or South Essex Homes, which manages more than 6,000 publicly-owned homes on behalf of Southend Council, would have to wait weeks to secure a court order for eviction.

Street pastor Del Thomas, who regularly patrols Southend to care for its homeless population, said: “The new law is going to have a huge impact on Southend.

“I work with rough sleepers, and there are lots of rough sleepers who squat and there are a lot of empty buildings being used.

“However, it depends on how strictly the police enforce it, because at the end of the day it’s their choice. They can either use the law or not.”

Comments (7)

11:35am Tue 4 Sep 12

JuliaM says...

"However, it depends on how strictly the police enforce it, because at the end of the day it’s their choice."

Umm, no, sorry Del. It's not the choice of the police at all - if an owner makes a claim of squatters at his premises, they HAVE to act.

The police don't get to pick and choose which laws they apply.
"However, it depends on how strictly the police enforce it, because at the end of the day it’s their choice." Umm, no, sorry Del. It's not the choice of the police at all - if an owner makes a claim of squatters at his premises, they HAVE to act. The police don't get to pick and choose which laws they apply. JuliaM

3:00pm Tue 4 Sep 12

Russ13 says...

So........ If you get caught squatting you face 6 months inside or £5000 fine.

How many squatters will have £5K laying around to pay a fine?

That then leaves the jail option so all this new law will potentially do is re-home the homeless in jail?
So........ If you get caught squatting you face 6 months inside or £5000 fine. How many squatters will have £5K laying around to pay a fine? That then leaves the jail option so all this new law will potentially do is re-home the homeless in jail? Russ13

6:28pm Tue 4 Sep 12

notalocalman says...

This is rubbish anyway - firstly, the drying rooms aren't residential property so won't be covered by the new law which is quite specific about that and secondly - just because a landlord SAYS there is squatting going on does NOT compel the police to act...
The new law is actually quite useless in that it really gives the police MORE reasons to get out of doing anything than they had before.
If the squatters believe they had or were going to get a tenancy agreement for the property the law says that a judge must decide, therefore if the squatter claim that is the case the police will say (if they want to) "It's a civil matter...bye"
This law was enacted so that people would believe the Coalition was doing something about the "problem"....actuall
y it does very little to help those who get seriously affected by it.
This is rubbish anyway - firstly, the drying rooms aren't residential property so won't be covered by the new law which is quite specific about that and secondly - just because a landlord SAYS there is squatting going on does NOT compel the police to act... The new law is actually quite useless in that it really gives the police MORE reasons to get out of doing anything than they had before. If the squatters believe they had or were going to get a tenancy agreement for the property the law says that a judge must decide, therefore if the squatter claim that is the case the police will say (if they want to) "It's a civil matter...bye" This law was enacted so that people would believe the Coalition was doing something about the "problem"....actuall y it does very little to help those who get seriously affected by it. notalocalman

7:06pm Tue 4 Sep 12

Brunning999 says...

Bring on the new law ASAP most of those squatters in London are well educated anarchist born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
Bring on the new law ASAP most of those squatters in London are well educated anarchist born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Brunning999

8:48am Wed 5 Sep 12

perini says...

58 stone of wobbly fun works a heck of a lot better with squatters than a dumbed up 'new law!'
58 stone of wobbly fun works a heck of a lot better with squatters than a dumbed up 'new law!' perini

10:03am Wed 5 Sep 12

JuliaM says...

notalocalman wrote:
This is rubbish anyway - firstly, the drying rooms aren't residential property so won't be covered by the new law which is quite specific about that and secondly - just because a landlord SAYS there is squatting going on does NOT compel the police to act... The new law is actually quite useless in that it really gives the police MORE reasons to get out of doing anything than they had before. If the squatters believe they had or were going to get a tenancy agreement for the property the law says that a judge must decide, therefore if the squatter claim that is the case the police will say (if they want to) "It's a civil matter...bye" This law was enacted so that people would believe the Coalition was doing something about the "problem"....actuall y it does very little to help those who get seriously affected by it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Tell that to the parasites the police have already kicked out of several squats, including those in Brighton and London.

It's working. The free ride for the crusties is over. :)
[quote][p][bold]notalocalman[/bold] wrote: This is rubbish anyway - firstly, the drying rooms aren't residential property so won't be covered by the new law which is quite specific about that and secondly - just because a landlord SAYS there is squatting going on does NOT compel the police to act... The new law is actually quite useless in that it really gives the police MORE reasons to get out of doing anything than they had before. If the squatters believe they had or were going to get a tenancy agreement for the property the law says that a judge must decide, therefore if the squatter claim that is the case the police will say (if they want to) "It's a civil matter...bye" This law was enacted so that people would believe the Coalition was doing something about the "problem"....actuall y it does very little to help those who get seriously affected by it.[/p][/quote]Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell that to the parasites the police have already kicked out of several squats, including those in Brighton and London. It's working. The free ride for the crusties is over. :) JuliaM

11:36am Wed 5 Sep 12

E-Types.. says...

Here lies the problem with the people of this country. The government reports something and the sheeple dont research what has actually been done but accept what they are told and then pontificate on the matter in their ignorance.

Altogether now Baaaaaaaa
Here lies the problem with the people of this country. The government reports something and the sheeple dont research what has actually been done but accept what they are told and then pontificate on the matter in their ignorance. Altogether now Baaaaaaaa E-Types..

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