Retail landlords ''should be aware of squatting risks''
Tim Hill
Date posted: 23 Feb 2010
Landlords should take precautions to ensure that any empty retail properties that they own do not become inhabited by squatters, it has been suggested.
Aviva's property risk manager Allister Smith believes that squatters can prove tricky to get rid of once they start residing in a property.
He commented: "With an estimated 20,000 squatters in the UK, it is ... imperative that adequate measures are put in place to prevent squatters from entering and taking ownership of a property."
Landlords should take precautions to ensure that any empty retail properties that they own do not become inhabited by squatters, it has been suggested.
Aviva's property risk manager Allister Smith believes that squatters can prove tricky to get rid of once they start residing in a property.
He commented: "With an estimated 20,000 squatters in the UK, it is ... imperative that adequate measures are put in place to prevent squatters from entering and taking ownership of a property."
Meanwhile, Mr Smith has also highlighted the potential legal problems that landlords could face if someone entering an empty property of theirs is caught unaware by a hazard.
Property owners hoping to maintain the appearance of temporarily disused properties should also aim to quickly remove things like graffiti, the expert recommends.
Meanwhile, when it comes to landlords operating in the rental sector, the Association of Residential Letting Agents recently highlighted the rental arrears that some property owners are having to deal with due to the financial problems of their tenants.
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